The United States defender Jonathan Spector joined West Ham United in a £500,000 move from Manchester United on 15 June 2006.

Born and raised in Arlington Heights, a suburb of Chicago, Spector moved to England at the age of 17 to join United in the summer of 2003 and made his senior debut just a year later, in the Community Shield against Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium. He went on to make seven league and cup appearances for Sir Alex Ferguson's side in the 2004/05 campaign, including two in the Champions League against Dinamo Bucharest and Fenerbahce

In November 2004, he made his full international debut, as a substitute in a World Cup qualifier against Jamaica but he then had to wait almost a year for his second cap, playing in a 2-0 qualifying victory over Panama in October 2005. In his quest to find regular first-team football away from Old Trafford, Spector joined Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan spell at the start of the 2005/06 campaign.

Impressing then Addicks' boss Alan Curbishley, Spector soon established himself as a regular at The Valley, where he went on to make 20 Premiership appearances. Disaster struck in April 2006, however, when he suffered a dislocated shoulder that shattered his dreams of appearing at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Despite having his season cruelly ended, Spector at least had the consolation of that subsequent move to the Boleyn Ground. The versatile defender, who can play in a number of positions along the back-line, became the second American - behind John Harkes who made 13 Hammers' appearances during the 1995/96 season - to play for the club, when he made his debut in the UEFA Cup first round second-leg tie in Palermo on 28 September 2006.

After recovering from that shoulder injury, Spector went on to make 26 league and cup appearances during his first season at the Boleyn Ground - which saw him reunited with Curbishley. In the 2007/08, injuries allowed Spector to stake his first-team claim and he soon established himself as a regular. His versatility saw him play in a number of positions, including midfield, although his preferred place is in central defence. It was here where he especially impressed in a 2-1 home win against Manchester United on 29 December 2008.

His international career also continued apace with Spector regularly turning out for the US senior side. He also played his part as the Under-23s secured a spot at the Beijing Olympics. That place at the Summer Games was achieved with a 3-0 win against Canada in Nashville in March 2008. However, a hip injury diagnosed that summer cost him his part in the US squad and he did not return to the club until November 2008. He was soon back in the thick of the action and agreed a new contract as well for his efforts.