Lyall’s first season in sole charge ended in a big setback – relegation. But in those days, relegation was not the disaster that it would be today, and the board saw potential in Lyall and stuck with him.
Lyall also had faith in the squad that had gone down by such a narrow margin in May and made no acquisitions over the summer, and, significantly apart from Derek Hales, no one left. That meant the likes of Brooking, Bonds, Lampard, Martin, Devonshire, Pike and Cross and Pop Robson, all of whom could have sought First Division contracts elsewhere were all still at the club and looking to put the club back where they belonged.
It didn’t quite work out that way though. Despite a blistering start, going 4-0 in the first 20 minutes on the opening day against Notts County, David Cross scoring a hat-trick in a 5-2 win, and a 3-0 win at Newcastle, Lyall found that life in the Second Division was not the breeze that it first appeared.
A draw at Crystal Palace was followed by defeat at home to Third Division Swindon in the League Cup, another home defeat to Fulham and defeat from 2-0 up at Burnley. Significantly, Brooking had been missing for most of those defeats and on his return The Hammers won 2-0 at home to Bristol Rovers and by the same score, Sheffield United but the team lacked the consistency needed to mount a serious challenge on the top three.
In those days, the top three were promoted from the old Division Two to Division One and with two points for a win it was often a close-run thing right up to the end as the league table was a lot more compressed than it is today. Bobby Ferguson had been playing in goal since Mervyn Day’s spectacular loss of form the previous season.
When Ferguson was forced to play most of the game against Stoke at Upton Park in October with only one functioning arm, Day’s opportunity came and he grabbed it in a 2-1 win at Brighton and the Hammers enjoyed a little run of good form that saw them in third place at Christmas, crowned by a spectacular 5-0 win over Cambridge.
But it was clear that Day was not the goalkeeper West Ham needed to take them forward. Ferguson was a competent deputy but also was not the rock West Ham needed to build a challenge upon.
Lyall was also aware of this and set about finding the best available goalkeeper in the country. After narrowly missing out on the First Division title in 1976, Queens Park Rangers had fallen away and were struggling financially.
When Lyall approached QPR Chairman Jim Gregory about buying Phil Parkes, he was met with resistance not just from Gregory but from the player himself. But when Lyall persuaded the board to part with a world record fee for a goalkeeper, £565,000, Gregory was suddenly a lot more enthusiastic and persuaded Parkes that he should talk to Lyall.
Parkes says the rest is history. After meeting with Lyall he understood and bought into Lyall’s vision for the club and joined in March 1979 making his debut in a 3-0 home win over Oldham Athletic. With Parkes in goal, Martin and Bonds in central defence, Brooking in midfield and Cross up front, the spine of a very good side was developing.
But there would need to be more signings, that became obvious as the season petered out disappointingly after a thumping 5-0 win over Newcastle on 24 March 1979, the Hammers managed only two more wins in the last 12 matches and finished in fifth, six points off the third promotion place.
Notably though, the goals against column was low. Parkes was having an effect. Whether that was a failure or a learning experience is debateable but there can be no doubt that missing out on promotion in May 1979 forced Lyall and the board into a significant clear out in the summer and an expensive recruitment drive that would pave the way for West Ham’s most successful period for years.
The Hammers were knocked out of both cups at the first hurdle, the League Cup by Third Division Swindon and the FA Cup by Fourth Division Newport County. West Ham fans could not have dreamed at that stage that over the next two years they would appear in the final of both competitions and with a few minor but significant tweaks, turn into a side that would go almost a year unbeaten in the League.
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. 1978-79 is covered in Episodes 18-21 – see @westhamhistory
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