West Ham: Bold Predictions for Their Return to the Premier League

Chelsea are not the only London club in euphoria after West Ham won the richest football match in the world and won promotion to the Premier League by beating Blackpool, 2-1.

Ricardo Vaz Te knocked in the winner only a few minutes from full time, and the Hammers completed a very successful season to yo-yo right back up only a year after going down.

They have been one of the Championship's most solid teams all season and deserve their return to the top flight, but now Sam Allardyce and his men must prepare for a much more difficult challenge than that which they faced this year.

With that in mind, here are six predictions for West Ham's first season back in the promised land.

They'll Beat the Bigger Teams

If we can be sure about one thing with this West Ham team, it is that they have the quality to take on all comers.

From back to front, the team is very solid, and they have had no trouble beating their Championship opponents this year to the brink of automatic promotion.

A tough-tackling and industrious midfield supports an effective corps of attackers that has played a large part in hoisting the Hammers back to the top flight only one year after relegation.

They might not consistently beat the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, but it will be impossible to rule out an upset victory on any day that one of the big boys faces West Ham.

Ricardo Vaz Te Will Take the League by Storm

Signed for only £500,000 from Barnsley in January, Ricardo Vaz Te is proving to be one of the signings of the season for West Ham, and is one of the main reasons for his side's promotion.

The Portuguese winger has scored 22 goals this season and wreaks havoc wherever and whenever he is played, often providing the team's main attacking outlet.

If he can keep up his fine form into next season, Vaz Te could prove to be what Charlie Adam was for Blackpool a season ago and carry the Hammers up the table.

Of course, the big boys might then come sniffing around, but West Ham will really benefit from Vaz Te's presence while they still have him.

Carlton Cole Will Have a Great Season

Though perhaps not appreciated as much as his more flashy teammate Vaz Te, Carlton Cole is just as important to the West Ham attack.

The striker, who scored the first goal in the playoff final against Blackpool, has chipped in with 15 goals this season and holds up play extremely well for his teammates when in possession of the ball.

Cole's continued development has been crucial to his team's success this season, and he will only be helped by consistently playing at the highest level next year.

Don't be surprised if he turns out to be next season's Grant Holt, who bulled his way to his own 15 goals for newly promoted Norwich City.

Kevin Nolan Will Also Do Well

One of West Ham's most astute signings of the season, captain Kevin Nolan is the heart and soul of the side and one of the main reasons why they were able to achieve promotion after a grueling 46-game season.

Nolan is the sort of box-to-box midfielder that every team wants to have, making tough tackles to win the ball back and creating chances however he can when in possession.

He has certainly shown that he is Premier League quality, as his highly successful tenures with both Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United show. When he left St. James' Park during the summer, it was obvious why the Toon army was saddened by his departure.

However, their loss is West Ham's gain, and Nolan may prove crucial to helping the Hammers stay up next season.

Bye Bye, Upton Park

As if it was not certain enough already, West Ham's promotion virtually ensures that they will move out of their historic Upton Park home and into the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Summer Games.

The club has been leading the race for some time to take over the venue when it becomes available, and barring a couple legal snafus, the deal would already have been done.

Now, with all the revenue that will be generated by a return to the top flight of English football, there should be nothing to hold up now.

West Ham Will Stay Up

West Ham have showed this season that they not only had the quality to earn automatic promotion, but they have the ability to avoid relegation next season.

The old Hammers side that was relegated a year ago was a team bereft of quality, guile and grit. Now, their fans are treated to a team that can pick sides apart and remain firm at the back, with an even tougher boss at the helm.

If the past two seasons are any indication, the Championship is producing teams worthy of promotion, as only one club out of the six promoted, Blackpool, went down the next season.

And West Ham do not appear to be ready to buck that trend, with a balanced and strong squad that can certainly take care of itself in the top flight.

Follow @charliemelman