West Ham’s brand of attacking football has remained largely unchanged throughout our colourful history. Such a tendency will always produce goals. In fact, a 0-0 scoreline is a rare occurrence for the Hammers as we pursue the ‘you score three, we’ll score four’ objective.
Such commitment to entertainment is commendable, but often foolhardy as it can backfire in spectacular fashion. A top 10 finish and the occasional cup run is as good as it gets. We also know that a relegation battle is never too far away.
However, a high scoring match doesn’t always indicate superiority. It often means that the losing team have simply fallen apart, and the game is over as a contest very early on. Over the years West Ham have been involved in some classic multi goal encounters. So let’s consider some of the biggest wins in the club’s history.
West Ham 10 Bury 0, League Cup 2nd Round, 25 October 1983
West Ham were enjoying a great league run when they were drawn against Fourth Division Bury in the recently dubbed ‘Milk Cup’. Six wins in 10 games had placed the Hammers third in the First Division.
However, they took a narrow 2-1 lead away from the first leg at Gigg Lane. Paul Goddard and Neil Orr scored in a tight game that some observers felt Bury should have won. Unlike the current fondness for squad rotation, manager John Lyall picked his strongest available line-up for the return, making just one change as Paul Allen replaced Steve Whitton.
The second leg saw Upton Park’s lowest recorded attendance for a cup game. A damp and misty evening may have played a part but only 10,896 witnessed history being made. Nineteen-year old Tony Cottee put the Hammers ahead in only the second minute, which should have put the tie to bed. But five minutes later the visitors had a chance to draw level as Billy Bonds fouled Wayne Entwhistle in the penalty area. The resulting penalty was missed by John Bramhall who hit the post and sent the rebound high over the bar.
It was a pivotal moment in the game as the proverbial floodgates opened. In the 17th minute Ray Stewart floated a cross to the far post which Alvin Martin met with a bullet like header. Six minutes later Trevor Brooking, in his final season for the Hammers made it 3-0 with a precise 15-yard shot. The midfield maestro later crossed for Bonds who headed back for Cottee to scramble the ball home. Six minutes before half time Cottee completed his hattrick with a perfectly timed run to head home a cross from Paul Allen.
Holding a 5-0 lead at half time might have encouraged the Hammers to relax, especially with a tricky league game coming up against Watford at the weekend. Alas Bury’s misery would be compounded as Cottee scored his fourth on the hour. Alan Devonshire made it 7-0 with an amazing solo effort that took him on a run that finished with a blistering 25 yarder. Ray Stewart converted a penalty shortly afterwards and a deflected shot from Brooking made it 9-0. The fabled double digit was in sight and the deed was done four minutes before time. Brooking played a one-two with Devonshire who flicked the ball home.
Whilst it was great for the players’ confidence and a delight for the fans, one might question the value in pulverising a team that was already well beaten. In contrast to the delicate flowers that play the game today, Trevor Brooking played most of the game with a broken nose. He left the field for treatment but was undeterred, as later explained to the Daily Mirror: “The specialist told me the nose is broken but it wasn’t too painful so I played on”.
The delicious irony was that John Lyall later signed Bury’s centre half that night. Paul Hilton joined the Hammers in February 1984 for £100,000 and made 75 appearances. West Ham went out of the Milk Cup losing to Everton after a 4th round replay, but finished in a highly creditable 9th place in the First Division.
West Ham 8 Sunderland 0, First Division, 19 October 1968
When the Black Cats came to visit, West Ham were in the middle of a gloriously indifferent run, having drawn six and lost three of the last 10 league games. They had beaten Bolton 7-2 in League Cup then lost to Coventry in the third round.
Nevertheless, the Hammers were still comfortably sat in 6th place. Sunderland also had a moderate start to the season and were four places below but shipping goals at an alarming rate. They had recently sunk to 4-0 defeats at Liverpool and Manchester City which didn’t bode well. They did, however, possess a talented goalkeeper in Jim Montgomery who impressed at England Under 23 level. West Ham had their World Cup trio and burgeoning talent of Trevor Brooking and Billy Bonds in their lineup.
West Ham opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Geoff Hurst converted Martin Peters’ cross. Although later he admitted that he handled the ball over the line. This oversight by referee Ken Burns was the signal for an adrenaline fuelled goal spree. Bobby Moore scored the second after 23 minutes with a blistering free kick, whilst Hurst later struck at the far post to make it 3-0. One minute from half time a corner from Harry Redknapp found Hurst again who completed his first hattrick of the game.
The deluge continued in the second half as Hurst finished off a three-man move to make it 5-0 in the 48th minute. On the hour the Hammers’ number 10 scored again to make a round half dozen. Sunderland were rapidly falling to pieces as Brooking slotted home 60 seconds later. Redknapp turned provider again as Geoff Hurst completed a double hattrick in the 71st minute. The man of the match was unconcerned by the circumstances of his first goal. As he explained to Patrick Collins of the News of the World: “I’ve no conscience about it, I’ve had good goals ruled out”. By scoring six goals in one match Hurst equalled a 39-year-old record set by Vic Watson.
A shell-shocked Sunderland manager Alan Brown commented: “I’ve never seen a side play so well and have everything go right for them. Every move came off. They could just not do anything wrong. Maybe we allowed them to play football. But against the harder sides in the league they would not have things quite so much their own way.”
However, nothing could disguise an inept defence that went missing in front of poor Jim Mongomery who said: “I was longing for the referee to blow the final whistle”. The Hammers undoubtedly had their ducks in a perfect row where everything clicked. Montgomery readily admitted: “I’ve never felt so helpless. It was just non-stop. The shots were raining in from all angles”. Ronald Atkin of The Observer summed it up perfectly: “Hurst was allowed to keep the match ball as a memento, which was only proper since he had it for most of the afternoon!”.
West Ham 8 Macclesfield Town 0, League Cup 3rd round, 26 September 2018
This was arguably the most noteworthy result in the short reign of manager Manuel Pellegrini. The Chilean arrived with a big reputation having previously managed Real Madrid but always flattered to deceive. It also provided a glimpse of what the club’s youngsters could do when given a chance.
Macclesfield were in dire straits both on and off the field and seemed ripe for picking. It was the Hammers biggest win in 35 years. They showed real strength in depth by making eight changes for the game. Three Academy graduates were given their debut against a team that was bottom of League 2.
Michail Antonio headed the Hammers ahead in the 29th minute and Robert Snodgrass doubled their lead three minutes later. Lucas Perez volleyed in Aaron Cresswell’s cross to ensure a 3-0 lead at half time. Six minutes after the break Ryan Fredericks scored the goal of the night as he fired in from the edge of the penalty box.
Angelo Ogbonna and Robert Snodgrass added a brace to put the Hammers 6-0 up. Grady Diangana, one of the debutants, made it seven in the 67th minute, and then combined with fellow Academy graduate Joe Powell for the eighth.
For poor Macclesfield it was their heaviest defeat as a league club. Manager Mark Yates said: “It’s not what we needed but that’s where we are. You saw the gulf in class and how low we are in confidence.”
Grady Diangana, Joe Powell and Conor Coventry had all impressed on their debuts. In the next round West Ham lost 3-1 to Spurs, and by season’s end David Moyes had replaced Manuel Pellegrini as manager.
West Ham 8 Newcastle United 1, First Division, 21 April 1986
This was undoubtedly the strangest game from West Ham’s ‘nearly’ season of 1985/86. It was the night that Newcastle fielded three different goalkeepers, and the Hammers centre half Alvin Martin scored a hattrick against each of them. Robert Armstrong of the Guardian wrote that it was “an extraordinary performance even by the high standards of skill, pace and finishing power the Hammers set themselves”.
Newcastle’s first choice goalkeeper Martin Thomas was still recovering from a shoulder injury. Yet was forced to make an early comeback when the Toon’s backup goalies were both injured. The game was two minutes old when he landed awkwardly and tore all the muscles in his shoulder. Alvin Martin scored in the third minute with a close range volley from an Alan Devonshire’s free kick.
Thomas, by now in significant pain, fumbled Ray Stewart’s cross to make it 2-0, and was subsequently unable to save Neil Orr’s hopeful long range effort. A backheeled own goal by Glenn Roeder after a corner made it 4-0 at half time. Defender Chris Hedworth took over in goal but had already injured his knee. Ten minutes later Hedworth fractured a collarbone in a collision with Tony Cottee.
Alvin Martin headed West Ham further ahead in the 64th minute at which point Hedworth, showing amazing courage, moved into midfield. Newcastle’s Billy Whitehurst scored a consolation goal in the 76th minute. Peter Beardsley took over in goal but could not prevent headers from Paul Goddard and Frank McAvennie making it 7-1. Alvin Martin completed the rout as he converted a penalty six minutes from time.
The Hammers’ assistant manager Mick McGiven said after the match: “United should forget all about the result – I can hardly remember a team having so much bad luck in one game”. It was a remarkable win for all the wrong reasons as Newcastle were unable to field a fit goalkeeper. But no one in claret and blue would have complained that night.
West Ham 8 Leeds United 2, First Division, 9 February 1929
This proved to be one of the few multi goal encounters that had the semblance of a proper competitive match. The Hammers centre forward Vic Watson was in sparkling form and would finish the season on 30 goals in 39 games. Leeds were going well in eighth place whilst the Hammers were fighting relegation in 17th. A crowd of 18,000 saw the home team make a great start as right half Jimmy Collins laid on Watson’s first goal. England international winger Jimmy Ruffell assisted Watson’s second goal in short order.
However, Leeds boasted their own England forward in Russell Wainscoat who reduced the arrears to 2-1. Striker Tom Jennings levelled the score at 2-2 as West Ham’s goalie Ted Hufton nursed a hand injury. With almost an hour played the teams were locked at 2-2. Leeds centre half Ernie Hart was masterful at the centre of defence and the Hammers weren’t getting a look in. As John Northcutt and Roy Shoesmith pointed out in West Ham United: A Complete Record: “Leeds were far from being overwhelmed, and looking the more likely victors with half an hour to play”.
But then West Ham’s amateur striker Vivian Gibbins slotted home an inch perfect pass from Stan Earle. Shortly afterwards, Vic Watson feinted to shoot with his left and struck with his right to put the Hammers 4-2 ahead. He later tapped in when Leeds goalie fumbled a shot to score his fourth. Winger Tommy Yews went on a mazy run to score the sixth. It was left to Vic Watson to complete the rout as he put away two more to create a new record of six goals in a single match. That season the Hammers avoided relegation by eight points and eventually finished 17th.
West Ham 7 Leeds United 0, League Cup 4th Round, 7 November 1966
The scale of achievement in defeating Leeds United by such a scoreline needs to be put in proper context. In the seasons that followed, Leeds would win the League Championship, the Inter City Fairs Cup (Europa League) twice and the FA Cup. Managed by Don Revie their lineup included Billy Bremner, Johnny Giles and Jack Charlton. Whilst West Ham were no slouches themselves with six full England internationals, it would be a tough game against quality opposition who were ruthless competitors.
The Hammers were in a bullish mood as two days previously they had beaten Fulham 6-1. Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters had their shooting boots on as they shared six goals. For once, everything came together for the Hammers as they ripped Leeds to shreds. Ken Jones of the Daily Mirror reported: “West Ham vividly declared themselves League Cup favourites last night with football of wondrous content and finishing that was almost frightening”.
In goal for Leeds was David Harvey, a highly accomplished keeper who was kept busy early doors, but could not prevent West Ham going ahead in the second minute when Johnny Sissons curled in a cross-cum-shot. Sissons was on target again as he finished a move prompted by Johnny Byrne. The 20-year-old winger completed a 34 minute hattrick when fired home a pinpoint cross from Peter Brabrook. It was breathtaking stuff on a rain soaked surface that suited West Ham perfectly.
Johnny Sissons was in majestic form and started the move that led to West Ham’s next incursion. His cross was partially cleared to Peter Brabrook who found Martin Peters. A deflected shot was credited to Geoff Hurst for the fourth goal shortly before half time. The demolition continued in the second half as Geoff Hurst turned his marker and fired home a thunderous shot. Martin Peters got on the score sheet in the 79th minute when he glided past two defenders before smacking the ball past a demoralised David Harvey. Geoff Hurst completed his hattrick in the 81st minute when he completed a route one clearance from Jim Standen. West Ham’s dominance was undisputable as Leeds were outclassed.
Bobby Moore had orchestrated the performance and slowly grew tired of Billy Bremner’s attention. As Matt Dickinson explained in Bobby Moore – The Man in Full: “Bremner sought to harry and hustle, gnawing like a Scottish Terrier at the back of his legs and ankles. Upton Park held its breath as the England captain turned sharply to go face to face with his aggressor. In the post-match interview Moore was asked what he said to Bremner ‘all I said to him was Billy, have you noticed that we are 7-0 up. There’s no point in you kicking me around is there’. Chastened by Moore’s manner, Bremner reputedly replied ‘Och Bobby, you’re absolutely right.’”
West Ham eventually got to the League Cup semi-finals where they were beaten by the eventual winners West Bromwich Albion 6-2 on aggregate; perhaps our ‘final’ came too early that season?
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