After only just escaping relegation in May, the managerial character of John Lyall was about to be tested to the core. Not just by having the task of motivating a team of talented but under-achieving players but having to do it without the help of Ron Greenwood.
Greenwood was summoned by the FA to take over from Don Revie, who had left the England role to pursue other interests in the United Arab Emirates. Lyall was now responsible for everything including scouting and recruitment, and there were no new arrivals as the Hammers took on Norwich City at Upton Park on the opening day, but the youth production line provided another debutant in Paul Brush.
A 3-1 defeat set the trend for the season. A 1-0 defeat at Filbert Street, was followed by defeat at home to Manchester City. The club’s plight was not helped by an injury to Bonds, and a 5-0 thumping in the League Cup at Nottingham Forest.
Some respite at fellow strugglers Newcastle, but only after being 2-0 down, the Magpies confidence proved to be every bit as brittle as West Ham’s as the Irons fought back bravely to win 3-2. A 2-2 draw at home to QPR again showed character as the Hammers twice came from behind, but defensive frailties were to the fore again at Ashton Gate as a 3-2 defeat left West Ham floundering at the foot of the table.
A disallowed Pop Robson goal at home to Everton meant Lyall had to settle for a point before a 3-0 drubbing at Highbury – the worst display of the season by far. Lyall’s first solo dip into the transfer market was to sign former Charlton striker Derek Hales for £110,000 from Derby County.
Whilst it would seem that defensive options might be more vital, it was an indication of Lyall’s philosophy that if the opposition scored three we should try to score four. Middlesbrough only scored two on Hales’ debut, but it was enough to take both points as a bemused Hales left the pitch unable to fathom how the team was cheered off the pitch after a defeat.
He had a lot to learn about West Ham fans. Lyall’s team only had four points from a possible 18 but whatever they lacked it was not effort. Effort in abundance as Lyall’s men sought to avoid a repeat of their result at Forest and ground out a 0-0 draw at Upton Park. Typically, Hales picked up a knee injury on his debut so Lyall’s first signing was unavailable.
With two points for a win, it was always tight everywhere in the table especially at the bottom and a decent run of results could have easily put the team in mid table. A 2-2 draw at Wolves was a start, and the same scoreline at home to Villa, leading with 12 minutes to go, young goalkeeper Mervyn Day was becoming increasingly erratic and lost the flight of the ball for a Villa equaliser.
Ipswich Town had a brilliant side forming under Bobby Robson and had lost only once to champions Liverpool, but the West Ham Way is to upset the form book and Hales struck twice at Portman Road in a 2-0 win, but there was no consistency. A 1-0 defeat at Coventry was followed by a 3-3 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion in which Alan Devonshire scored his first West Ham goals and Billy Bonds picked up an injury that ruled him out of England’s World Cup qualifier against Italy, after his selection by Ron Greenwood.
Sensing that maybe Hales was not the answer and John Radford proving to be even less effective, Lyall went into the transfer market again to sign David Cross from West Bromwich Albion. Radford broke his jaw against Leeds in any event and was ruled out for some time before joining Blackburn.
Cross joined for £200,000 which was a lot of money in 1977, but even so on reflection appears to be a bargain. Cross provided the aggression and presence up front that had been sadly lacking. With the worst home record in all four divisions of the Football League, it was perhaps inevitable that West Ham would get their first home win against Manchester United.
Hales managed to score in a 2-1 win before Cross came into the team at the turn of the year. Having a focal point up front could not mask the fact that defence was still the principal problem and, whisper it quietly, primarily goalkeeper Mervyn Day who had lost all confidence.
Bobby Ferguson replaced him on New Year’s Day for a 3-2 win against Leicester in which Cross scored the first of his typically brave headers that went some way towards him earning the nickname ‘Psycho’. But the die had been set: progress in the FA Cup was halted abruptly by QPR who adapted better to a watery bog of a pitch at Loftus Road to win the fourth-round replay 6-1.
Defeats kept coming until at Easter, something finally seemed to click. Cross scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 home win over Ipswich on Good Friday, and the next day Chelsea were put to the sword 3-1, though assisted by Chelsea’s goalkeeper being stretchered off and replaced by outfield player Tommy Langley.
The Hammers won four of their last seven games, blooding young defender Alvin Martin in the process. But Lyall could not expect to lose 20 matches out of 42 and still retain First Division status. Yet that was still a possibility as the players returned to the pitch to take an ovation following their 2-0 final day defeat at home to Liverpool.
They somehow found themselves level on points with Wolves in the final relegation place, and Wolves still had to play two matches. If they lost both West Ham would survive. It would not have been deserved and it didn’t happen. Wolves procured the necessary point that sent West Ham down in Lyall’s first season in sole charge of the team.
It was a harsh learning experience and one which the board felt he could rectify quickly. They kept their faith in Lyall, as did the fans. The pressure was now on him to deliver.
My YouTube series “The John Lyall Years” follows the fortunes of the club during John Lyall’s tenure, merging match footage with interviews, newspaper cuttings, news items, music, TV, and cinema from the time. It is a must for anyone who remembers those heady days, or those who are curious to learn. 1977-78 is covered in Episodes 14-17 – see @westhamhistory
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