Tag: #facup

West Ham Bulletin: Marathon Cup Exit, Keystone Kilman and the Pablo Paradox

West Ham’s hopes of taking the long and winding extra time needed road to Wembley Stadium came to a disappointing end in Sunday’s penalty shootout showdown.

Put the claret ribbon back in the loft. Cancel the orders for face paint and the inflatable Hammer. Stop worrying about the best route to travel to Wembley Stadium. There’ll no FA Cup glory for West Ham this season. The best chance in years of a showpiece semi – and/ or final – dashed in the penalty shootout lottery at the end of Sunday’s marathon encounter with Leeds United.

So, our name wasn’t on the cup this year despite all the minutes played. As in the previous rounds, it was a game of two halves with some extra bits tacked on the end. Now we can concentrate fully on the league. There were positives to take from the match, and we must dust ourselves down ready for another big game on Friday night. We will take each cliche as it comes.

News stories headlined ‘How to watch West Ham versus Leeds United’ never fail to amuse.  Surely, it’s obvious. Sit yourself down, face towards the pitch or TV screen with your favourite cold beverage or snack of choice to hand. Except that when it comes to watching West Ham, sometimes it’s preferable to look away to avoid undue disappointment.

The first half on Sunday was one of those times. Nuno had opted for a spot of squad rotation – either enforced or discretionary depending on your point of view – and resorted to the 4-2-3-1 formation which has rarely borne fruit in previous outings. Even more worrying was the appearance on the team sheet of £40 million, £100 k per week, seven-year contract, Lopetegui marque signing, Max Kilman. If you had feared the worst, then you weren’t to be disappointed.

In the opening 45 minutes, the Hammers were dreadful, dismayed and disjointed. And although Leeds were energetic and competent rather than outstanding, they were well worth their one goal lead at the break. Freddie Potts and Soungoutou Magassa struggled against the opposition’s constant harrying and were forced into a succession of misplaced passes. Mateus Fernandes is never as influential when deployed in an advanced role. The experiment of Jarrod Bowen on the left was interesting but ultimately ineffective. And Taty was once again isolated up front.

At least Adama looked like he meant business. A series of powerful, snaking runs from the right threatened to cause panic in the Leeds defence. That they eventually came to nothing was not down to his own rush of blood on this occasion. It was regrettable that his team-mates did not think to bring him into the game more as an outlet.

The half time changes finally brought us back to the team Nuno should have started with. Tomas Soucek and Pablo Felipe on for Potts and Magassa. Bowen and Adama swapping wings and Fernandes dropping deeper to direct operations. It created a better balance and there was an obvious uptick in performance.

The Pablo Paradox is difficult to explain. Here is a player who makes minimal impact on the game with the ball. But his very presence, chasing and pressing somehow provides a setup in which others can flourish. The Hammers were a different team after the break.

As the game progressed, the only question was whether West Ham would find the breakthrough they needed to draw level. Kilman though had other ideas. Having got away with one reckless last ditch penalty box tackle in the first half, he opted for a 73rd minute reprise. It was so clearcut that it was a surprise that referee Pawson required the intervention of VAR before awarding it.

The second Leeds goal knocked the stuffing out of the Hammers. With no meaningful goal attempts fir the remainder of normal time, and large swathes of the crowd heading for a quick getaway, it looked like game over. Then all hell broke loose. Bowen’s shot thumped against the post but (for once) bounced kindly for Fernandes to reduce the deficit. Too little too late, perhaps? Only for Axel Disasi to prompt the wildest scenes at the London Stadium by steering home Adama’s cross.

The extra time momentum was with the home side and for a few moments we believed the turnaround was complete as Taty capitalised on a goalkeeping error to flick home. Cue ecstatic celebrations until VAR discovered an offside shoulder infringement in the build-up.

To think that if this had been a VAR free 4th round tie, there may have been no penalty and no disallowed goal. But then referees seemingly delegate more and more of their decisions to VAR whenever it is available.

West Ham finished the game in the ascendency. There were near misses but no more goals. As the minutes ticked by, thoughts strayed to who will actually take our penalties. Only Bowen and Soucek remained from the group who had dispatched the perfect set in the previous round. Was it wise to replace Taty at that stage of the game? To make matters more interesting, rookie keeper Finlay Herrick was called upon to replace the injured Alphonse Areola. No pressure on your senior debut for a player who doesn’t yet have a Wikipedia page. If his ability matches his swagger he will become an excellent keeper.

The shootout began promisingly for the Hammers when Herrick saved Piroe’s opening effort. A score from the reliable Bowen would surely provide us with a psychological advantage. But his poor spot kick was saved also. The next four were all scored.  

As Pablo stepped up for West Ham’s fourth, I’m certain we were all convinced he wouldn’t score. In a Family Fortune’s style survey, 100% would have given the same answer. Even Pablo’s body language agreed. At least he was brave enough to give it a go.

What effect being knocked out the cup – and taking 120 minutes plus to do so – will have on the team is a matter of speculation. Will the team spirit which inspired the astonishing late revival survive intact. Or will those extra minutes take their toll. The hope is that several important players will be fit and ready to return for the Friday night encounter with Wolves. Identified previously as the most winnable of the remaining games it’s now starting to look like a more formidable obstacle against a side who haven’t played for a month. But it is an obstacle which must be overcome if survival is to be a realistic outcome. COYI!

FA Cup Quarter Final, West Ham v Leeds. One step from Wembley

West Ham stand one victory from Wembley. Who would have believed that in this miserable season? The FA Cup has always held a special place in the history of this Club, with some of my best memories in the last 68 years tied to the FA Cup runs of 1964, 1975, 1980 and 2006. We won three of them and should have won the fourth too. Sunday afternoon’s quarter‑final presents a powerful opportunity to progress in the competition.

Progressing even further will be difficult to say the least with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all involved in quarter final matches and three of those are likely to be in the draw alongside the winner of today’s game when it comes to the semi-final. Nevertheless, it provides a trip to Wembley and a chance to build on the confidence gained in the last few weeks from a run that has picked up more points than those of our fellow relegation candidates.

I’m aware of those fans on social media who would be happy to forget the FA Cup this season and concentrate on the fight to remain in the Premier League, but those challenges will return soon enough. For now, our focus should be singular. Ninety minutes, and if required thirty more and perhaps penalties, separate us from a place in the FA Cup semi‑finals. The prize is clear and the stage is set at the London Stadium on Sunday.

This is our first FA Cup quarter‑final appearance in ten years, earned through a determination to progress in the competition, and to continue recent form in the Premier League, (although admittedly the performance at Aston Villa was poor). There are no replays at this stage of the competition. This is knockout football in its purest form. When the final whistle sounds, one club will continue its journey toward the semi-final at Wembley Stadium. Our aim should be simple and that is to ensure that Club is West Ham United. The penalties in the last round showed how much we wanted it.

Our progress to this stage has been built on resilience to continue in the competition. Victories over Queens Park Rangers and Burton Albion which both needed extra time were followed by a dramatic fifth‑round tie against Brentford, settled by penalties after a fiercely contested 120 minutes. It was a performance that captured the spirit of the squad, disciplined, committed, and united under pressure. We’ve had to fight for every inch in this FA Cup run.

The London Stadium has been an important source of strength in the second half of this season. We arrive in today’s tie having only lost one game at home in all competitions in 2026, and that was a game that we should never have lost against fellow relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest.

Leeds United arrive in East London seeking to extend their own FA Cup run, having reached the quarter‑final stage for the first time in more than twenty years. They are a committed, energetic side capable of pressing aggressively and challenging opponents physically. They will come here believing they can progress. But their record away from home is poor. They have only won one game in the Premier League away from Elland Road all season (that was at Wolves back in August), so their record on the road is not good.

The draw has been relatively kind to us this season, Win this, and although the odds are likely to be stacked against us in the semi-final, who knows? Come on you irons!

West Ham Treble Dream: FA Cup Success, Premier League Survival and Tottenham Relegation

Happy Hammer Talk. You got to have a dream, if you don’t have a dream. how you gonna have a dream come true?

I didn’t get to watch Monday evening’s cup match live and so ended up following the penalty shootout on the LiveScore phone app. It brought back memories of waiting for Ceefax to refresh. The text version delivered the same result but without the beauty of witnessing five expertly taken spot kicks – and the stupidity of Ouattara’s Panenka.

Pre-match speculation centred on how the two managers would approach the game. With the Hammers mired in a relegation battle and Brentford with an outside chance of European qualification, would it be another contest between two makeshift second string teams? As it turned out, both managers (to their credit) named near full-strength sides. Giving the mother of all cup competitions the respect its rich and glorious history deserves.

I’m at a loss to understand why Fulham and Sunderland had elected to rest key players for their ties over the weekend. Appropriately, both felt the wrath of the football gods – ejected from the competition to concentrate on securing tenth place in the league.

When West Ham and Brentford took the field, they already knew that a home tie against Leeds awaited the victors in the sixth round. It was yet more evidence of TV’s grip on football when schedules are deemed more important than traditions.

The game itself made for a lively hard fought cup tie. The Hammers should really have wrapped the game up in normal time but for the third round in succession had to endure an energy sapping period of extra time to reach a conclusion. Then came the penalties. I’ve never been a fan of settling games by penalties but there’s no denying they are dramatic. The tension wasn’t obvious on my phone when Dinos Mavropanos stepped up to take the deciding kick, and I can imagine how nervous it was in the ground. And what a strike it was to win the game. From Greek Tragedy to Greek God in 12 yards.

West Ham had made it through to the quarter finals for the first time in ten years, and only the second time since the Liverpool final of 2006 which we don’t talk about– a far less happy penalty shootout experience. Avoiding the ‘big’ teams in the draw means progression to the semis is a distinct possibility although Leeds will be no pushover. Beyond that, a good following wind and the jeopardy of two one-off games are all that remain.

If you are looking for omens from previous FA Cup wins then you will be delighted to know that eliminating London opposition has been the consistent feature. It was Charlton and Orient in 1963/4, QPR, Arsenal and Fulham in 1974/5 and Orient and Arsenal in 1979/80. The minimum requirement for a 2025/6 win has already been met (QPR and Brentford), setting things up nicely for a final victory against Chelsea or Arsenal.

The mistakes of 1922/3 and 2005/6 were in not playing any London teams at all on the road to Wembley/ Cardiff.

For all the heady excitement of cup football it is a return to the harsh realities of Premier League survival at the weekend. With Wolves and Burnley effectively out of the picture, the final relegation place is almost certainly between West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and Leeds. Nine games to save their respective skins.

The good news for West Ham is that they are the form team of the four as the following table shows.

If the form of the last six and/ or ten games was extended over the remaining games, then West Ham would top the mini league on 40/ 41 points. Tottenham would be relegated on 31/ 32 points. Unfortunately, there are sure to be hiccups along the way to prevent this ideal outcome playing out.

I’ve seen lots of online debate about who has the hardest/ easiest run-in, but it’s fairly inconclusive in my opinion. Especially where results become more unpredictable as the season draws to a close and players have one eye on the beach, glamourous finals or World Cup call-ups. Those in the boardroom might wring their hands over the incremental rewards of each rung of the Premier League table. But I doubt it’s much of a motivating factor for players, unless European qualification comes along with it.

The less good news for the Hammers is that the two games before the international break are against Manchester City and Aston Villa. It is over 10 years since we last beat the Abu Dhabi outfit. A run that includes17 defeats and just three draws. The chink of light is maybe they are not as formidable as they once were, and that the game is sandwiched the two legs of their annual Champions League encounter with Real Madrid. A defeat tonight in Madrid followed by an air traffic controller’s might tilt the scales a little in our favour.

The Villa game might also offer hope if they continue to be without the influential midfield presence of McGinn, Tielemans and Kamara.

It is important that the Hammers keep a degree of momentum and two or three points from those two games would be awesome (but unexpected). They are games which do not feature high on my list of ‘winnables’ but there is a psychological need to keep the gap manageable.

It was great to see the return of Pablo on Monday night. Although he has yet to bother the scorer, his presence does appear to have made a clear difference if results are anything to go by. If we mark the QPR cup game as the start of the West Ham recovery, then they have won an impressive seven from 11 in all competitions since.

The less encouraging injury news concerns Crysencio Summerville who has very much been at the centre of the recent uptick in performances and results. There’s a lot of internet noise about the severity of his injury and so everything will be kept crossed for a speedy return. The last time he went off injured, he wasn’t seen again for seven months. Get well soon. COYI!           

The Big Names Advance in the FA Cup As West Ham and Brentford Chase A Place In The Last Eight

As West Ham prepare to face Brentford for a place in the FA Cup Quarter Finals, do the biggest Premier League clubs really lack interest in the FA Cup?

West Ham host Brentford on Monday evening with a place in the FA Cup quarter‑finals at stake, completing the fifth round of the competition. The tie offers an intriguing contrast in styles and priorities, with both clubs viewing the FA Cup as a genuine opportunity for progress, but for us of course the priority has to be ensuring that we are playing Premier League football next season. Nevertheless I would like to think that we really want to progress in the competition, but no doubt some would disagree and want us to forget the cup and concentrate on survival.

I’d like to think that West Ham will see the match as a chance to build momentum and pursue silverware. With (hopefully?) a strong home atmosphere at the London Stadium, I hope that we approach the game aggressively, particularly given the success of several elite clubs already reaching the quarter‑finals. I believe that progress in the competition would add to the progress that we have made in previous weeks.

Brentford, meanwhile, have shown themselves to be well‑organised and difficult opponents. Their tactical discipline and ability to frustrate ‘stronger’ teams make them a dangerous proposition, especially if we fail to control the tempo of the game. Brentford’s willingness to press and counter could prove decisive.

With no replays and everything decided on the night, the match is likely to be tense and finely balanced. The winner will join an increasingly elite group in the quarter‑finals, further underlining the FA Cup’s continued relevance in modern English football.

In recent years, it has become common to argue that the biggest Premier League clubs are no longer truly interested in the FA Cup. This theory is based on factors such as fixture congestion, financial priorities and the growing importance of European qualification. However, the progress of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City into the quarter‑finals of the 2025–26 FA Cup strongly challenges this assumption and suggests that elite clubs still value the competition.

Those who argue that big clubs lack interest point primarily to the modern football calendar. Top Premier League sides regularly compete in domestic league matches, European tournaments and the cup competitions, often playing many extra matches in a season. With payment for league position and European qualification offering far greater financial rewards than the FA Cup, managers are frequently accused of prioritising league position over cup success. Heavy squad rotation in early rounds is often cited as evidence that the FA Cup has been relegated to secondary importance.

There is some validity to this argument. Elite managers are under pressure to manage player workloads and avoid injuries, particularly during decisive stages of the league season. As a result, weakened line‑ups can increase the likelihood of shock exits (Crystal Palace for example) reinforcing the perception that the FA Cup is expendable. However, rotation alone does not necessarily imply disinterest. Instead, it reflects the depth and resources available to top clubs in the modern era. Two in particular, Arsenal and Manchester City possess squads strong enough to rotate without abandoning competitiveness.

I fail to understand why mid-table clubs such as Palace and Fulham (on Sunday) cannot do a better job of squad rotation to ensure progress in the competition. I know that league position brings a bigger financial reward but fans have other priorities. Take Fulham yesterday for example. I’m not their manager but if I was I’d start with my strongest team, try to get a goal or two and then rest some players. But no, Southampton held them and then Silva brought on the big guns late in the game (too late), only for the Saints to progress with a penalty in added time. It serves them right.

I’m not sure if Sunderland did the same but you wouldn’t expect a mid-table Premier League team with nothing else to play for other than league position to be beaten by the side at the foot of League One.

The 2025–26 FA Cup provides strong counter‑evidence to the theory of declining interest. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City were the first four teams to reach the quarter‑finals, and all did so by negotiating challenging fixtures (well perhaps not Arsenal!). These were not symbolic victories or dead‑rubber matches; they involved competitive performances, often away from home, against motivated opposition. The presence of four of the Premier League’s most successful clubs at this stage suggests clear intent rather than indifference.

Furthermore, success in the FA Cup still carries significant prestige. It remains the oldest domestic cup competition in world football and continues to offer silverware, historical significance and a route into European competition. For managers judged on trophies and for clubs seeking to maintain winning cultures, the FA Cup remains an important objective. Once teams reach the latter stages, selection patterns typically reflect this, with stronger line‑ups and increased tactical focus. And there is nothing better for the fans than a day out at Wembley. This now extends to the semi-finals as well as the final. Our victories in 1964, 1975 and 1980 live long in my memory even though they are now many years in the past.

In conclusion, while financial realities and fixture congestion have changed how elite clubs approach the FA Cup, they have not removed its importance. The progress of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City into the quarter‑finals demonstrates that the biggest Premier League clubs are still invested in the competition. Rather than abandoning the FA Cup, they are managing it strategically, ensuring competitiveness without sacrificing broader season objectives. I hope that we can join them in the draw for the quarter finals. Southampton or Port Vale at the London Stadium would be good if we progress. What are the chances of the ‘big four’ avoiding each other? That would get the conspiracy theorists going. COYI!

West Ham Survive The Brewer’s Droop But Face Stiff Bees Test To Remain Up For The Cup

Despite a dire performance in the substandard FA Cup tie at Burton, the Hammers are through to the 5th Round to face Brentford. Before that it is back to league football and the desperate battle for survival.

In the world of modern football, the entry of Premier League and Championship clubs into the FA Cup has developed into a series of phoney rounds in this glorious old competition. For the fans, it promises dreams, excitement, and anticipation. An outside chance of snatching silverware just five matches away on the road to Wembley. For the media, there are potential banana skins and giant killing heroics that make for thrilling content as an antidote to the tactical morass of league football.

But in the dugouts and technical areas things are far more cynical. Where the romance of the cup is increasingly viewed as an unwelcome inconvenience – a contractual obligation distracting from the real business of titles, European qualification, promotions and relegations. The manager’s conundrum: how much can I get away with while still making it look like we’re taking it seriously?

And so, this was how it was as the Hammers headed up the M1 to Burton for their 4th round tie against lowly League 1 opposition. Ten changes from the side who had faced Manchester United four days earlier including first starts for Adama Traore, Keiber Lamadrid and Mohammadou Kante. To test our patience even further, Nuno also reverted to his favoured cup formation of three centre-backs to cope with the anticipated threat from the mighty Brewers front line.

I’ve never been a fan of three at the back given it is generally adopted as a negative formation. To make it work requires high energy wing backs continually pushing up to provide attacking width; and wide forwards who are deployed narrower to create space on the wings and provide threat through the middle. None of that happened. And with two central midfielders seemingly instructed to sit deep it was a dire and disjointed effort. Perhaps no surprise from a team of relative strangers playing in a formation that didn’t suit them.

The entertainment was as far from a pulsating cup tie as could be imagined. Little of note happened for the entire 90 minutes of regulation time and it was only the introduction of Crysencio Summerville that lifted the game from its fitful slumber. The quality of his sixth goal in seven games totally out of character from the substandard game.

In line with current trends, the game’s major talking point revolved around the weak refereeing of Lewis Smith. The tackle by Freddie Potts was a clear foul and deserving of the yellow card originally selected by Smith. For the referee to change his mind, not due to advice from some guy in a bunker at Stockley Park, but due to the reaction of the Burton players was diabolical. Yet another irony of officiating whereby waving an imaginary card gets you a booking, but mobbing the referee gets the decision changed.

By the end, the Hammers were hanging on. But Nuno’s gamble or resting key players for the relegation battle had paid off. As with the previous round extra time had been required but we were into the hat for the 5th round draw. We shouldn’t scoff at this. It is an above average achievement for the club who since their last FA Cup win in 1980 have been dumped out of the competition by this stage in 60% of seasons.  

It was difficult to judge the performances of the young players in the circumstances. I have a general concerning our academy graduates in that they tend to be developed as tidy rather than exciting. Competent at receiving the ball, controlling it and making a simple pass, but lacking enough va va voom to make them special. Of those I’ve seen, Ezra Mayers looks to be the leading prospect.  

Last night’s 5th round draw turned up a home tie against bogey side Brentford. Games will be played on the weekend of March 7/8 after three more league games have taken place. Teams will be starting to take the cup more seriously by this stage, giving the managers plenty more to think about in what is shaping up to be an open tournament. West Ham will still be in survival chasing mode by then, while Brentford might well be eyeing Champion’s League qualification. It’s not the worst of draws but still a very difficult obstacle to overcome.

During the FA Cup hiatus, the Under The Hammers supercomputer, Deep Block, has been analysing the thousands of possible permutations and scenarios for the remaining league games. It concluded that the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and points needed to guarantee Premier League survival is 42. A target that would require West Ham to pick up 18 points from the upcoming 12 games. That’s a minimum of 5 wins and a handful of draws. Not impossible but still a huge change of fortune for a team that has won just 30 of their last 100 league games, while averaging 1.15 points per game. Repeating such form would take us only to 38 points which may well not be enough. Below is my own winnability ranking of the 12 games to go.

The uphill challenge begins on Saturday with the visit of Bournemouth to the London Stadium. It is one of the games I feel that must be won if safety is to be achieved. But Bournemouth are an enigma. Losing player after player but then finding they have another one hidden up their sleeve. This time a teenage Brazilian (Rayan) who has slotted seamlessly into English football with two goals and an assist in 198 minutes played.

The Hammer’s preparations have been hampered by a mysterious injury to new signing Pablo. The striker becoming the latest occupant of the Andy Carroll suite at West Ham’s Rush Green Infirmary. Pablo’s absence will require a change to the more adventurous formation that had kickstarted our recent revival. My instinct is that Nuno will use Jean-Clair Todibo’s return from suspension as the excuse for a reprise of the three at the back experiment as follows: Hermansen – Todibo, Disasi, Mavropanos – Wan-Bissaka, Fernandes, Soucek, Diouf – Bowen, Taty, Summerville.

COYI!

Cup Dreams or Banana Skins? West Ham visit Burton in Classic FA Cup Fourth Round Contest

As a West Ham fan, the build-up to this Saturday’s FA Cup Fourth Round tie against Burton Albion is a familiar mix of anticipation and nerves. Our league campaign has been a struggle so far, with the team sitting 18th in the Premier League and every point feeling increasingly precious. Yet, there’s a sense that the FA Cup could be the spark we need to turn our season around. I’ve read some that say forget the cup and concentrate on staying in the Premier League. I don’t agree.  

Saying this, our recent form has shown signs of life and we are not down yet. 2026 started badly with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at bottom of the table Wolves, one of our worst performances in years (and there have been a few!). Following this three days later the home defeat to Forest (unlucky as it was it some respects) suggested that our chances of escaping the drop were disappearing fast. The cup win over QPR, even if it took extra time, seemed to inject some much-needed confidence into the squad, and we began to feel the mood shifting ever so slightly.

The last five games since then have yielded 10 points in the league with away wins at Tottenham and Burnley, a home win over Sunderland, a 3-2 defeat at Chelsea after leading 2-0 at half-time, and Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United with their equaliser coming in the sixth minute of time added on. The board indicated seven minutes. Where did that come from? Of course we might have been happy with the prospect of one point before the game but Sesko’s finish was a body blow and it seemed like two points lost rather than one gained. It means we have now regained sole leadership of one particular league table – points dropped from a winning position – we are now at the top with 20. If just some of those leads had been retained how different the league table would look now.

Of course, as any West Ham supporter knows, the FA Cup is never straightforward for us. Our history in the competition in my lifetime is varied, three-time winners (the last one coming in 1980 over 45 years ago), and twice runners-up, but it’s also littered with those infamous “banana skins.” Losses to the likes of AFC Wimbledon, Wigan, and West Brom in recent years have left scars alongside those from years gone by – the list is endless – Huddersfield, Stoke, Plymouth, Blackburn, Swindon, Huddersfield again, Coventry, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Huddersfield (for a third time!), Hull, Hereford, Newport County, Wrexham, Watford, Sheffield Wednesday, QPR, Norwich, Torquay, Barnsley, Luton, QPR (again), Grimsby, Wrexham (again), Swansea, Tranmere, Sheffield Wednesday (again), Sheffield Wednesday (for a 3rd time), Nottingham Forest, and Sheffield United. Those are just some that I can recall from my many years of following the team and to them can be added a similar number of League Cup exits to lower league opposition. There’s always that nagging worry that we might slip up once again.

Burton Albion, for their part, are having a tough time in League One, sitting 21st and fighting relegation. Their league form has been poor, with no wins in their last five, but the FA Cup has brought out a different side of them. Fourteen goals in three cup games is no fluke, and they’ll be coming into this tie with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Still, there’s reason for optimism. On paper, our technical quality and finishing should see us through, even if the manager decides to rotate and give some fringe players a chance. The cup is a chance for those on the fringes to stake a claim, and for the team as a whole to build momentum for the league run-in. But we can’t afford to be complacent. Burton’s attacking form in the cup is a warning, and our own history tells us that nothing can be taken for granted. Most pundits are tipping us to win, and I’d like to believe we’ll get the job done, but the magic of the FA Cup means you never quite know. I’m expecting an open game, probably with goals at both ends, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns into a real test of character. But how good would it be to be in the draw for the fifth round?

West Ham Midweek: Claret Ribbons, Going For A Burton, Lucas-Aid and the Saturday El-Sackio

The FA Cup interlude provided a brief and welcome respite from the depressing gloom of Premier League reality. Drawn away to Burton Albion in the 4th Round may keep the Wembley dream alive a little longer. But the stormy waters of relegation remain as threatening as ever

She Wore A Claret Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree

Things that just won’t go away usually elicit negative connotations. Think bad pennies, cockroaches, unpleasant smells, nasty rashes and David Sullivan. The FA Cup is the polar opposite to this. Despite the best efforts of the money men to diminish its importance, the magic of the cup continues to resonate and conjure up memories for all true football fans. Banana skins, underdogs, the Leatherhead Lip, the sloping pitch at Yeovil, Ronnie Radford and Bob Stokoe all come to mind. Even better (at least in the early rounds) it is free from the spontaneity destroying abomination of VAR.

This season, the FA Cup is our safe space. An oasis of unburdened calm and hope that frees us from the anxieties of impending relegation. Season 2 of Avram Grant’s Unlikely Cup Runs. While the fat lady might still be preparing to sing, this time it’s an upbeat number about wearing claret ribbons in the merry month of May.

Needing extra time to see off QPR in rather unconvincing manner on Sunday, the ping pong balls bounced kindly for West Ham with a 4th Round away tie at League 1 strugglers, Burton Albion. A first ever meeting with the Staffordshire club. A terrific draw, on the face of it, provided you take the stance that past West Ham cup upsets are not indicative of future results. Sub-editors up and down the country will already have the Gone For A Burton headlines ready and waiting.   

We Beat a Mush from Shepherds Bush

I watched a video on Youtube last week explaining the tactical changes deployed by Daniel Farke to turn around Leeds United’s season. It involved switching to a back five, playing two strikers and freeing up one of his midfielders to be always available as the out-ball. I couldn’t help but wonder if Nuno had seen the same video once the Santo Wheel of Fortune dropped it’s latest team selection prior to kick-off. The returning Aaron Wan-Bissaka came in at right wing-back with Ezra Mayers preferred to Oliver Scarles on the left. The out-ball roll was assigned to Soungoutou Magassa who was either ill-equipped or ill-prepared to deal with the more advanced role, the assist for the opening goal apart. Up-front, it all got quite confusing. Rather than a Farke 3-5-2, it played out as a Nuno 3-4-3 with Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville preferring to stay wide instead of getting closer to Taty Castellanos up front. Having both wingers and wing-backs on the pitch was a very unusual tactical interpretation.

Unfortunately, fate intervened to prevent Nuno’s master plan from unfolding completely after Dinos Mavropanos was forced off with a neck injury late in the opening half. This saw the introduction of Pablo Felipe and a tactical reshuffle to a traditional back four. It was pioneer territory to see two West Ham strikers on the field at the same time, but their frequently overlapping orbits caused more confusion than it did threat. Hopefully, this is an issue that time spent working together can overcome.  

A Gun Without Bullets is Just a Hammer

With an attack minded quartet of Taty, Pablo, Bowen and Summerville on the pitch, the Hammers should have been peppering the QPR goal from all angles. That it didn’t happen was down to glacial pace of build-up play and the absence of any creative spark behind them – someone to provide the ammunition. Passes back and forth between centre-backs might look good on the possession stats but all it does is allow the opposition to recover their defensive shape.

When Declan Rice left, three things went with him – and have yet to be replaced. Leadership, athletic defensive cover in the centre of midfield, and someone capable of powering past opponents with the ball at his feet. The last point is key to my mind. As much as attacking and defensive reinforcements were sorely needed, a massive creative gap remains in the West Ham midfield. Short passing triangles are ineffective against well organised defences and can easily be countered. More often than not, passes eventually go astray, possession is conceded and an opposition counterattack launched.

Following a positive start to his West Ham career, Freddie Potts is in danger of becoming the latest to follow in the footsteps of late career Mark Noble and JWP in the society of pointless sideways passers. Stay strong and resist, Freddie.

There were, however, a couple of bright spots in the game; notably the committed performance of Summerville and Taty’s powerfully headed goal. Yet, these are caveated by the quality of the opposition – a solid but largely unspectacular mid-table Championship outfit. A glimpse of seasons yet to come perhaps.

Lucas-aid. Not Aiding Recovery

Brazilian footballers continue to have a special aura about them. Animpression that historic success and the roll call of legendary players somehow guarantees success, flair and sublime ball control to all who follow. The reality can be disappointingly different. And nowhere more so than in the West Ham career of Lucas Paqueta whose reputation largely hinges on one through ball in Prague. Sadly, as the occasional flashes of inspiration have diminished, the play-acting, inconsistency, moods, rash challenges and wayward passes have escalated. Even at his best, his contribution has been fleeting rather than as the all-round playmaker we needed and had been hoping for.

There is no sound reason not to let him leave in the January window if another club is willing to stump up the cash. Fighting to retain a Paqueta who does not want to be here and who apparently asked to be left out on Sunday is a desperate and misguided hill to die on.

Let’s just raise some funds and re-invest it on a half-proficient attacking midfielder. Someone able to provide the bullets for the strikers to fire.  

Back to Earth, Back to Reality

It’s a return to league action on Saturday with this season’s version of the El Sackio at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Both managers living under the now routine threat of n games to save their job.

Transfer window gossip moves on apace and there’s always an outside chance that new arrivals will in place for the weekend. But is it all too late? The optimistic view is that there are still 51 points to play for. The pessimistic view is the league table – 21 games played and 14 points.

A character in Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises is asked how he went bankrupt. “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly” was the reply. This is the West Ham story, and I doubt there is any way back this time. As supporters, we have seen and predicted the steady decline for many months. But the owners chose not to see it. No strategy, no way forward and nothing being built for the future. The sole objective of survival ruined by the promoted clubs refusing to be useless. The luck has run out. COYI!

Margins, magic and misery; lines, laws and lost causes; offside, out of luck and out of time? West Ham’s fight for survival and the FA Cup’s fading romance

I’ll start by looking back at the Forest game in the week. West Ham thought they had doubled their lead early in the second half when Crysencio Summerville scored, but VAR intervened and ruled the goal out for offside. The controversy centred on Taty Castellanos, who was deemed offside in the build-up. The confusion for fans and pundits was heightened because the ball reached Castellanos after a block tackle by Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic. According to current offside law, a defender’s block or tackle does not reset the offside phase unless it’s a “deliberate play” (i.e., a controlled pass or clearance). In this case, Milenkovic’s intervention was not considered deliberate, so Castellanos remained offside, and the goal was disallowed. I would disagree. I believe that the intervention was deliberate (if it wasn’t deliberate then why was he trying to win the ball?) and that the goal should have stood.

Former referees and experts have criticised this interpretation, arguing that the law is too technical and fails to reflect the spirit of the game. The exact moment the ball is played is also notoriously difficult to judge, especially with frame-by-frame video, and the difference of a split second can mean a player is onside or offside by millimetres. The interpretation of deliberate or uncontrolled intervention is also impossible to judge. Surely it is deliberate if the defender is trying to win the ball?

The offside law was originally introduced in the 19th century to prevent “goal hanging”—players loitering near the opposition’s goal waiting for a pass. Over the years, the law has been revised several times (notably in 1925 and 1990) to encourage attacking play and make the game more exciting. However, the law now hinges on technical definitions of “deliberate play” and “active involvement,” which can be difficult to interpret even with video technology. Many (including me) have argued that it should be amended even further to the attacking team’s advantage. This could easily be done by introducing the clear daylight rule in that there has to be a gap between the attacker and defender before offside decisions are given. Let’s do away with this nonsense about parts of the body that can legitimately play the ball.

Many argue that the law is out of date and does not reflect the modern game, where split-second decisions and marginal offsides are decided by technology rather than the naked eye. The spirit of the law, to prevent unfair advantage, has been lost in a sea of technicalities.

Late in the match, Nottingham Forest were awarded a penalty after Alphonse Areola caught Morgan Gibbs-White in the face while attempting to punch clear a set-piece. VAR advised the referee to review the incident, and the penalty was given. West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek labelled the decision “a joke,” arguing that such incidents happen frequently and that goalkeepers should be given more leeway when challenging for the ball. Former referee Mark Clattenburg, however, said the decision was correct because Areola failed to make contact with the ball and caught the player instead. I have always argued that penalties should only be awarded when an obvious goal scoring opportunity is denied which is not the case when so many penalties are awarded in football games.

Is VAR ruining football? VAR was introduced to eliminate clear and obvious errors, but its use has become far more pervasive. Instead of correcting blatant mistakes, VAR now scrutinises marginal offsides and subjective fouls, often leading to long delays and confusion. Fans and players complain that the flow of the game is disrupted, celebrations are muted, and the joy of football is diminished.

Should VAR only be used for clear and obvious errors? According to IFAB, the game’s law-makers, VAR should only intervene for “clear and obvious errors” or “serious missed incidents” in four match-changing situations: goals, penalties, direct red cards, and mistaken identity. However, in practice, VAR is often used for marginal decisions that require multiple replays. Many (including me) argue that if a decision needs to be viewed more than once, it cannot be “clear and obvious,” and the original on-field decision should stand. We shouldn’t have to wait so long for a decision to be made. These delays ruin the spontaneity of the game.

If the decisions had not gone against us the gap to Forest might now be just one point or perhaps four points. But our defeat to Forest leaves us seven points adrift of safety, with relegation odds now as short as 8/11 or even 1/5 with some bookmakers. The team is winless in ten matches, and the pressure on manager Nuno Espirito Santo is mounting. While mathematically possible, survival looks increasingly unlikely unless there is a dramatic turnaround in form, which is hard to see at the moment.

There have probably been games this season when controversial decisions have gone in our favour although I cannot recall any important ones. But these are not the reasons behind why we are very likely to be relegated. So often we put ourselves in situations where marginal calls become decisive, but a whole book could be written to describe why we are in the position we are where Championship football next season is probable. We’ve written about them all through this miserable season and I won’t return to them now!

West Ham host QPR in the FA Cup third round at the London Stadium on Sunday. I can remember when I was young there was magic and romance attached to the FA Cup competition right from the early rounds when local non-league clubs took part in the qualifying rounds, then when West Ham entered in Round 3 and all 32 games kicked off at 3 o’clock on an early January Saturday, and right up to Cup Final day itself in May. But has the magic and romance disappeared from the FA Cup?

The Premier League and UEFA Champions League now overshadow the FA Cup in terms of prestige, financial reward, and global attention. Top clubs often prioritise these competitions, fielding weakened teams in the FA Cup’s early rounds, which can diminish its importance and allure. The crowded football calendar means the FA Cup sometimes feels like an afterthought. Kick-off times are often dictated by TV schedules rather than tradition, making it harder for match-going fans to attend and reducing the sense of occasion.

The financial gap between Premier League and lower-league clubs has widened. The FA Cup’s prize money is modest compared to league placements or European qualification, reducing its incentive for bigger clubs. Having said that the big clubs are almost always the winners in the end.

Changes such as the abolition of replays and the moving of the final from its traditional Saturday 3pm slot have eroded some of the competition’s unique traditions, making it feel less special to some supporters.

Does the magic and romance still endure in any way? The FA Cup remains famous for “giant-killings”, when smaller clubs defeat Premier League giants, it still makes news. Recent years have still produced memorable upsets, such as Stevenage beating Aston Villa, Crawley Town thrashing Leeds, Plymouth Argyle’s shock win over Liverpool, and even yesterday when statistically we had the biggest upset of all time with sixth tier Macclesfield deservedly knocking out the holders Crystal Palace. These moments capture the essence of the competition and keep the romance alive. As West Ham fans we’ve been on the receiving end of so many of these giant killings in my lifetime!

As the world’s oldest national football competition, the FA Cup still carries a unique historical and cultural significance. For most fans and clubs, winning the FA Cup is still a dream and a source of immense pride. How we’d love to repeat 1964, 1975 and 1980!

For lower-league and non-league teams, the FA Cup offers a rare chance to play on a big stage, secure financial windfalls, and create lifelong memories for their fans. These stories, like non-league teams reaching the later rounds, are the heart of the FA Cup’s enduring appeal. The competition still inspires passion, especially in local derbies or when underdog teams are involved. For many, the “magic” is now more selective, shining brightest in these moments rather than universally.

Some fans and commentators argue that the FA Cup’s “magic” is now a cliché, used to paper over the reality that the competition has lost some of its former glory. Others point out that the romance is still there, but it’s harder to find amid the dominance of elite clubs and commercial pressures. There is nostalgia for the days when the FA Cup final was the highlight of the football calendar, but also recognition that the competition still produces drama, upsets, and moments of pure football joy.

The FA Cup may not hold the universal magic and romance it once did, especially for top clubs and younger fans raised on the Premier League and Champions League. However, for smaller clubs, traditionalists, and those who cherish football’s unpredictability, the FA Cup still provides unforgettable moments and upsets that keep its spirit alive. The “magic” hasn’t disappeared, it’s just harder to find, and perhaps more precious when it appears.

There was a time when I was young when I would have been really excited by this third round game against Queens Park Rangers and hoping that we would still be in the draw for the fourth round that I would listen to on the radio on the following Monday lunchtime, another tradition that has disappeared. But this season has been such a miserable one that my interest is much diminished. In times gone by there was always a hope that we could win a few games and reach Wembley. This time around I would love us to do this but I reckon there is less chance of us going to Wembley than escaping relegation. But it is so long since we won a game that it would be good to beat QPR (even a weakened QPR with several players out injured and chasing a play-off position in the Championship) and perhaps give some of our fringe players a run out to show what they can do (or not!). I remain hopeful!  

Remembering 50 years ago when West Ham won the FA Cup

(Prior to facing rock bottom Southampton this weekend we take a trip down memory lane with a nostalgic look back at the 1974-75 season)

After a 4-0 opening day defeat at Manchester City to begin the 1974-75 season West Ham only won one game in the first seven matches and were bottom of the league. This led to a managerial change and long-standing coach and former player John Lyall became the team manager under the guidance of Ron Greenwood.

A big change at Upton Park at a time when Britain was in the midst of a double-dip recession and change was present everywhere. At the time colour TVs had only been here for a few years enabling us to watch the three channels available, BBC1, BBC2, and ITV. A new 22-inch colour TV cost £259 (inflation adjusted to the present this is approaching £2000!), and we could watch a brand new comedy series (Fawlty Towers), but the internet, mobile phones, (even the Premier League!) and many other aspects of modern life as we know it now were still some years away. Petrol costs at the time had risen rapidly and had now reached around 17p per litre, although it was still sold in gallons at the time, and we could buy a brand new Ford Cortina for £1,765. A pint of beer set us back around 28p, a newspaper around 5p, and the average house price was around £12,000.

But, back to football, and we needed changes on the pitch if we were to progress after the dismal start. Billy Jennings and Keith Robson were bought and this had an immediate effect when they were teamed up with Bobby Gould in a front three which was immediately successful when all three scored (Jennings and Robson were on their debuts) when Leicester City were thrashed 6-2, Birmingham 3-0 and Burnley 5-3. Our new recruits had scored nine goals between them in their first three games together.

Five wins in September and October were followed with an unbeaten run of nine games from the beginning of November until Boxing Day as we rose to fifth in the First Division. That was the highest placing we managed in the season as we then began what was traditionally known as West Ham coming down with the Christmas lights as we gradually descended the table to finish thirteenth.

Looking back at the season we can see how things have changed in the last fifty years. The 22 team first division saw Derby County crowned as champions for the second time in four years (ironically they too only recorded one win in their first seven games), and teams such as Ipswich, Stoke, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Burnley and QPR all finished in the top half. Newcastle, Arsenal and Tottenham (like ourselves) all finished in the bottom half and Chelsea were relegated alongside bottom club Carlisle. Just look at the league tables to see where Carlisle are now! (second from bottom of league 2 and likely to be relegated from the football league). Manchester United were a second division team, as were this weekend’s opponents Southampton who finished 13th.

We did face Southampton that season though in the third round of the FA Cup at the start of a memorable cup run. Gould and Lampard scored our goals in a 2-1 victory at the Dell. In Round 4 we were drawn against third division Swindon Town but we could only draw 1-1 at home (Jennings) before winning the replay away 2-1 (Brooking, Holland). And 2-1 was once again the score when we defeated QPR at Upton Park with goals from Holland and Robson to earn a quarter-final tie at Highbury.

There had been a surprise signing just before Christmas that season when a young Alan Taylor was signed for £45,000 from fourth division Rochdale. He had only four substitute appearances before he was chosen to start at Arsenal and he scored twice as we once again scored two goals to win the game 2-0.

We were now in the semi-final and having seen all the games up to this point I remember travelling with Geoff to Villa Park on April 5th to witness one of the most drab games of football we had ever witnessed as both ourselves and Ipswich played out a 0-0 bore draw. The replay was at Stamford Bridge the following Wednesday when in snowy conditions we were outplayed by high flying Ipswich but somehow once again won the game 2-1 with Alan Taylor scoring twice again. Ipswich were a top team at the time finishing third that season just two points behind champions Derby.

Fifty years ago this Saturday (19th April) I had to miss the home league game against Coventry City as I was getting married on the day. We lost the game 2-1, the eighth game in a run of nine league games where we had failed to win. A honeymoon in Majorca was kept to one week to enable me to be back for the final on May 3rd where for the sixth round of cup football in a row we once again scored two goals in a 2-0 win against second division Fulham who had Bobby Moore and Alan Mullery in their side. Alan Taylor made history scoring two goals that day to follow his two goals in the quarter- final and semi-final.

This Saturday we face already relegated Southampton who are rock bottom with 10 points and looking to pick up more to avoid the unenviable record of being the worst team in Premier League history. Our league position is not much better than theirs – following our late 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last weekend we have slipped to 17th, immediately above, and thankful for, the three teams who are so far below us. (See Geoff’s article reviewing the game). I agree with most of his excellent review but personally I wouldn’t want Alvarez replacing JWP. We are, however, just three points below Everton in thirteenth, so a successful run in our final six games of the season could possibly elevate us into 13th, the exact position we occupied 50 years ago.  

But this time around we don’t have a Cup Final to look forward to, and I suspect most of us as West Ham fans are just looking forward to the end of this poor season, the summer transfer window, a clearout, some new faces, and with renewed hope for a better campaign starting in August.

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?