Speedy wide players like the West Ham United<\/a> captain, for instance.<\/p>\n Speaking of forward partnerships, a couple of former Hammers youngsters have struck up an impressive one themselves over at Stoke City.<\/p>\n Divin Mubama<\/a> and Sorba Thomas have scored or assisted nine goals between them for a Potters side camped in the play-off places heading into the tenth matchday.<\/p>\n Mubama and Thomas even fired Stoke into first place<\/a> with three successive victories to kick off the 2025\/26 campaign. And though Mark Robins\u2019 pacesetters have slowed a little since then, three wins in a row making way for three draws in a row, a physical poacher like Mubama combined with a dynamic creator like Thomas is certainly a recipe for Championship success.<\/p>\n No wonder Mubama is pleased to have Thomas\u2019 support, both on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have mutual friends, so I knew [Thomas] was about to make this move,\u201d Mubama tells the Stoke Sentinel<\/a>, speaking on the Welsh winger\u2019s move to Staffordshire from Huddersfield Town over the summer. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good when you know someone, and he\u2019s from East London as well. <\/p>\n \u201cSorba was on the books at West Ham too but he\u2019s six years older than me isn\u2019t he? We\u2019ve got a good relationship on and off the pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas was indeed a one-time claret and blue kid. But while West Ham lost Divin Mubama to Manchester City<\/a> in the summer of 2024, Barking-born Thomas endured the disappointment of being released as a 15-year-old.<\/p>\n He dropped down to non-league with Boreham Wood before climbing his way back up the ladder.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing told you\u2019re not good enough is a smack in the face,\u201d Thomas would later tell BBC Sport<\/a>. \u201cThat was the first time I was told I wasn\u2019t good enough. I didn\u2019t take it well. I didn\u2019t really want to play anymore.<\/p>\n \u201cI kind of fell out of love with the game and tried to look at Plan Bs. My family and friends knew how much I wanted to be a pro footballer and getting back on the horse was hard.<\/p>\n \u201cI started a little Sunday League team for a few months and tried to find the love again. I went to Boreham Wood and success started there really.\u201d<\/p>\n A decade later, while it is too soon really to suggest that Thomas is showing West Ham what they are missing, the late-blooming 26-year-old appears to be on a trajectory leading him to the Premier League, with or without Stoke.<\/p>\n![\"Divin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2229243286-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Nathan Stirk\/Getty ImagesFormer West Ham United starlets Divin Mubama and Sorba Thomas shine at Stoke<\/p>\n