West Ham United's co-chairman David Gold has defended his side's record in developing youngsters after criticism of the club's academy.
The Hammers were busy in the summer transfer market, but remain keen to bring through their own youngsters from an academy which has previously produced stars such as Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Jermain Defoe.
Yesterday Slaven Bilic's men slipped to a 4-1 defeat away at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Gold was asked on Twitter what has happened to the club's academy and when a youngster will be given a chance in the team.
And Gold replied: "16 year old Reece Oxford from our academy was on the bench against Tottenham yesterday."
Oxford did not make it onto the pitch at White Hart Lane yesterday, with Bilic preferring Mauro Zarate, Nikica Jelavic and Alex Song as his options as he tried to turn the game around.
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The Hammers still continue to sit a lofty sixth in the Premier League table despite their heavy defeat at Spurs.
West Ham are three points behind fifth placed Spurs and are next in action at Upton Park next weekend at home against West Brom as they seek to return to winning ways.
