WEST Ham boss Alan Pardew admitted he was feeling the pressure after his side slipped to a third successive league defeat.

Hammers went down 2-1 at home to Derby, adding fuel to speculation that Pardew himself could be on the way out if the promotion push was not hastily put back on track.

The manager himself insisted he had not been to ask the board for any re-assurance about his future before or after yesterday's game but admitted things were looking grim.

"We can't hide from the fact that we've got ourselves in a hole," he said. "The pressure is always increasing on myself and my team and that doesn't make it comfortable.

"Now I have to look for character in the team. I have to see who is up for the challenge.

"There's a tense atmosphere around the place - but that's of our own doing."

Full report and pictures in Monday's Echo