The Shock Succession: Lyall Out, Macari In
Despite the rapid decline in West Ham’s fortunes following their third place finish in 1986, it still came as something of a shock when the board voted unanimously not to renew John Lyall’s contract in the summer of 1989. The even bigger surprise was their choice of successor. With the board seemingly set upon appointing Harry Redknapp, Lyall was not offered a director of football role, as it was known the two did not get on. However, Bournemouth Chairman Jim Nolan threatened legal action if West Ham approached their manager so that was a non-starter in any event. Don Howe, Peter Shreeves and Ray Harford were all considered, the role went to Luigi Macari, a name primarily associated with Glasgow Celtic and Manchester United, who had been ripping in up in the lower divisions, winning successive promotions with Swindon Town. Macari had spent some time as a child growing up in Leytonstone and knew the area well. The surprise was not so much the lack of association with the club (Ron Greenwood was the last manager appointed with no previous affiliation and he did OK) but the perceived style of the diminutive Scotsman. Macari’s reputation was that of a long ball merchant, but he was quick to defend this, as were the board, pointing out that his style was dictated by the quality of the staff at his disposal. At a club like West Ham, such tactics would not be tolerated.
The Ince Scandal and McAvennie’s Rude Awakening
His first task was to deal with the unhappy figure of Paul Ince. Ince had seen Lyall as something of a father figure and, having seen him disposed of, the four-year contract he had been promised verbally by Lyall was unlikely to materialise. Macari felt that the £750-a-week that Ince was earning was adequate and refused to improve his terms. A deal with Manchester United was agreed in principle. Agent Ambrose Mendy, about to go on holiday, arranged a photograph to be taken by Daily Star photographer Laurence Lustig of Ince in a Manchester United shirt on the proviso it was not published until the deal was finalised. Unfortunately, the Daily Star shared a photo library with the Daily Express, who could not help themselves when they saw the print and they ran it. Absolute pandemonium ensued. Fans were understandably unhappy and Ince himself found himself in a position where after an opening day 1-1 draw at Stoke, he’d played his last game for West Ham and was in limbo, having failed his medical at Manchester United. There was no way he would ever play for West Ham again and his move to Old Trafford looked in serious doubt. Macari also had to face the fact that not only is he about to lose one of the most talented midfield players in the country, but also a talismanic striker in the somewhat portly shape of Frank McAvennie, who had his ankle broken by Chris Kamara in the draw a Stoke. It is a sign of things to come that Macari tells McAvennie he would not have got injured had he been fitter. A message that comes ringing through the squad loud and clear, as the players have a rude awakening, realising that their days of fish and chip suppers the night before a game, are numbered. Macari was a tee-totaller, but did not insist on such behaviour from the players, only that they looked after themselves and drank in moderation. A forlorn hope.
New Signings and Captaincy: Macari Flexes his Muscles
With the Ince deal resurrected and a pay-as-you-play deal put in place, Macari flexed his muscles in the transfer market, paying QPR £675,000 for their out-of-favour midfielder Martin Allen. A 2-0 win over Bradford City showed that Stuart Slater would be an important player for the Hammers this season, and Allen made his debut the following Saturday in a 3-2 win over Plymouth Argyle at Upton Park. With two wins and a draw from the opening three games, hopes are high of an immediate return to the first division. On top of that, no sign of any long ball tactics, the Hammers are playing good football, along the deck as the fans liked to see it. Two more draws, away at Hull and at home to Macari’s old club Swindon, show that it’s not going to be easy though, and a 3-0 spanking at Brighton shows just how big a task it will be to get the Hammers back at the first attempt, especially with Sheffield United already six points ahead and Leeds United tipped as strong favourites to go up automatically. Macari knows he is not finished in the transfer market, but also makes another significant change, making Julian Dicks the youngest West Ham captain since Bobby Moore, with the blessing of the incumbent Alvin Martin. At 23, Dicks has a significant role to play in the club’s future, and his move is partly an acknowledgement that Martin will not feature regularly, and partly to fend off interest in Dicks from Tottenham. Colin Foster is signed from Nottingham Forest for the eye-watering sum of £750,000. A lot of money, but West Ham needed a centre back and to be fair to Macari it turned out to be one of the few mediocre signings he would make.
League Form and The Looming Scandal
Foster debuted in a 1-0 home win over Watford and another 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park indicated that maybe the Hammers were back on track. But a setback at home in a 3-2 defeat by WBA saw Eamonn Dolan score his first goal, but again demonstrated a lack of consistency. Birmingham were dispatched 3-2 on aggregate to progress in the League Cup, but in the League it’s another home defeat as former Hammer Mervyn Day kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win for Leeds United. With Sheffield United away the next game, a 2-0 win for the Hammers was not expected, but in the end it was comfortable. Mark Ward with a brace, scoring from the spot after Julian Dicks had nearly broken the crossbar with his first effort. Phil Parkes had continued in goal, with Macari unimpressed with McKnight but it also seemed obvious that Parkes could not continue much longer, his arthritic knees restricting his ability to get down quickly. But for now he continued, and he provided a long upfield punt for Eamonn Dolan to flick on to Stuart Slater to score in a magnificent 5-0 home win over Sunderland. A 2-2 draw at Port Vale keeps the Hammers in touch in the top four. Macari may not have taken a drink, but he did like a bet. There are rumblings in the press that something might be about to break in respect of his time at Swindon, and various bets placed on his own teams. For now, though, everything in the West Ham garden seems rosy. But it’s all about to come crashing down.
Follow ‘The Macari Months’ on YouTube
My YouTube series “The Macari Months” follows the fortunes of the club during Lou Macari’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 tumultuous days, or those who are curious to learn. The period is covered in Episodes 1 and 2 – see @westhamhistory
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