West Ham invites Obama back to Upton Park

West Ham United is a club known for having one or two famous fans. But while one might expect the likes of Ray Winstone or Ross Kemp to be seen down at Upton Park, a slightly more surprising celebrity could appear in East London soon.

The Hammers have invited Barack Obama, the man who will soon become the first black President of the United States of America, to take in a game the next time he's in the United Kingdom.

Apparently Obama has visited Upton Park before, when he attended a match during a visit to his half-sister in 2003.

"We are very proud of what Barack Obama has achieved and respect what he has done," West Ham director Mike Lee said earlier, speaking to the BBC. "We plan to send him a letter of congratulations and invite him to Upton Park the next time he is in London."

Obama is apparently a fervent sports fan and he is known to play basketball frequently. Malia, his 10-year old daughter, plays in a girls' soccer league in Chicago. It is not known whether he has any definite allegiance to an English team though.