West Ham Twitter is a wonderful place. Ive made some real friends on there, people ill know forever, ive seen people clubbing together to help each other through bereavements, sickness, relationship breakdowns and mental health crises.coming from a very small family ive always wondered what it was like to have a larger group of people who support you and the west ham family was the closest thing to it that ive ever seen.

On Monday, Nicola Mills messaged me to say that someone she had followed for a while had found himsef in real difficulty and had lost everything and had been living in a shed since christmas. We still had some long johns, gloves, hand warmers and hats left over from the collection before christmas and she asked that as i was not too far from where he was sleeping rough could go and see him and take him some bits and maybe see he was okay. She gave me his details and i contacted him. I didnt know what to expect when i met him - so took one of my closest friends Erol (who id met on twitter also) with me to meet him in case he was a bit scary. I didnt want to know his story i just went there to give him some bits to put Nics mind at rest.

What i didnt expect to find was someone that could have easily been anyone I’d stood next to at the football. A man who smelled like lenor, with a job, who had suffered from severe depression for many years and following a recent bout of it over christmas had managed to fall out with his friend who he was lodging with and found himself with nowhere to live. He was clearly a proud man, refused money and the offer of some hot food from us and would only take the hand warmers and gloves and hot water bottle. we both looked at that mans face, he was freezing and broken and in a terrible place. When we left, neither of us spoke, knowing that could have been either one of us but for a few different decisions in life and that we were going back to warm homes and this man, a fellow life long hard working west ham fan who looked like us and talked like us, was going to be hiding in a freezing cold shed until 4am when hed get up and go to work.

His hours had been cut to three days per week as he had needed time off due to depression and so he was only given a three day week, unable to find enough money to front a deposit for a new place and living rough until he could and couldnt let his mask slip about his situation to his employers in case they reduced his hours further or worse let him go.

We made a decision to do everythig we could to help this man back on his feet. Erol so kindly decided to put him up in a hotel near his job for five days until we could find a way to help him find a longer term solution and just in time too because its bloody freezing.

So we’re on the clock to get this man enough money together to get a deposit to get back into private shared accomodation.

As we know the brutal truth is that there is very little government support for working age men in this country and the stats for men wIth mental health issues doesnt make good reading.

I dont know this man, I dont know his full back story I dont know if hes ever been in trouble with the law or made mistakes in his life and I dont care or want to know.

I understand why people might not want to give to causes unless they know more about the background and im not here to try to change anyones mind or persuade people who dont want to donate, to donate, but i believe in the good in people. Im a good judge of character and i think hes a good man and Im not the only one who feels the same.

Imagine if everybody who comes to this page tonight donated 50p - we could achieve the goal in no time. If youre thinking to yourself you dont want to give 50p because its not going to help and youre embarrassed about it or feel a bit of a wally donating 50p- please dont! Please dont think it wont make a difference to achieving the goal of getting this man on the front foot then youre wrong. It will- you donate that 50p with pride because its really going to help.

January is a horrible month for everyone and i know I for one am at the point of getting excited when i find change in a coat i havent worn for a couple of weeks.... but if you can donate 50p or £1 or 20p or £5 please please please do.

Speaking as someone who has lost their job over the past year due to mental health issues and having no plan b.. i always wonder where i would be if i was unable to work for a while again and so ill do everything i can to help prevent someone else face the possibility of becoming a homeless person instead of a person who is currently without a home. I want him to feel cared about, important and better about himself, before hopelessness really takes hold

Hes a proud man but ive told him he can buy you all a drink when hes back on his feet over the carpenters and were celebrating winning the FA cup.

Both unlikely scenarios but lets think positive ay.

Thankyou for taking the time to read my blah and if you think im shit at telling stories please dont make him suffer for it.

Thankyou on behalf of everyone who has believed in this man so far (and there have been lots)xxx