a contract until the end of the next season. Despite being on the substitute bench between October and March, he became a first team regular as a midfielder for the rest of the season and then scored his first league goal for the club on 16 March 2005, in a 4–2 loss against Wigan Athletic. Hammond scored again on 16 April 2005, in a 1–1 draw against Burnley, followed up by scoring twice, in a 2–2 draw against West Ham United on 23 April 2005. At the end of the 2004–05 season, Hammond finished the season making 30 appearances and scoring 4 times in all competitions. At the beginning of the 2005–06 season, Hammond was handed the vacant number 11 shirt at the club, and became a first-team regular, either playing on the left hand side of midfield or in his preferred natural position of central midfield. He then started the 2005–06 season well when he scored the opening game of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Derby County and then scored again a week later, in a 2–2 draw against Crewe. For his good form at the club led him to sign a contract extension, keeping him until 2008. By the end of 2005, he went on to score two more goals against Ipswich Town and Millwall. However, Hammond received two red cards this season, with both of them came as a second bookable offence. Despite suffering setbacks from injury and suspension, Hammond went on to make 41 appearances scoring four times in all competitions. In the 2006–07 season, Hammond was handed the captain's armband at the club after injuries to both Richard Carpenter and Charlie Oatway. He started the 2006–07 season well when he scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–2 draw against Brentford on 12 August 2006. His second goal then came on 12 September 2006, in a 2–2 draw against AFC Bournemouth. By the end of 2006, Hammond went on to score four more goals against Bradford City, Cheltenham Town (twice) and Oldham Athletic. After being sidelined with injury and suspension, Hammond became the new official club captain after Carpenter was released by Brighton at the end of January 2007. Weeks after being appointed as a new captain, Hammond scored two goals in two matches between 13 February 2007 and 17 February 2007 against Leyton Orient and Nottingham Forest. However, he suffered