'Amazing feeling' - Uncapped Scotland star becomes instant cult hero after impressive first EPL start

The former Hearts midfielder has made sporadic substitute appearances for the Hammers this season but was handed his maiden chance in the starting XI by new boss Graham Potter away to Chelsea on Monday night.

West Ham lost the match 2-1 but Irving's inclusion at Stamford Bridge has become a major talking point, particularly given the reception he received from the travelling fans.

The 24-year-old Scot was regaled with chants of "there's only one Andy Irving", and "Andy Irving you're the love of my life", while Chelsea and England forward Cole Palmer was subjected to, "you're just a s*** Andy Irving".

Irving has taken a road less travelled to the English top flight, leaving Hearts at the age of 21 four years ago to sign for German third tier side Türkgücü München, who went bust, before moving to Austrian Bundesliga side Klagenfurt. His performances with the latter impressed scouts from West Ham, who made their move on transfer deadline day in summer 2023, spending £1.6million to sign Irving on a three-year contract before immediately loaning him back to Klagenfurt.

After a standout season in the Austrian top flight, which included scoring a 22-minute hat-trick against RB Salzburg, Irving finally joined up with the Hammers for pre-season last summer. He now has nine EPL appearances under his belt including his first start, which he earned on the back of his efforts on the training field.

"His spirit and his application and I think his training performances have merited that start," said Potter, who replaced Julen Lopetegui as West Ham head coach last month. "Obviously, we lost Edson Álvarez quite late [to injury] so we had to adjust. I think the decision was clear for Andy because he's trained really well and I think it's important for the group to know that. I'm pleased with him."

Irving justified his selection with an all-action display during his 77 minutes on the park which saw him play more passes than all but one of his outfield West Ham team-mates.

"To have my first start in the Premier League with West Ham, it's an amazing feeling," Irving told West Ham TV. “I'm just disappointed that it didn't go the way that I would have loved it to by taking three points, but I think on the whole it was a really good performance from the team, to be honest.

“I think since the Head Coach has come in, it's been brilliant. Anytime he or the staff have spoken with me, it's been really positive, and I think it's been like that with every player.

“Every day in training has been brilliant, really enjoyable, and I think I've been training well. I've been working really hard, and I feel that hard work is paying off at the moment, and I'm delighted with that."

A former Scotland Under-21, Irving has yet to be capped at senior level although he did receive his maiden call-up to Steve Clarke's squad for the Nations League matches against Croatia and Portugal in October last year.

He never got on the park and was not selected for the subsequent November camp but if he continues to be given chances in the West Ham starting line-up than he will hard for Clarke to ignore when it comes to selecting his squad for the Nations League play-off against Greece in March.

“It definitely takes time to adapt [to the Premier League], but I think I've had enough tasters of that so far this season to get a grip of it, and I feel that I handled it pretty well for 75 minutes just before I went off as I had a little knock," Irving added. “In terms of the intensity, it's mad to be honest, the intensity and the physical output that you have to put in, but I'm working like mad in the gym three or four times with Cal (fitness coach Callum Foster) a week to try and adapt to it. I'm just delighted with the opportunity.”

Reacting to the reception he received from the West Ham fans, Irving beamed: “I could hear it! It took me a second to realise that it was about me. It's brilliant, the support is great, and it definitely gives me and the team that extra boost. You see them at the end there, still in their numbers, applauding us off. The fans were absolutely brilliant."

Irving also revealed that his girflriend Zoe had shown faith in his hopes of making it in the EPL this season after applying for - and getting - a job as a teacher in east London.

“At the end of May there was a job available at a school in Tower Hamlets, and my partner opted to go for the interview, which I was all for," he explained. "She had massive belief that I would be staying for this season, but the pressure was on throughout pre-season. She's amazing. I'm super proud of her, the way she's taken to life in London and her job!”