Barking-born Bobby was, of course, fortunate enough to play for the Hammers, becoming a central figure in a promotion campaign and appearing in an FA Cup final. But it took two tries for him to make it at Upton Park.
“They were my local team, the one I watched as a kid and I was in the academy there, so I have a very close affiliation with the club,” he says. He remembers with particular affection the squad that finished third in the old First Division in 1985-86, the best final placing in their history.
“Being a striker, my favourite players were Frank McAvennie and Tony Cottee, they were the men who scored the goals. They weren’t a bad little side, with plenty of good players. George Parris too, Julian Dicks was the tough-tackling left back, Alvin Martin, Ludek Miklosko in goal, a few tidy players.”
Bobby played with some talented future pros himself at the famed Senrab boys club in Poplar, whose graduates include John Terry, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, Ledley King, Paul Konchesky, Lee Bowyer and Jermain Defoe, before joining the Hammers.
“I went to the academy at about 11 and was there for about four years. My year included Adam Newton and Sean Byrne, then later Michael Carrick came down from the North, and Joe Cole used to train with us although he was a lower age group. Adam was absolute lightning and could get a goal or two but it never really happened for him. He went on to Peterborough United but never really hit the heights that we all thought he was going to.”
Bobby too failed to make the grade, moving via Norwich City to Bristol Rovers before joining the Albion, initially on loan, in February 2000. “Everyone finds a different route and I am pleased with mine,” he says.
“I sampled every division and experienced all aspects of football, from having your pre-match meal on the coach to the four-star hotels and all the media hype of the Premier League and European and International football. So my journey has been fantastic and one I wouldn’t change a day of.”
After three seasons and two promotions at Withdean Stadium, Bobby made it to the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur in summer 2003 but was only there for six months before returning to West Ham in February 2004, as part of the deal that took Jermain Defoe to White Hart Lane.
“Glenn Hoddle signed me for Spurs from Brighton and was sacked half-way through the season. David Pleat came and took over and I suppose I wasn’t his fit. West Ham and Leeds were both interested, and Leeds were in the Premier League at the time but I desperately wanted to play for West Ham and be part of a team that got them promoted back up there.
“I remembered going into the Chadwell Heath training ground as a kid and so going back there was special, the same place but a different changing room. And it was a good move that worked out really well. We did get promoted and then did very well in the Premier League and got into Europe.
“I remember running out at Upton Park in a West Ham shirt for the first time, with I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles playing, which I used to sing as a kid, and the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. We won my home debut 1-0 [against Cardiff City] and I scored, which was perfect.”
It was at West Ham that Bobby played against the Albion twice during the 2004/05 season. First on the 13th November in a 1-0 win for the visitors at Upton Park when Guy Butters headed the only goal, and in a 2-2 draw at the Withdean Stadium the following April. “I came on as sub and we lost at Upton Park, before it was honours even back at Brighton. Those were the only times I played against them."
Just as well – the sight of Bobby Z as an opponent would have been hard to take for Albion fans. “It would have been difficult for me too, although you have to try to blank everything out and just play for your team.”
But that season ended in glory for Bobby and West Ham as they secured promotion via the play-offs and he scored the only goal of the final against Preston North End. He played the ball out to Matthew Etherington on the left and was in the right place to tuck home the winner when the ball came back into the middle and Preston defender Claude Davis slipped.
“I also managed to score home and away in the semi-finals against Ipswich,” he recalls. “I haven’t had a lot of years in the Championship, but when I have been there I have scored some important goals. For me as a West Ham fan to score the goal that got them back into the Premier League was fantastic, it really was.”
West Ham finished ninth in the Premier League the following season. “We had a really good set of lads. It was mostly an English squad of young, hungry players that wanted to succeed.
“We enjoyed playing football and we enjoyed socialising and had some good young talent. I remember Mark Noble at 16, who has gone on to be club captain and done tremendous things but was then a cheeky little chappie from the same part of the world as myself.
“My time at West Ham was fantastic. We reached the FA Cup final against Liverpool, which we probably should have won, and that qualified us to play in Europe, where we had a little bit of fun.
“Our seasons were very good, certainly for me. We had one great escape when we had a good team but still found ourselves in a bit of a dog fight that we managed to get out of. But again it was a fantastic journey.
“My best West Ham goals? Either the winner against Preston or one I got against Arsenal at Highbury playing against Sol Campbell in a 3-2 win. Playing and winning at Highbury was very special.” For that goal, he chested down a long diagonal ball from former Senrab teammate Paul Konchesky, muscled Campbell aside and curled the ball around Jens Lehmann.
But all good things come to an end and in summer 2008, Bobby moved on to Fulham for a fee of £4.8million. “I was a bit gutted to leave and would happily have finished my career there but if a club accepts an offer for you then that spells it out.
“But at Fulham I did well, played more European games including a final and got an England call-up – another fantastic time for me.”
Upton Park, where Bobby watched and played for West Ham, is now history but he is realistic about the club’s future at the London Stadium, where Albion have won and drawn on their two Premier League visits so far.
“It’s not the same and that special bond has gone but it is what it is and they have to try to make it a fortress,” he says.
“It is West Ham’s home now and they can’t go back to the Boleyn Ground any more. It has not been the greatest start there but in terms of the business, there are more bums on seats which means more money to spend on the team.”
After 162 appearances and 90 goals for the Albion in all competitions, and 152 appearances and 40 goals for the Hammers, it is only natural that Bobby’s loyalties will be split on Saturday. The best result?
“A draw, I suppose. Both teams are in need of points, and one will help both sides.”