Collison close to return

Injury-plagued midfielder Jack Collison took a significant step towards a return to first-team action when he played 45 minutes of West Ham's reserve team defeat at Norwich.

Collison has not played for the Hammers this season after he suffered a recurrence of the knee injury that has troubled him over the past two-and-a-half years.

The Wales international moved closer to a recall, however, stepping out in a Hammers shirt for the first time this season during a 3-1 defeat at Norwich.

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