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West Ham release Carlton Cole for second time in two years

Carlton Cole heads the list of players leaving West Ham this summer after being released by the club for the second time in two years.

Manager Sam Allardyce left the club on Sunday after it was decided his contract would not be renewed and now striker Cole will follow him out the door when his contract expires on June 30 alongside veteran goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, Guy Demel and Nene.

Young players Kieran Bywater, Sean Maguire, Paul McCallum and Dan Potts will also leave Upton Park while youth-team players Jerry Amoo, Kieran Bailey and Taylor Tombides have not been retained.

West Ham also announced that "youngsters Kyle Knoyle, Djair Parfitt-Williams and Alex Pike have agreed their first professional deals with the club and will sign contracts from 1 July."

Cole was let go by the Hammers in the summer of 2013 but rejoined the club on a short-term deal five months later before penning an 18-month contract in January 2014.

He began his career at Chelsea and had spells on loan at Wolves, Charlton and Aston Villa before moving to east London in the summer of 2006.

The 31-year-old, who has seven England caps, made 23 appearances for West Ham last season, scoring against Crystal Palace and Burnley before seeing a move to West Brom collapse in January.

"I've been at West Ham United for quite a long time and I've enjoyed myself here, with all the ups and downs, the heartaches and everything that came along with it," he said in a letter on the club website. "At the same time, I've grown from being a boy to a man here and everybody has treated me like a part of the family.

"It is heart-warming to know that I have got such support and that I have done my fair share for the club and been part of the history as well, which is very important for me.

"I'm very happy to have been a part of it and, wherever my future may lie, West Ham will always have a special place in my heart.

"It means a lot to me to have been at West Ham for so long. I wouldn't like to use the word hero, but I have played my part. A load of players have come and gone, but I've stayed around and enjoyed every minute of it."

Jaaskelainen joined the Hammers in 2012 and was first choice in his first season at Upton Park before being edged out by Adrian the following campaign.

Defender Demel spent four seasons with West Ham after signing from Hamburg in 2011 while forward Nene joined on a short-term deal in February.