Reading full-back Nicky Shorey masterminded the thrashing of West Ham but still backs Alan Curbishley's men to escape relegation this season.

Shorey grew up near the Hammers' Chadwell Heath training ground and also had a spell at the club as a youngster but earned his reputation climbing the divisions with Leyton Orient and Reading.

His performance against West Ham, setting up four of his side's six goals, illustrated why fans and pundits have called for the 25-year-old to receive a call-up to Steve McClaren's England squad.

Despite embarrassing Curbishley's defenders, Shorey believes West Ham still have enough quality in their squad to climb out of the bottom three.

"They've got good players and I back them to get out of it," said the left-back, whose girlfriend's family are Hammers fans.

"It's one of those clubs which was close to me when I was brought up and I'll always have a little soft spot for them, like a lot of people."

West Ham were accused of losing their hunger after getting carried away with one successful season in the Barclays Premiership, while Reading showed all the enthusiasm of a newly-promoted side looking to prove themselves in the top flight.

Shorey added: "Last season helped us a lot, the way we won the Championship was unbelievable. The relationships we forged in the team were unbelievable and I think that will stick with us for a long time.

"It's carried on into this season and hopefully we can keep it up for the next few years.

"In your first season of doing something, like us in the Premiership, you're very hungry to do well.

"I think it's always harder the second time around and maybe West Ham are finding that out a little bit, but I think they'll do enough to stay up."

Shorey has played down his England chances but admits, after playing in all four divisions, that it would set a fine example to lower-league players.

"Everything at the moment is just brand new," he said. "It's the next phase in my career - I started out at Leyton Orient and I've gone through every division.

"It's nice to see that someone can do that and hopefully stay in the Premiership for a few years, and really show that I'm good enough."

But he added: "It's our first season in the Premiership so I'm not getting too carried away with England chants.

"It's nice when the fans are appreciating you doing well and to hear them chant that is unbelievable, but I wouldn't get too carried away. I take it with a pinch of salt."

Shorey lists Glenn Hoddle among his role models and showed a similar set-piece expertise against West Ham for three of the goals, while cutting through their defence for another.

"It was probably my best personal performance in the Premiership but also a great game for all of us - all the lads put in a really good performance," he said.

"A lot of people talk about how tired people are in the Christmas period, I actually quite like it because you can play a lot of games and that's what you want to do as a player. Against West Ham it showed, we were on top of our game."