The unlikely lads '“ a hands-across-the-Thames friendship blossoms at the Proact

Zavon Hines is a product of West Ham United’s youth system, while his housemate Sid Nelson is Millwall born, bred and trained.

Elder statesman of the pairing, Hines, has grown fond of the on-loan Lions youngster.

Supporters, too, seem keen on Nelson, who celebrates goals and wins so wildly that he comes across as a bit of a character.

When asked what he makes of the 22-year-old, Hines couldn’t help but grin.

“He plays for Millwall doesn’t he?” quipped the veteran.

“He’s a good lad. We share a house together and we talk a lot.

“It’s quite surprising really because he’s a Millwall lad and I came from West Ham, it’s a bit weird.”

It’s his housemate’s attitude that Hines appreciates most.

And he wants the rest of the Spireites to consistently show the same hunger.

“I’ve got a lot of love for him, he’s a winner and that’s what we need.

“We need everyone to have that same mentality, the same desire to win as he does.

“I believe we all have, we just have to be consistent with it.”

But their hands-across-the-Thames friendship is apparently not yet strong enough for Hines to accept finishing tips from the centre-half.

Nelson broke his duck as a professional footballer with his 16th minute chested goal on Sunday against Notts County.

Just 23 minutes later he was dishing out goalscoring advice to Hines, in the wake of the winger’s cool finish that put Town two up.

“Sid came to me and said I had a lot of time, I could have taken a touch, but I’m inside the box, I don’t really need to take a touch, I’m confident in my own ability,” said Hines.

“Even though it was my weaker foot I’m still confident in it. I’m just happy it went in the bottom corner to give us that little cushion.”