Author: Richard Bennett

The history of West Ham’s visits to Stamford Bridge indicates a likely home win. But does Chelsea’s poor recent form suggest otherwise?

History of Chelsea v West Ham fixtures and form in 2024-25 gives West Ham little chance of beating Chelsea on Monday evening. Only one player who could possibly be in our line-up for this game has ever scored a goal for us at Stamford Bridge and that is Aaron Cresswell. In our last two Premier League games v Chelsea they have scored eight goals against us without reply.

The first few minutes of the game could be important (as we found at Villa recently). Apart from Brentford, Chelsea have scored more goals than any other team in the opening ten minutes of Premier League games this season whereas we have conceded more goals in that time than any other team. Let’s hope we can withstand the opening period!

There are some hopeful factors though. Despite being sixth in the table, Chelsea have the poorest form in their last six games of all the top 14 Premier League teams. That’s where we are in our customary position this season of 14th. They have only collected five points in those whereas we have seven. The Premier League form table for the last six games has Chelsea in 15th.

In those six matches which go back to Boxing Day Chelsea have scored first in five of them but only won one of those five games. Their record of dropping more points from winning positions than anyone else in the period is only surpassed by Tottenham who have only picked up one point in the six-game form table up until the end of January.

I was looking through some statistics on the BBC website and saw that West Ham have won just one of their last 18 Premier League away games against Chelsea, drawing 4 of them and losing 13. That alone would suggest that winning there on Monday evening will not be likely if history is repeated. The one win in the period was in November 2019, a game remembered because of our goalkeeper that day, David Martin (son of Alvin) who kept a clean sheet and Aaron Cresswell scored for us as we won the game 1-0.

My first recollection in any detail of West Ham / Chelsea games goes back to the World Cup winning year of 1966. Towards the end of the 1965-66 season we played at Stamford Bridge and they thrashed us 6-2. Names from the past – George Graham (2), Ron Harris, Terry Venables and Bobby Tambling (2) scored against us that day. Our goals were from Peter Bennett and an own goal.

In the very first game at Upton Park after the World Cup final we met them at Upton Park. Our World Cup winning trio of Moore, Hurst and Peters received a tremendous reception when they came onto the pitch alone before the teams came out, but Chelsea spoilt the day with a 2-1 win. Johnny Byrne scored our goal that day.

Later that season in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge the week before Christmas there were ten goals in the game as it ended 5-5. Not many games end with that scoreline. Byrne, Brabrook, Peters, Sissons (2) were our scorers that day.

I was looking at the cost of programmes in those days. Both West Ham and Chelsea programmes at the time cost 6d (2.5p equivalent). The cost of the Matchday programme this season is now £4. That’s inflation for you.

Since that 5-5 draw we have played them 45 times in league games at Stamford Bridge, mostly top-flight games, although a couple of times in Division Two. We have won 10 of them, the last one being the David Martin game in 2019.

One win in 1967 was followed by two in the seventies, two in the eighties, three in the nineties, a surprising win in the relegation season of 2002-03, and then in 2019. The biggest win came in the great season of 1985-86 when we won 4-0 (McAvennie, Cottee 2, Devonshire), on our way to finishing third.

Despite their recent poor form and our encouraging display at Villa Chelsea are big odds-on favourites with the bookmakers to win the game at 1/3. We are 4/1 or greater to win and the draw is around 7/1 if you fancy a flutter.

Five years ago at the beginning of February we were just beginning to hear about Covid although we were unaware of the effect it would have on our lives for a year or two. The effect on football was that a season that began in August 2019 didn’t end until the end of July 2020. The season was halted for three months in March and of course social distancing entered the language with games played behind closed doors.

Looking back at those times we didn’t have VAR, which was to start at the beginning of the following season. Surprisingly (you may think?) the makeup of the Premier League was similar in terms of the teams with sixteen of the current twenty sides involved. The four who were in the top flight then who aren’t now are Sheffield United, Burnley, Watford and Norwich. Sheffield United and Burnley both finished in the top half of the table whereas Watford and Norwich were both relegated (along with Bournemouth). Liverpool were runaway champions (as they well might be this time?). We finished sixteenth just above Aston Villa who narrowly escaped relegation by one point.

The four teams here now who weren’t then are Brentford, Fulham and Nottingham Forest who in that Championship season finished third, fourth and seventh. The other team is Ipswich who were a mid-table League One side that year. The teams who came up from the Championship were Leeds and West Brom (who are now back there) and Fulham who beat Brentford in the Play-Off final.

I wonder if you had looked forward then to the current day and been able to predict the Premier League table at the beginning of February 2025. Would you have predicted Forest in third place having just put seven past Brighton? Bournemouth seventh, Fulham, Brighton, Brentford ninth, tenth and eleventh? Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham all in the bottom half?

I wonder what team and formation will we see against Chelsea? There seems to have been a new manager bounce in that the players seem to be responding to Graham Potter more than appeared to be the case with the departed Lopetegui. Geoff raised the issue of new manager bounce in a recent article. There has certainly been that effect at Everton too.

Hopefully Jarrod Bowen will be back for this game and it won’t be too long until we see Summerville too. At the time of writing we still haven’t signed a centre forward, a box to box midfielder or central defender that are key positions that most need strengthening although the signing of Ferguson from Brighton is looking close? The window slams shut at 11pm – let us hope that there is some good news on this front.

With a week of the transfer window remaining, a trip down memory lane looking back at some of West Ham’s most successful incoming transfers

With the winter transfer window nearing its close it got me thinking about West Ham’s transfer successes and failures in the years that I have been following the team. In this article I will mainly concentrate on some of the successful ones and my favourites.

The first notable incoming transfer that I remember vaguely, mainly reinforced by my dad was that of Vic Keeble in 1957. We bought him from Newcastle for £10,000 which set up a partnership with one of my all time favourites Johnny Dick which yielded 40 goals as the Hammers became Second Division champions (Dick 21, Keeble 19). In the following season in Division One the pair scored 47 between them (Dick 27, Keeble 20), a key reason why we finished sixth in the table. In the next campaign he was forced to retire with back trouble and ended with 49 goals in 80 appearances, £10,000 well spent! What a partnership that was with Dick in the days when a twin spearhead produced such success.

The next one I remember was when West Ham smashed the British record transfer fee signing Johnny Byrne for £65,000 from fourth division Crystal Palace. He formed an exciting partnership with Geoff Hurst, with the bigger target man feeding off the skilful smaller partner and vice versa. He was an England international and when he was sold back to Crystal Palace in 1967 he had scored over 100 goals for us in just over 200 appearances. Perhaps his best ever game for us came in a League Cup tie in 1966 when we slaughtered ‘mighty’ Leeds 7-0. He didn’t get on the scoresheet that night but had a hand in virtually every goal and put in a performance close to perfection. Once again the twin partnership was a key factor.

In 1967 three signings were made to strengthen our defence. John Cushley arrived from Celtic and also from Scotland came goalkeeper Bobby Ferguson at £65,000 a record fee for a British goalkeeper. Both of the Scottish signings were not complete successes, finding it difficult to adapt to the English game. Ferguson was an excellent shot stopper but not the best when it came to dominating his penalty area. It was reported at the time that we could have bought Gordon Banks at the time as Leicester wanted to promote a teenage Peter Shilton, but for some reason we went for Ferguson. Most significantly at the time right back Billy Bonds was signed from Charlton for £50,000, arguably the best transfer ever made by the club in my lifetime.

Billy Bonds is a true legend at West Ham United, having made an indelible mark on the club both as a player and a manager. He quickly established himself as a key player, initially as a right-back before transitioning to midfield and then centre back. He was known for his hardworking, uncompromising, swashbuckling style, which perfectly complemented the skills of his teammates. He played a crucial role in West Ham’s successes, including their FA Cup victories in 1975 and 1980. Bonds was the only West Ham captain to lift the FA Cup twice. He also won the Hammer of the Year award four times, showcasing his consistent excellence.

His legacy at West Ham is immense. He made 799 first-team appearances for the club, scoring 61 goals over his 27-year association. His commitment to the club and his ability to inspire both as a player and a manager have cemented his status as an all-time great, and perhaps our best ever signing. The East Stand at the London Stadium is named in his honour, recognizing his contributions to the club.

In 1970 we signed Tommy Taylor for £78,000 from Leyton Orient. A very good centre half who had played in the first team at Orient at just 15 years old he played for nine seasons at Upton Park appearing in almost 400 games. He gained many under 23 caps for England but never quite made the full international team.

One of the great mysteries to me of international football was why Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson was never selected to play for the full England team. After a successful career at Newcastle where he won a Second Division Championship medal and a European Fairs Cup medal and scoring almost 100 goals West Ham paid a club record fee of £120,000 for his services. He went to Sunderland in 1975 and then we bought him back for £80,000 in 1976, staying with us for a further three seasons before again joining Sunderland. He scored over 100 goals for the Hammers and in 1972-73 was the First Division leading scorer with 28 goals. Ironically he left us twice just before we won the FA Cup, firstly in 1975 and then in 1980!

Alan Taylor became a household name in 1975 when his goals swept us to Wembley. He joined from Rochdale for £45,000 in 1974. He won an FA Cup winners medal in 1975 and a year later was in the side that lost to Anderlecht in the European Cup Winners Cup final. In five seasons at Upton Park he scored 36 goals in 121 appearances, but the statistic we all remember is that he scored two goals in the quarter final at Highbury against Arsenal, two goals in the semi-final replay versus Ipswich, and two goals in the final against Fulham.

There were two other relatively successful signings at the same time as Alan Taylor with Billy Jennings (£110,000 from Watford) and Keith Robson (from Newcastle) forming an entertaining front three.

Alan Devonshire is another West Ham United legend whose career is filled with remarkable achievements and memorable moments. He began his football journey at non-league Southall, where his exceptional skills caught the attention of West Ham scouts. Despite initial rejections from Crystal Palace, Devonshire’s talent shone through, and he signed for West Ham in 1976 for a fee of just £5,000. He quickly became a fan favourite, known for his mazy runs down the left flank and his ability to glide past defenders. His partnership with Trevor Brooking in midfield was telepathic, contributing to West Ham’s successes during the late 1970s and 1980s.

He played a crucial role in West Ham’s FA Cup victory in 1980. He also helped the team reach the League Cup final in 1981 and achieve their highest-ever finish in the top-flight with a third-place finish in 1986. Over his 14-year career at West Ham, Devonshire made 448 appearances and scored 32 goals. Despite his club success, his international career was limited to eight caps for England between 1980 and 1983. Many fans believe he deserved more recognition at the international level given his talent and contributions to West Ham.

Phil Parkes is widely regarded as one of West Ham United’s greatest goalkeepers. He began his professional career at Walsall before moving to Queens Park Rangers in 1970. During his time at QPR, he made over 400 appearances and earned his only England cap in 1974.

In 1979, West Ham broke the world record for a goalkeeper by signing Parkes from QPR for £565,000. Despite concerns about his knee problems, Parkes proved to be a fantastic acquisition for the club. He played a crucial role in West Ham’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the 1980 FA Cup final. In the 1980-81 season, he helped West Ham win promotion back to the First Division by keeping 22 clean sheets. He was voted Hammer of the Year for his outstanding performances in the 1980-81 season. He made over 400 appearances for the club and was known for his agility, shot-stopping ability, and leadership qualities. In 2003, a poll of West Ham fans voted him the club’s greatest ever goalkeeper.

Ray Stewart, affectionately known as “Tonka,” is another West Ham United legend whose career is filled with remarkable achievements and memorable moments. He began his professional career at Dundee United, where he quickly made a name for himself as a talented defender. His performances caught the attention of West Ham United, and he joined the club in 1979 for a then-record fee of £430,000 for a British teenager.

Known for his resolute defending and fantastic penalty-taking ability, Stewart became a fan favourite. He played a crucial role in West Ham’s 1980 FA Cup victory, scoring two goals in the fourth round against Leyton Orient and a last-minute penalty winner in the quarter-final against Aston Villa. His penalty-taking prowess was legendary, with him scoring 62 league goals for West Ham, 84 in total including all competitions, with 76 from penalties. He did miss 10 but his 88% success rate is one of the best. He played a crucial role in West Ham’s FA Cup victory, and was a key member of the team that won promotion back to the First Division, playing 41 games and scoring five goals. He made 432 appearances for the club.

Paul Goddard was signed from QPR for a club record fee of £800,000 in 1980. He scored 71 goals in just over 200 appearances and won an England cap whilst at the club before leaving for Newcastle in 1986, finding his first team chances restricted following the signing of Frank McAvennie.

Frank McAvennie was signed by John Lyall for £340,000 from St Mirren in 1985 and quickly set up a prolific scoring partnership with Tony Cottee. In their best season 1985-86 they scored 46 league goals between them and he won the first of his Scotland caps. He went to Celtic for £750,000 in 1987 and in 1989 he came back, although this time he was not so successful. In May 1992 he played his final game for us at home to Nottingham Forest and said goodbye in style with a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory, taking his tally to 60 goals.

Jarrod Bowen has been a standout player for West Ham United since joining the club in January 2020. After Hereford’s expulsion from the Football Conference in 2014, Bowen signed for Hull City on a free transfer. Bowen quickly made an impact scoring 15 goals in the 2017-18 season and winning the club’s Supporter’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards. His performances caught the attention of bigger clubs, and he eventually joined West Ham United.

Regarded as a quick, direct, mobile, energetic player with good technique and an eye for goal, Bowen is predominantly known for his speed, movement, clinical finishing, agility and ball control, as well as his ability to use both his pace and flair on the ball to create scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates. A versatile forward, he primarily plays as a winger on the right flank, a position which allows him to cut into the centre onto his stronger left foot, and either shoot on goal or play quick exchanges with other players and make runs in behind the defence towards goal. He can also play in the centre, behind the main striker as either an attacking midfielder or second striker or as the main striker. He has consistently performed at a high level, scoring goals and providing numerous assists in his time at the club. His contributions have been crucial in helping West Ham achieve notable finishes in the Premier League. Bowen scored the winning goal, in the 90th minute, against Fiorentina to give West Ham their first trophy in 43 years with a 2–1 victory. He has also represented England, earning 14 caps and scoring one goal. His performances at the international level have further solidified his reputation as one of the top players in English football. Despite a recent injury he has returned to training and we look forward to his return.

There have been many other excellent transfers including Ludek Miklosko, Scott Parker, Julian Dicks and Paolo Di Canio. And how good would Dean Ashton have been if injury had not cruelly forced him into early retirement from the game? There are others too that I may have temporarily forgotten when writing this article. But for all these there have been so many that turned out to be disasters, especially forwards such as Boogers, Hugill and too many others far too numerous to mention. In our current predicament lacking goalscorers I wonder if anyone of significance will arrive in this window? I won’t hold my breath.

How Much Do You Know About West Ham versus Crystal Palace – Take The Quiz

This weekend sees West Ham take on Crystal Palace in our 22nd game of the 2024-25 season. Something a little different for today – a quiz. See how many you can answer – the answers can be found at the end.

Question 1: This weekend is the anniversary of David Sullivan and David Gold taking over at West Ham – but how many years ago did they buy the club? (A-12, B-13, C-14, D-15)

Question 2: In what year did West Ham last beat Crystal Palace at the London Stadium? (A-2018, B-2019, C-2020, D-2021)

Question 3: How many games have West Ham played against Crystal Palace since we last failed to score at least one goal in the game? (A-6, B-11, C-16, D-21)

Question 4: If West Ham win the game today, Graham Potter will become our third manager to win the first two Premier League games in charge. Who are the other two?

Question 5: West Ham have played Palace 9 times in the last 5 seasons and scored 18 goals. Which two West Ham players have scored the most goals in those nine games?

Question 6: West Ham have played Palace 9 times in the last 5 seasons – every player in the starting West Ham XI in those games is a full international footballer apart from three players. Can you name them?

Question 7: In the history of West Ham v Palace fixtures there have been 3 0-0 draws, in 1970, 1971 and 2012. Who were the 3 West Ham goalkeepers in those games?

Question 8: Palace have failed to win any of their last 13 London derby away games. Who did they beat when they last won an away London derby?  

Question 9: Who scored West Ham’s second goal in the 2-2 draw against Palace in the very last game that we played against them at Upton Park (in April 2016)?

Question 10: Who scored West Ham’s first goal when we met Palace for the first time at the London Stadium (in January 2017)?

How Many Did You Get? (Click on the question numbers to reveal the answers)

Question 1

The answer is D – David Sullivan and David Gold bought West Ham 15 years ago this weekend.

Question 2

The answer is A – 2018. We beat them 3-2 with goals from a Scotsman, a Mexican and a Brazilian – Snodgrass, Hernandez and Anderson.

Question 3

The answer is D – 21 games since we last failed to score in a game against Palace when we lost the game 1-0 in April 2014.

Question 4

The other 2 managers were Sir Trevor Brooking and Gianfranco Zola.

Question 5

Soucek and Antonio have each scored 4 times in those 9 games.

Question 6

The answers – Ben Johnson, Craig Dawson and Max Kilman. But Craig Dawson actually played three times for the Great Britain Olympic team at London 2012. Max Kilman is an England international Futsal player.

Question 7

Peter Grotier, Bobby Ferguson, Rob Green

Question 8

Answer – West Ham! Palace’s last away win in a London derby was at the London Stadium in November 2022 when they beat us 2-1.

Question 9

Dimitri Payet scored West Ham’s second goal in the 2-2 draw against Palace in April 2016 with a superb free kick.

Question 10

Well done if you knew the answer to this one. West Ham’s first goal when we met Palace for the first time at the London Stadium (in January 2017) was scored by Sofiane Feghouli.

West Ham’s new boss, their FA Cup defeat at Villa, coincidences, and the visit of draw specialists Fulham who’ve not lost in eight league games

So Julen Lopetegui has gone. 22 games at the helm, 20 Premier League and 2 EFL Cup. In the league we faced every other club once and Manchester City twice. We won six league games – on matchdays 2, 7, 9, 12, 15, 18. So we never managed back-to-back wins. We spent one week in the top half of the table when we were ninth after beating Palace in the second game, but apart from that we have been fourteenth for most of the time. We did climb to thirteenth after our four-game unbeaten run (2 wins and 2 draws – Matchdays 15-18), but two heavy defeats conceding nine goals to Liverpool and Manchester City saw us back in fourteenth and spelled the inevitable end for the head coach.

We’ve conceded 39 goals in 20 league games; only Wolves, Leicester and Southampton have let in more. A goal difference of minus 15, only Leicester and Southampton are worse than that. And 24 goals scored – we are fourteenth in that table too!

Graham Potter was installed last Thursday and immediately faced a tricky away FA Cup third round tie on Friday at Villa Park. And it was there that the coincidences begin. Because just like Lopetegui his first game was against Aston Villa. And despite a bright first half performance we lost the game 2-1 just as Lopetegui had done. Our goal was scored by the left foot of Paqueta just as it was in the game last August. Onana scored Villa’s first goal just as he had done at the London Stadium. At least it wasn’t Duran scoring the winner as he was suspended for the FA Cup game.

Potter’s first five league games in charge will be against Fulham, Palace, Villa, Chelsea and Brentford. Lopetegui faced those five plus Manchester City in his first six games, where we picked up five points, beating Palace, drawing with Fulham and Brentford, and losing to Villa and Chelsea. All five points were gained away from home with two defeats at the London Stadium. In these reverse fixtures Palace, Fulham and Brentford are the home games.

Fulham are unbeaten in their last eight league games having drawn six of them, Palace have only lost once in their last six games and have come on since we beat them very early in the season. Brentford are poor away from home. These three games are ones that we need to win to stand a chance of moving up the table. The Villa and Chelsea away games will be big tests.

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Graham Potter’s first game, oh what a plight,
We lost to the Villa on a January night,
In the ninth minute West Ham struck a blow,
Paqueta’s left foot we led in the show.

A game of two halves, in the first we’d attack,
But then in the second, the Villa fought back,
Two quick goals they scored, how we did jeer
Onana and Rogers they cost us so dear.

A corner was given it caused quite a fuss,
A referee’s error threw us under the bus,
Onana’s goal followed, you get the drift,
That’s when the momentum it started to shift.

In sorrowful defeat thus began Potter’s reign
But positive’s taken, a lot we could gain,
Just a day to prepare once Lop did depart,
Half a season is left, it’s only the start.

So next up it’s Fulham, last season on song
5-0 and 2-0 it really went wrong.
Seven goals conceded, who could we blame?
They were just too good, both games the same.

So now winless against them, now three games long,
Why can’t we beat them, what has gone wrong?
Before then we’d won five games out of six,
But now we all know we’ve got something to fix.

London derbies we’ve struggled, five with no win,
Last two were awful, nine goals went in.
4-1 to Spurs, and Arsenal scored five,
A really poor record, it’s time to revive.

Fulham’s London matches unbeaten in ten
In derbies they shine again and again,
Five wins five draws such strength they’ve found,
Five on their travels and five on home ground.

Our last two league games we also shipped nine,
Enough is enough we must draw the line,
Fulham unbeaten in their last eight,
About time they lost, let’s end the wait.

As West Ham visit Aston Villa in the Third Round of this season’s FA Cup the debate continues – has the competition lost its magic?

My first recollection of the FA Cup goes right back to the 1958-59 season. West Ham were drawn away to our local rivals Tottenham in the third round. This was our first season back in Football League Division One, the top flight of the English game, and we were flying high. When the game was played on Saturday January 10th we were a very respectable tenth in the 22 team division, having been top after six games. By the end of the season we had climbed to sixth. Tottenham were poor that season eventually finishing eighteenth, although they were to finish third a year later and champions (and double winners) the year after that. What is more, we had faced them on Christmas Day, beating them 2-1 at Upton Park (the day I saw my first ever league game), and then thrashing them 4-1 at White Hart Lane on Boxing Day (the following day – and players today complain about the number of games!). A little under two weeks later they got their revenge beating us 2-0 on their home ground to knock us out of the cup.

This was the first of my personal FA Cup competition disappointments losing to a team lower placed than us. In the ensuing (approaching 70) years there have been so many more. The following season we went out in Round 3 again in a replay losing 5-1 at home to second division Huddersfield Town. The season after that round 3 again losing to second division Stoke City in a replay, and the following year the third round once again to lowly Plymouth Argyle! The list goes on – name the most embarrassing – Swindon, Mansfield, Blackpool, Hull, Hereford, Newport County all knocked us out in the sixties and seventies. The amazing thing is that we won the competition three times by 1980, 1964 v Preston North End, 1975 v Fulham, and 1980 v Arsenal. Three great final memories that live with me all these years later.

Back in those younger days the FA Cup was a magical competition for me, and I suspect most fans. Apart from the odd England international the final was the only game that we could see live on TV each season. But has it lost it’s magic? I guess this is a question that has been a recurring topic in football discussions for some years now.

Certainly, there has been a decline in prestige. The rise of the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League and other European competitions has overshadowed the FA Cup. Top clubs prioritise these competitions over domestic cup games.

‘Bigger’ clubs often field weakened sides, especially in the early rounds, which sends out a signal that the FA Cup is not a priority, leading to the perception that it’s less important than it used to be. And it’s not just the so called ‘bigger’ clubs. All the Premier League clubs have big squads and want to keep all squad players happy. And with an ever-growing calendar the FA Cup sometimes feels like an afterthought in the crowded schedule, especially for those clubs involved in multiple competitions. Clubs involved in the relegation struggle prioritise league games, and mid-table clubs (like us?) seem to believe that finishing a place or two higher in the league is more important than a good cup run. I don’t believe that fans agree with that.

However, analysis of the eventual winners in the last twenty years shows that in general ‘big’ clubs win the trophy. Two notable exceptions in that time are Portsmouth (2008) and Wigan (2013). Perhaps you could add Leicester in 2021? Otherwise it has been Chelsea (5), Arsenal (5), Manchester City (3), Manchester United (2), Liverpool (2).

Another aspect relates to TV and scheduling issues. These days, kick-off times prioritise national and global television audiences over match-going fans. In theory late-night or weekday games have perhaps alienated some traditional supporters. But fans still attend games in vast numbers so football authorities are not concerned and are happy to spread the games for maximum TV coverage.

In my younger days the FA Cup third round was another magical day in the football calendar. It was the day that the top two divisions joined the other clubs from the top ten levels of the English football league pyramid who had competed through up to six qualifying rounds to reach the First Round proper and then two further rounds when teams from Divisions Three and Four (now equivalent to Leagues One and Two) also joined in. 64 teams playing 32 matches that all kicked off at 3pm on the same Saturday afternoon.

What happens now? Well this season there were 3 games on Thursday 9th, there’ll be 2 games on Friday 10th, including our own trip to Villa Park, 19 games on Saturday, 7 games on Sunday, and one on Monday. All in all 15 different kick-off times spread over five days for the 32 games.

One aspect that has grown over the years is the financial disparity. The prize money and financial impact of the FA Cup pales when compared to league placements or European competitions, reducing the monetary incentive. This season, the FA Cup winners will collect a prize of £2 million, whereas for each incremental position in the Premier League teams benefit by more than £3 million. In financial terms alone it’s a no-brainer. Unfortunately too many decisions regarding football are based on money.

Having painted a picture of a loss in the magic, the competition still retains it to some degree. The FA Cup continues to throw up underdog stories where smaller clubs upset the giants of the Premier League, moments that can capture the essence of why we love football. Unfortunately, this year’s format has removed replays from the First Round Proper onwards making it harder for lower league teams to secure financial windfalls. FA Cup replays were once part of the magic of the competition.

I still recall with fondness the memories of our semi-final replay over Ipswich in the snow at Stamford Bridge in 1975 on our way to lifting the trophy, and the semi-final replay in 1980 at Elland Round where we beat Everton on our way to winning the Cup in 1980 (remember Frank Lampard dancing around the corner flag!). You have to remember we were one of the ‘smaller’ clubs in 1980 (in league division terms we were second tier) – these games can sometimes create lifelong memories for fans, that few league games do.

As the oldest national football competition in the world the FA Cup still carries a unique historical and cultural significance, certainly for those of us who recall moments of pure football romance. The FA Cup may not hold the same stature it did in its heyday due to changes in the football landscape, but it still provides moments of magic, particularly for smaller clubs and traditionalists (like me!). The “magic” may now be more selective rather than universal, but it hasn’t completely disappeared. Whether it has truly “lost its magic” often depends on what we as fans value most in football today.

Our third round tie this season is on 10th January, exactly 66 years ago to the day from when I remember my first, way back in 1959. So many disappointments in those intervening years as well as three great memories on winning the trophy. By the time I was just 26 years old we had been FA Cup winners three times, but now as I approach 71, it hasn’t happened again, the closest we came was in 2006 when we were just a minute away before Steven Gerrard intervened.

We have only faced Villa three times previously in the FA Cup. In 1913, our first ever match against them, they beat us 5-0 in front of 51,000 at Villa Park. In 1977 (I remember this one) in front of 47,000 at Villa Park we were on the end of a 3-0 defeat.

But the one that really sticks in the memory came in the quarter final of the 1980 tournament in front of a full house at Upton Park. Geoff and I watched that game from the front row of B block in the old West Stand. We were just a second division outfit at the time, but ironically it was one of the best times ever to watch West Ham. Incredibly we only managed a seventh place finish in Division Two that season, with a team that boasted Phil Parkes, Alvin Martin, Ray Stewart, Frank Lampard, Trevor Brooking, Alan Devonshire, Stuart Pearson and David Cross. Billy Bonds also, but he was absent for the Villa game. Of course we rectified it the following season when we were runaway champions and gained promotion back to the top flight.

There was only about a minute of the game to go (it was goalless at the time) when Sir Trev swung in a corner from below the West Stand at the South Bank end and a Villa centre back (McNaught) rose and handled the ball as Alvin Martin challenged. The referee gave a penalty with the Villa defender complaining vehemently that Alvin had pushed his arm above his head onto the ball. There was no VAR of course and once the referee had made up his mind that was that. I do remember the incident being discussed at length by Brian Moore on the Big Match on Sunday afternoon. Ray Stewart, one of our master penalty takers in my time of watching West Ham, fired it hard and low to the keepers right and we led 1-0. In typical West Ham fashion there was still time in the minute remaining for Villa to win a free kick on the edge of our area and Phil Parkes was needed to make a save which saw us through to the semi-final. The rest is history. But memories of Cup games (especially of good ones) remain.

Villa are one of the teams against whom we have a positive record with more wins than defeats in history. But in the past couple of seasons they have been on the up. When they beat us 4-1 at Villa Park last season it ended a run of ten games where they had failed to win against us. And of course you will remember the opening game of this season at the London Stadium when we went behind to a header from Onana (who we apparently wanted to buy a couple of years ago) in the opening few minutes. Paqueta converted a penalty to equalise in the first half, and then of course their substitute Duran (who we had seemed to spend the whole summer wanting to buy) inevitably scored the winner. And he has gone on to have an excellent season, sometimes selected ahead of Watkins.

We go into today’s game without the head coach who has been in charge. The season has seemed like a wasted one so far with little prospect of climbing into the top half of the table or challenging for a European place next season. We desperately need a cup run to lift us. Wouldn’t it be great to progress to Round Four? Can the new boss bring a little magic to the club?

It was the worst kept secret that Julen Lopetegui would be leaving West Ham, but why did it take so long?

I was reminded on social media this week of Mark Noble’s comments on finishing his playing career at the club: “West Ham aren’t run like a circus anymore.” Some might suggest that this week’s shenanigans involving the sacking of head coach Lopetegui would differ from that. I guess all clubs should have succession planning, but somehow ‘the West Ham way’ of doing it did seem a little unsavoury being played out in public. Or was that just how I saw it? Anyway, as with all managers / head coaches who lose their job I am sure he and his staff will be well compensated for the remaining terms of their contracts. 

Because just as I began to write this article the news that we knew was coming has finally been confirmed officially and Julen Lopetegui has been sacked. And he can have no complaints. Like so many I was underwhelmed by his appointment in the first place. But unlike many of our fans who are so called experts in who the club should appoint I didn’t know enough about him and was happy to see if he really was a good choice. Unfortunately he wasn’t and he has since proved that he was the wrong person right from the start.

We have not improved from a defensive point of view this season, and just like the last campaign under Moyes we have the poorest record in respect of goals conceded outside of the bottom three. Has it been poor recruitment in the summer or poor coaching / management since as we brought in Kilman, Todibo and Wan-Bissaka at the back to hopefully improve in this area? Wan-Bissaka has been relatively successful, but we don’t know about Kilman and Todibo yet.

But teams defend as a whole and I believe a key reason for our poor defensive record lies with the lack of pace in midfield which does not offer sufficient protection for the back four. Rodriguez just doesn’t seem to fit the Premier League, Alvarez (for whatever reason) seems to be getting slower and he wasn’t that fast to begin with, and Soucek for all his effort just doesn’t have the pace or quality. Paqueta has looked poor and disinterested for much of the time and has Soler got what it takes to be a success here, and why was he so easy to recruit and not wanted by PSG?

From the outset it just didn’t seem right. The players lacked direction or didn’t seem to understand what was required of them. What were the tactics? They weren’t very clear or again not understood. The team selections were baffling as were many of the substitutions. Inexplicably to me a player like Summerville just wasn’t given a chance, never given a full 90 minutes, hauled off when playing well then on the bench for the next game with no opportunity for continuity.

Prior to our game against Newcastle towards the end of November I wrote a poem entitled The Head Coach. I was expecting him to be dismissed very soon. I tried to predict the outcome of the game and was completely wrong as we won the game 2-0. My forecast was a 2-0 defeat. Pleased though I was (and always am) that we had won the game it didn’t really change my thoughts that he was the wrong choice. He was given more time, but even then I was convinced that he wouldn’t be around for too much longer. It has taken a further six weeks for the inevitable to happen. I repeat the poem here. Let us hope that this time we get it right.

The Head Coach

In the quiet of the changing room there’s tension in the air,
The head coach sits alone, lost in silent prayer,
The team, once full of promise, now struggles in the fight,
The season’s hopes are fading, slipping slowly out of sight.

In the cold winds of November under the floodlights glare,
The head coach stands in silence, with a burden hard to bear,
The team’s form has faltered, each defeat a painful blow,
The whispers growing louder, from the boardroom to below.

The night is cold, the winds are strong, the stadium lights are bright,
Two Premier League teams clashing on a freezing Monday night,
The Magpies on the front foot, their wingers standing wide,
The Hammers block is narrow, they fight to halt the tide.

He paces on the sideline, staring at the pitch,
Hoping to find the magic to turn this losing glitch,
He wonders about his lineup, he rethinks every play,
Hoping for a miracle to chase the doubts away.

One down at the interval, fans patience growing thin,
Every formation has been tried to bring the wins back in,
The half time talk determined, he rallies one more time,
A second goal goes in the net, the finish quite sublime.

After the game he faces the press, he knows not where to start,
Questions probing for cracks within, have the players got the heart?
He talks of faith and unity, of turning it around,
But shadows of the sack loom close, a win just can’t be found.

The players lack direction, the tactics quite unclear,
And baffling team selections, departure must be near,
Behind the scenes the murmurs rise, of replacements lined in wait,
Another loss, its Arsenal next, the coach awaits his fate.

West Ham visit the Etihad hoping to rectify an abysmal record in games against Manchester City

I’ll take you back to the 2015-16 season, our last at the Boleyn Ground. It was less than ten years ago. Slaven Bilic was our manager. Our first three away games that season were at Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City. Daunting eh? None of it. We beat all three. Arsenal first 2-0, then Liverpool 3-0, and finally City 2-1. Those were the days!  Those teams went on to finish second, eighth and fourth in the Premier League. We finished seventh, just one point below Southampton who were sixth.

Ironically, we lost two of our first three home games that season at ‘fortress’ Upton Park (how we forget that it wasn’t a fortress!), 2-1 to Leicester City who went on to become 5000-1 shock league champions, and 4-3 to Bournemouth who eventually finished sixteenth. Newcastle, Norwich and Aston Villa were relegated.

Yes, all this happened less than ten years ago. How times change!

We’ve played against City eighteen times since and haven’t managed to beat them again in the league, with just two draws in that time, both at home. We did knock them out of the League Cup in 2021 winning 5-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw. We’ve never kept a clean sheet against them in our last 24 league fixtures. That happened in 2012, 0-0 at Upton Park. If I’m not mistaken our last clean sheet in an away game at Manchester City came at Maine Road towards the end of our relegation season 2002-3, when with Sir Trevor at the helm for the very first time as our caretaker manager we beat them 1-0 with a Freddie Kanoute goal. Our longest winless run in league games against a specific team is also 18 games – that is against Liverpool between 1983 and 1994. So we will be setting a new record if we fail to win today.

I doubt that many of us saw it coming but Manchester City are having their worst run in many years. They have only won one of their last five home games in all competitions, and their 2-0 win at Leicester last weekend was only their second win in their last fourteen games in all competitions, having drawn three and lost an incredible nine. Nobody thought that this would happen after they began this season as they have the past few.

A worrying statistic is that Haaland hasn’t scored at the Etihad in his last four games there, October being his most recent when he scored the only goal in the game against Southampton. These are the kind of records that worry me – runs that undoubtedly end when West Ham are the opponents. He has a good record against us having scored seven goals in just five games but six of those have been at the London Stadium, including a hat trick when we went down 3-1 in August.

We have hardly been pulling up trees ourselves but we did go on a four game unbeaten run recently which ended when champions-elect Liverpool thrashed us 5-0 in our last game. We didn’t even muster a single shot on target in the game although we came close hitting the woodwork three times. But let’s be fair we were well and truly outclassed, which I fear may happen again today.

Are there any statistics that give us any hope? Nothing too startling I’m afraid although we have managed to score in eight of our nine Premier League away games this season, just failing once when we lost 3-0 at (high flying) Nottingham Forest.  And we’ve only lost one of our last four away league games (at Leicester 3-1 despite having 31 shots). In that time we’ve beaten Newcastle 2-0, drawn 1-1 at Bournemouth, and won 1-0 at Southampton.

The unavailability of Jarrod Bowen after he suffered a fractured foot against Liverpool is a big blow for a side lacking in the attacking department, but these things happen and we are paying the penalty now for failure to recruit in this position in the summer. How quickly can we rectify this in the transfer window that has just opened? I’m not holding my breath!

I’m always hopeful where our team are concerned but I’d be surprised if we got anything out of this game. Despite City’s poor form I’ll bet they are relishing the thought of our visit there today.

As per my recent articles I’ve penned a rhyme to preview the game:

City versus West Ham played in the North-West,
Not our favourite game, we’re never at our best,
They’ve won 14 out of last 15, it’s their happy game,
We always seem to struggle, it always seems the same.

We’ve lost eight games in a row there since year 2015,
They’re always much too good for us, it’s what we’ve always seen.
It’s eighteen winless games now, it’s really quite obscene,
Since that 2-1 away win there, ten years oh so lean!

24 Premier League against them since our last clean sheet,
At least one goal conceded every time we meet,
A similar tale v Sunderland was something we did fix,
We went and beat them 8-0, Sir Geoffrey netted six!

City win their first league game ‘most every calendar year,
Seventeen out of eighteen, a record that we fear,
But we haven’t lost our first game in the recent seven,
If we could take that up to eight we’d be in seventh heaven.

In City’s last two home games they’ve been the first to score,
But neither did they win, they didn’t close the door,
They’ve never failed to win in three when they’ve scored the first,
Perhaps we can shock them and make their bubble burst.

Match facts as West Ham face Liverpool in the late kick-off this afternoon

At St Marys there were ills on the West Ham side
Kilman, Soler and Fab were all on the slide
First half woes forced them off to tread
Injuries to shoulder, to knee and to head.

Soucek and Rodriguez bans they face
But Lucas Paqueta returns to the race
No Szoboszlai a yellow card woe
Bradley and Konate sidelined and won’t show.

West Ham won in 2021, that was a rare treat,
In sixteen meetings, it was usually defeat
The Reds have scored twice in seven of eight,
They score at will, so much they create.

Unbeaten in four, West Ham on the rise?
Seeking back-to-back wins with hopeful eyes
First three home losses in Lopetegui’s reign
But once in six since to ease the pain.

Set pieces are good, seven goals we’ve scored
But conceded 74 in ’24 – to be abhorred!
All our last six goals in second half came
Bowen closing on 50, he’s well on his game

The Reds start the New Year at top seventh time
But only once champions – that is a crime
Unbeaten away in the top-flight this season
Six wins and two draws, that is the reason

26 games for Slot with just one defeat
22 unbeaten well that’s quite a feat
12 points from behind another statistic
When they concede first they stay optimistic

Ten goals conceded in last four away
At least two in each, much to their dismay
But still gained eight points that’s quite a feat,
Two wins two draws and never got beat

And so it’s a tough one I’ve got to concede
An early goal lead is perhaps what we need
Very hard to beat them that’s well understood
In this game a draw would be very good

My West Ham player of the season so far – Aaron Wan-Bissaka

As West Ham prepare to take on the champions-elect Liverpool in the final game of 2024, I nominate Aaron Wan-Bissaka as my player of the season to date.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka had his 27th birthday in November. Manchester United paid Crystal Palace £50 million for him in 2019. Somehow he didn’t quite thrive at Old Trafford as you might have expected for a defender who cost that amount of money. He definitely needed a fresh start to kick-start his career. I don’t remember a big queue of clubs looking to secure his signature when he wanted to leave. Amazing to me as I always felt he looked a really good player, and certainly a big upgrade on Ben Johnson in the squad. It was obvious to me (although not to the head coach at the outset) that he would be an improvement of Vladimir Coufal at right back, and he has shown great versatility in performing equally well when playing on the left.

One of the most amazing pieces of play, and one that has gone under the radar this season because it didn’t result in a goal (which always gets the headlines) came in our game in the last match before Christmas against Brighton. Wan-Bissaka sealed the point in the game with an incredibly courageous and brilliant goal-saving on the line headed clearance to deny Lamptey of Brighton.

More than that he has performed consistently in a team that hasn’t played consistently this season. He has adjusted superbly to the demands of the head coach for full backs to play in a more advanced role. He scored his first goal for us in the 2-0 away victory at Newcastle and is demonstrating the qualities that made him such a highly rated talent at the time he went north to Old Trafford. He followed it up with another well taken goal timing his run to perfection in the home defeat to Arsenal in the following game. Two goals already in sixteen appearances for the team, and potentially assists to come if he keeps getting forward as he has done.

It’s always strikers or midfield players that get all the headlines, but for me he has been West Ham’s stand out player so far this season and long may it continue. There’s always some debate as to who behind the scenes identifies players to buy to come to the club. But whoever it was in this case has (in my opinion) unearthed a gem. He, himself, described coming to West Ham as a no-brainer and he hasn’t looked back, has he? He has, I believe, the potential to become the best right-back in the country, a view not shared by many yet but I hope it will happen.

The Great Pretender (Defender) (with apologies to the late, great Freddie Mercury)

When you came they said you were good at the back,
ManU didn’t want you, said you couldn’t attack.
They said your strength was to tackle and defend,
You may well have tricked them, perhaps you like to pretend?

Did you fool them ‘cos you had plans of getting away?
‘cos already you’ve shown them you know how to play.
They said you could tackle, the best one on one,
You’ve shown your versatility, that’s what you have done.

Right back, left back, you can fill a hole,
What’s more AWB you’re good for a goal.
I think they’re missing a trick, you’ve got pace galore,
You could play defensive midfield, shielding the back four.

Oh, yes, you’re a great defender,
But not pretending, ‘cos you’re doing well
Your game is such, an excellent touch,
A top player, but very few can tell.

I seem to see what so few can see
You cover all over the ground
Oh yes, you’re a great defender
Not pretending that you are around.

A review of West Ham’s visit to Southampton on Boxing Day

Hopefully you’ve seen Geoff’s excellent review of our win at Southampton which raised us up to the dizzy heights of 13th in the Premier League after being stuck in 14th for most of the season so far. Here is a slightly different take on the game.

Is Santa a West Ham fan or not?

Santa’s NOT a West Ham fan
It’s very plain to see.
Soler’s missed an easy chance
And its only 3.03.

Santa IS a West Ham fan
It wasn’t long to wait.
The Saints have fluffed a headed chance
It’s only 3.08.

Santa’s NOT a West Ham fan
The Saints are getting bolder.
Kilman’s had to leave the field
He’s gone and hurt his shoulder.

Santa IS a West Ham fan
When Kilman’s off in pain.
Fabianski makes a save
When the Saints should score again.

Santa’s NOT a West Ham fan
Fab’s whacked in the face.
A long delay, he’s carried off
Areola in his place.

Santa IS a West Ham fan
Saints should have scored again.
They could have gone ahead by now.
The ref has added ten!

The first half lasted 56
It’s up to you now Lop
After Soler’s early miss
The Saints have been on top.

Santa’s NOT a West Ham fan,
Rodriguez sees red,
VAR’s a West Ham fan
It’s now yellow instead.

Santa IS a West Ham fan
Not very long to wait.
Jarrod Bowen once again
Taps in on 58.

Santa IS a West Ham
We really like to tease
The Saints are surely going down
We should beat them with ease.

Yes, Santa IS a West Ham fan
Southampton poor but plucky
We’re not playing all that well
But just a little lucky.

A review of the Brighton game, and a preview of West Ham’s visit to Southampton on Boxing Day

And so we continue in a league of our own,
Fourteenth is our place, for that we are known,
In thirteen of seventeen that’s where we’ve stayed,
And a draw against Brighton was just what we played.

Eight games at home we couldn’t defeat ‘em,
Wouldn’t it be good if we could just beat ‘em.
Fourteenth in goals scored another statistic,
Without many forwards I’m not optimistic,

Next up Southampton back to the South Coast,
Look at their team, we should have them on toast,
Boxing Day games after a big Christmas dinner,
Let’s hope we can win, who might score the winner?

They have a new manager, Juric his name,
They talk of a bounce in his very first game,
Sacked three times in two years then hired by Torino,
A short spell at Roma then sacked like Mourinho.

We both love the Hammers although we’re not leaders,
We wish a great Christmas to all of our readers,
From Rich and Geoff, we’ll be writing more soon,
Two more wins this year we’ll be over the moon.

It may not happen, it’s not worth a bet,
With West Ham you never know quite what you’ll get,
But let’s have a good run to bring us some cheer,
Good football, some wins, and a Happy New Year!