WEST Ham hero Frank McAvennie has called on players at his old club to "roll up their sleeves" and fight as a team if they are to turn around this season's "absolutely diabolical" and "criminal" peformances.

The 47-year-old former striker said: "The fans have every right to shout you're a disgrace to the jersey' and all that.

"It's been pretty bad, but the players can pull it out and turn it round.

"They've got the quality. Last year they fought for each other.

"This year obviously some of them have been reading the headlines and think they're better than they are. You have to fight for each other.

"Players in the great teams like Manchester United and Chelsea are brought up that way.

"Beckham, Scholes, Giggs, you don't see them moaning about chasing 40 yards for the ball.

"They turn bad passes into good passes and that's what gets you out of trouble."

McAvennie, who scored 26 goals in his first season at the club, rejoined the Hammers for his second spell during their 1988-89 relegation season and said: "I knew they were going down.

"I could have gone to the champions Arsenal, but I decided to go back to West Ham.

"That's how much this club means to me. The fans just want to see someone giving 100 per cent.

"If they see someone giving 100 per cent then they'll back them to the hilt, that's what West Ham fans do."

The Scotsman added: "They've bought some decent players. Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson, Luis Boa Morte. Players like that can do something.

"They've got the players there that if they fight, they've got the ability, but they've got to work as a team first.

"They've got to go out there and win the battle.

"Sometimes you've got to win dirty. You've got to roll up your sleeves and get amongst it."

And he predicted if they did, the club would soon be competing for a top six place.

"Next year, they start from scratch. I don't think getting relegated is on the agenda. It would break my heart, but I don't fear for them.

"West Ham want to be challenging for Europe with the kind of money the chairman and his consortium have brought in and good luck to them.

"At the moment, the manager's priority is keeping West Ham up, but I think he can do it and then next year we'll see a mass clearance.

"When players start getting put up for transfer, that's when they see who's good and who's bad and they'll get a shock when teams don't come in for them."

l McAvennie was speaking at the launch of the new Pro Club Golf Challenge 2007.

The brainchild of the legendary ladies' man, the tournament gives football supporters the chance to fight for their club.

Anyone over 18 with a handicap certificate can enter in a team of four to compete against other football fan golfers for chance to represent their club against sides from the Scottish and English Premier Leagues in a Sky Sports televised final in Spain.

For more information visit the website www.

proclubchallenge.com