After an impressive return to the First Division the previous season and a ninth-place finish, comfortably top half in a 22-team league, it was to be expected that Lyall’s Hammers would build on that success and finish higher in 1982-83.
Finding a Replacement for David Cross
Lyall’s first task over the summer had been to find a replacement for David Cross. Lyall repeated his previous methods, scouring the Scottish Leagues to sign Alexander ‘Sandy’ Clark from Airdrieonians for £200,000. Clark was immediately first choice alongside Paul Goddard as they made a stuttering start with a 2-1 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, a 2-0 win at Luton and a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.
A 1-1 draw at home to Ipswich heralded a magnificent run of seven games unbeaten, Clark opening his West Ham account with a goal in the 5-0 demolition of Birmingham City at Upton Park, another in a 2-1 win at the Hawthorns the following week, and a brace in a 4-1 win over Manchester City the week after that. As was the case with most of Lyall’s sides, the Hammers in September and October 1982 were a joy to watch.
Brief Dreams of a Title Challenge
A 3-2 win at Highbury made it four wins in a row and a fifth, a 3-1 win over Liverpool at Upton Park pushed West Ham into second place in the First Division and talk of a title challenge did not appear to be misplaced. Clark scored again against Liverpool, and it seemed that Lyall had found the ideal replacement for Cross.
Title talk was quickly dispelled though, by hefty defeats at Southampton and Brighton, and an inexplicable 5-2 reverse at Stoke, a team they had just eliminated from the League Cup in a two-legged second round tie. Such was the nature of West Ham’s football though, that amid those abject defeats shone jewels of performances like the 3-1 defeat of Manchester United at Upton Park which saw Goddard, Ray Stewart from the penalty spot, and Geoff Pike score in an impressive victory.
Inconsistency and Brooking’s Absence
YouTube clips of the time do tend to produce a rose-tinted view of the time and do not put great performances in context though. Around the time of the victory over Manchester United came a nervy 1-1 draw in the League Cup at Lincoln City, a narrow 1-0 win over Norwich at Upton Park in which Clark scored the winner, and a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham after Francois Van Der Elst had put the Hammers ahead. A 3-0 home defeat by Coventry City featured a hat-trick for East Ham-born Steve Whitton, whose card was duly marked by Lyall, and he would be joining the Hammers in the summer.
Apart from inconsistent form, a feature of the season had been the complete absence of Trevor Brooking, something the Hammers would have to get used to sooner or later.
The Emergence of Dickens and Cottee
However the Youth Cup-winning side of 1981 had produced an outstanding midfield talent in the shape of Alan Dickens, who at the age of 18 was handed his debut in a first division game at Meadow Lane and duly scored in a 2-1 win, causing inevitable comparisons with Brooking. Such unfair pressure on a young player, but he shouldered the responsibility well and featured in the first team for the remainder of the season in Brooking’s absence.
Another emerging talent from the youth set up was Tony Cottee, who was handed his West Ham debut on New Year’s Day 1983 at home to Tottenham. For Cottee, a West Ham fan, such was the stuff of dreams already, but he then topped it off with the opening goal in a 3-0 win. Cottee headed in a rebound from a header that hit the bar from Joe Gallagher, signed on a non-contract basis as temporary cover for Frank Lampard. The option of a permanent transfer for Gallagher never materialised.
Building for 1983-84
Sandy Clark meanwhile had never really bonded with the fans, and whilst he was indeed a decent player, when the opportunity arose to join Glasgow Rangers, Lyall realised he could not stand in his way. Clark was allowed to leave, replaced by Dave Swindlehurst, signed for £160,000 from Derby County.
The season petered out somewhat but the arrival of Swindlehurst and the emergence of Dickens and Cottee gave the fans food for thought over the summer of 1983. Eighth place was an improvement on last year, but the familiar mid-season slump would have to be avoided if the Hammers were to challenge for honours in 1983-84.
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. 1982-83 is covered in Episodes 37-40 – see @westhamhistory
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