THERE WAS indeed a rare sight in Cambridge on Saturday afternoon - a glimpse of Nigel Quashie in a West Ham shirt! The midfielder, who turned 31 on Monday, was not included on the pre-season tour to Austria, but turned out for the reserve and youth team s

THERE WAS indeed a rare sight in Cambridge on Saturday afternoon - a glimpse of Nigel Quashie in a West Ham shirt!

The midfielder, who turned 31 on Monday, was not included on the pre-season tour to Austria, but turned out for the reserve and youth team squad that travelled to the Abbey Stadium.

Quashie has played just eight games in claret and blue since his �1.5million signing from West Brom in January 2007.

His last game for the Hammers came in the 4-3 home defeat by Spurs in March 2007, where Quashie broke his foot.

Loan spells at both Birmingham City and Wolves have failed to impress enough to earn a full-time contract, and it seems that he may well be going out on loan again this season, with Sheffield United a possible destination.

Quashie and fellow first team outcast Calum Davenport were both included in an otherwise youthful West Ham team that drew 1-1 with Cambridge.

New signing Jack Lampe from Harlow Town came on as a second half substitute to play at centre half, while also included was 16-year-old former Roma trainee Simone Bezziccheri, who is on trial at West Ham.

Ahmed Abdulla scored the Hammers goal after a Quashie through ball, but Cambridge levelled five minutes from time.

Academy director, Tony Carr, was the man in charge on the day, and he was impressed by the experienced men in the West Ham line-up.

"Nigel Quashie played very well in midfield and Calum Davenport held the defence together," insisted Carr. "If you are going to have a reserve team with very young players, they need the experience of older players to help them develop.