A Brief History of West Ham United

Since 1900: West Ham United Football Club has been one of the most exciting and entertaining teams that has thrilled generations with their tradition of an attacking style and dynamic play. Regardless of success, winning cups or fighting relegation, fans have stood by the Club and been proud of what it represents.

Men of Iron: The Thames Iron Works and Shipbuilding Company built several of the most important ships of their time and was one of the largest employers in East London. In the summer of 1895 Arnold Hills, the Managing Director, along with foreman Dave Taylor, founded the Thames Iron Works F.C. A firm believer in promoting healthy living, Hills recruited players from his own workforce. This team later became West Ham United. You will still hear the chant during West Ham games of ‘Come on you Irons!’ a homage to the Iron Works team.

Club Managers: Many of the Club’s managers were once young players themselves who went through the ranks of WHUFC so they understood everything the club stands for and contributed to its unique philosophy. They embraced continental ideas and thinking before any of the English rivals and adopted modern training methods and were the first to wear new, lightweight boots, smaller shorts and lighter, silk shirts.
Even Ron Greenwood, the first ‘outsider’ to be appointed manager when he arrived from Arsenal in 1961, epitomised the West Ham Way. He was followed by Ted Fenton, Malcolm Allison, in the 50s which established the club’s famed Academy.
The culmination of those years of hard work, on and off the field, was the Second Division championship in 1958 – the springboard to Cup successes at in the mid-1960s.

Notable Events: include the match in 1923, when the Hammers met Bolton Wanderers in the first-ever FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium but the ‘Irons’ lost 2-0.
The match at Wembley against Blackburn Rovers in the 1940 Football League War Cup was more successful with West Ham winning 1-0. After another 24 years, patient fans returned to Wembley to see a memorable, 3-2 defeat of Preston North End with long-serving midfielder Ronnie Boyce heading the last minute winner.
The European Cup win in 1965 represents the pinnacle of the Hammers’ achievements as a club but for the trio of Moore, Hurst and Peters, followed a year later when the same players helped England win the 1966 World Cup with a score of 4-2 against West Germany. Geoff Hurst became the first, and so far, only player to score a hat- trick in a World Cup final.
In the 1980 final against Arsenal, West Ham were the Second Division underdogs. Under the influence of Lyall, Trevor Brooking, a stylish, creative midfield talent who emerged as the Hammers’ biggest star of the 70s and 80s, netted the winner with his head in a 1-0 victory. He was joined by Billy Bonds, a brave and exciting character who gave 21 years as a player before joining the management team.
In the late 70s the club experienced a turbulent period of relegations, however, in 1985-86 Bonds’ efforts were rewarded when the Hammers achieved their highest-ever league placing – third, behind Champions Liverpool and Everton.
The club hoped to raise £19 million through bonds bought by supporters to secure their seats at discounted prices over a long-term period, but the scheme was drastically under-subscribed and this resulted in die-hard fans loyalty being tested to the limit. The Club was relegated from the top division for the second time in three years.
The 1991-92 season prompted a fresh campaign involving Bonds and his team-mate and good friend, Harry Redknapp, as his assistant which resulted in promotion back into the newly-launched FA Premier League.
Left to manage the first team alone, Redknapp and his new assistant, brother-in-law Frank Lampard (senior), guided the Hammers to fifth place in 1999 and a brief return to European football via the Intertoto Cup.

For more information see the WHU F.C. website: http://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2003/june/06-june/know-your-vintage-history