West Ham have confirmed that keeper Stephen Henderson has joined the Blues on a three-month loan. The Hammers have also confirmed that there is a 24-hour recall clause included in the deal.
The Dubliner joined up with the Town squad yesterday and looks set to go straight into the team which faces Hull City at the KC Stadium on Saturday.
Henderson was one of the trio of Portsmouth players the Blues targeted in January prior to his switch to Upton Park. Despite lengthy negotiations, the Blues were unable to agree terms for any of the three players.
In March he joined the Hammers on a temporary loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer when he signed a three-year contract. However, since then he has made only two starts in the Capital One Cup.
The former Republic of Ireland U21 international had joined Pompey from Bristol City in the summer of 2011 having failed to usurp ex-England international David James at Ashton Gate.
Henderson, who stands 6ft 4in tall, had previously spent time on loan at York, Weymouth, Aldershot and Yeovil, and the Glovers’ Player of the Year award in 2010/11.
Henderson comes from a goalkeeping dynasty. Grandfather Paddy played for Shamrock Rovers in the 1960s, his father, also named Stephen, played, managed and coached at various sides in the League of Ireland.
His uncle Dave also played in the League of Ireland, for amongst others Shamrock Rovers, and another uncle, Wayne, currently plays for Preston and the Republic of Ireland.
Scott Loach and Arran Lee-Barrett are the club's current senior keepers with the former Watford man widely criticised for his performance in the recent 2-1 home defeat to Cardiff City.
Town, who signed free agent Nigel Reo-Coker on a three-month short-term deal on Saturday, already have Massimo Luongo, Daryl Murphy, Guirane N'Daw, Danny Higginbotham, DJ Campbell, Bilel Mohsni and Richie Wellens on loan.
Clubs are permitted to name five domestic loan players in a matchday squad with Henderson the sixth. Murphy (Celtic) and N'Daw (St Etienne) don't count to this total with their parent clubs from 'foreign' associations.