Eighth place in May 1983 was an improvement on the previous campaign but if it proved anything, it was that squad depth would be the key to success in the league. Injuries had played a major part in West Ham’s patchy form in the second half of the campaign, in particular the loss of Trevor Brooking. Brooking declared himself fit for the start of the 1983-84 campaign but announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season.
Belgian sensation Francois Van der Elst had left, Sandy Clark was replaced by Dave Swindlehurst and Neil Orr had come in as defensive midfield cover. In the Summer of 1983, Lyall also brought in Steve Whitton from Coventry City for £175,000. Whitton was born in East Ham and had looked the ideal replacement for Van der Elst when he destroyed West Ham at Upton Park with a hattrick in Coventry’s 3-0 victory last term. Steve Walford, the former Tottenham, Arsenal and Norwich left back, was also signed for £160,000 from the Canaries with a view to replacing Frank Lampard who was nearing the end of his career.
Better than the Boys of ‘86?
The Boys of ‘86 have gone down in history as one of the best West Ham sides of all time, but the team that played in the first half of 1983-84 were arguably better. Unlike 1985-86, the Hammers got off to a flyer winning their opening five games, a feat that has never been repeated by any West Ham side.
The opening day saw a 4-0 win over Birmingham City – Tony Cottee, still viewed by Lyall as an understudy to Paul Goddard, with two. Then two enormous away wins, 1-0 at Goodison Park with admittedly a slightly flukey goal from Steve Walford, and a 2-0 victory at White Hart Lane. Gary Lineker scored the first goal against West Ham at Upton Park but the Hammers recovered to win 3-2, Walford again on target and Cottee and Swindlehurst with the other two.
It looked like the wheels had come off the following Saturday at home to Coventry when the Sky Blues took a 2-0 lead and Ray Stewart missed a penalty. But the Hammers turned it round by half time and by full time had triumphed 5-2, a hat-trick for Swindlehurst and two for Whitton against his former club.
Avco Trust, Live TV, and the Bury 10-0
The first defeat of the season came at The Hawthorns, Garry Thompson scoring the winner, before Notts County were dispatched 3-0 at Upton Park to maintain top spot, still retained as the Hammers entered October and suffered a couple of sobering set-backs including 3-1 reverses at Stoke and in the pouring rain at Upton Park against Liverpool.
Our campaign in the League Cup, now known as the Milk Cup, started at Bury with a 2-1 win in the first leg of the second round. League form was stuttering, with a goalless draw at home to Norwich, memorable only for the fact that it was the first game to feature shirt sponsors for West Ham as “Avco Trust” became emblazoned across the home shirt’s blue chest band. Another 0-0 draw at Vicarage Road took place on the Friday night with the intention of being shown on live TV, in what would have been West Ham’s first ever live league match.
However, a dispute at the BBC meant the game was not shown, which was a relief for all concerned. The TV audience could be forgiven for being disappointed initially though – in midweek West Ham beat Bury 10-0 in the second leg of the second-round tie – Cottee with four, Brooking with two, Devonshire with two, Martin and a Ray Stewart penalty.
Topping the Table and Cup Heartbreak
The Hammers sat in second place in the league as form picked up again with a home win over Ipswich and away wins at Wolves and Sunderland before West Ham finally made their live league TV debut on Sunday afternoon against Manchester United. Whoever won would go to the top of the table but in the end a Swindlehurst header rescued a point after Ray Wilkins’ opener.
After beating Brighton in round three, West Ham crashed out of the Milk Cup, drawing 2-2 at home with a rapidly improving Everton and losing the replay in extra time. More stutters in the league with defeat at Villa Park and a 3-0 thumping at Nottingham Forest, but a 3-1 win over a sorry Arsenal side soon to see the end of Terry Neill and wins at Luton and a fantastic 4-1 win over Spurs on New Years Eve meant the Hammers ended 1983 on 39 points, just five behind leaders Liverpool.
The New Year Curse: Injuries and Accidents
Hopes were high that West Ham could push on in 1984 and achieve their best-ever finish if winning the league was to prove a step too far. However, fate stepped in. At home to Wigan in the third round of the FA Cup, Alan Devonshire was stretchered off with what is now called an ACL but then was just a ‘bad knee injury’, either way he would miss the rest of the season and all but two games of next season. Alvin Martin and Steve Whitton were involved in a car accident that ruled both out for the next few vital weeks that saw a gradual slide down the table.
Whilst it would be unfair to suggest West Ham were wholly reliant on these players, it was a time when the loss of such influential players could not be compensated for. Even with transfers being available at any time until the end of March, it did not guarantee that suitable replacements could be brought in. Lyall made the bizarre decision to bring in Paul Hilton, who had played for Bury in the 10-0 defeat, and whilst he was not a disaster, he was not Alvin Martin.
The FA Cup and the St. Andrews Slump
The team progressed in the FA Cup after a replay against Crystal Palace, Swindlehurst grabbing a late draw at Selhurst Park before Pike and Bobby Barnes secured the win in the replay. Barnes was another player who had come through the youth ranks who would be the first to admit he was not in the same league as Devonshire. Brooking’s injury niggles returned meaning that there was virtually no chance of finishing top six, as the Hammers crashed out of the FA Cup in the fifth round to Birmingham City at St Andrews, an afternoon marred by crowd trouble.
Until the end of March the Hammers maintained a position in the top four, but a heavy 4-1 defeat at Filbert Street signalled the beginning of the end of the season, and an even heavier 6-0 defeat followed at Anfield. Lyall was bed-ridden with flu and Mick McGiven assumed first team duties, setting the team up in an unfamiliar formation with five at the back. After 20 minutes, Liverpool were 4-0 up and Billy Bonds and the returning Alvin Martin ordered the return to 4-4-2 but the damage had already been done.
Farewell to a Legend: Sir Trevor’s Final Stand
West Ham still harboured hopes of qualifying for Europe but a run of one win in the last 12 put paid to that. A memorable 3-3 draw against Arsenal in the Highbury sunshine being one of the few highlights of a campaign that had started so well but then crumbled.
As the season ended in a disappointing ninth place with a 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, Trevor Brooking made his final appearance in front of adoring fans who demanded his return to the pitch so he could be worshipped in a manner he may not have found comfortable but was fully deserved. Some 643 appearances and 102 goals, he is in most people’s top five West Ham players of all time. Would Lyall even try to replace him?
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. 1983-84 is covered in Episodes 41-45 – see @westhamhistory
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