History of West Ham United Football Club

The story of west ham united started off as a football club for a shipyards workers, in 1985 Arnold Hills the managing director of themes ironworks largely funded the formation of a football club for workers in his ship-building company. By 1898 Thames Ironworks FC turn professional and elected to the Southern League. Home matches are played at Hermit Road ground. In 1900 the Thames Ironworks FC disbanded and the Club reform as West Ham United FC.

The next year in 1901 the Appointment of E.S. (Syd) King as Club secretary. He later became manager. In 1904 West Ham United moved from the Memorial Grounds (Canning Town) to the Boleyn Ground in Green Street, Upton Park. Played our first home game on September 2 against Millwall (won 3-0) in the Southern League. Billy Bridgeman was credited with all three goals, in 1921 The fans were in uproar when the great Syd Puddefoot was transferred to Falkirk for £5,000 - a then record fee for a player moving from an English to a Scottish club. December 27 - First home game against foreign opposition. Beat Haarlem (Holland) 4-2. During the war in 1939 to 1944 the Club played in various regional war-time competitions. In march 1956 the first League game to be played under floodlights took place at Upton Park. West Ham United beat Bury 3-2.

The Hammers became the first winners of Southern Floodlight Cup after beating Aldershot 2-1 in the final. Over into 1964 the Hammers lost 6-3 on aggregate to Leicester City in semi-final of the League Cup. May 2 - West Ham United defeated Preston North End 3-2 at Wembley to win the FA Cup for the first time in our history. August 15 - drew 2-2 v Liverpool at Anfield in the FA Charity Shield. September 23 - First European tie v La Gantoise (Belgium) in European Cup Winners' Cup at Ghent. Ronnie Boyce, scorer of the FA Cup final winner, was again on target. In the unforgettable year of 1966 Our first, and only, League Cup final appearance against West Bromwich Albion ended in a 5-3 aggregate defeat.

West Ham United trio Bobby Moore (captain), Geoff Hurst (hat-trick hero) and Martin Peters (scorer of the other goal) starred for England in their 4-2 World Cup final victory against West Germany at Wembley. In 1974 Bobby Moore left to join Fulham on deadline day for a token £25,000 fee after making a then record number of appearances for the Club. Mooro had made his last senior appearance for Hammers in the FA Cup tie v Hereford United on January 5 and his last-ever game for the Club was at home against Plymouth Argyle Reserves. In 1986 the Hammers achieved highest-ever top flight finish - third place in Canon League Division One behind champions Liverpool and runners-up Everton.

The strike partnership of Tony Cottee and Frank McAvennie netted a total of 54 league and cup goals between them and the Hammers came as close as they have ever been to winning the League title. In 1990 Lou Macari resigned and Billy Bonds, the youth team coach, appointed as new manager. Martin Cearns succeeded his father, Len, as Chairman. Hammers were defeated in the semi-finals of the League Cup for the third time - on this occasion by Oldham Athletic, 6-3 on aggregate after losing the first leg away 6-0. March 17 - the first-ever 'live' big screen beamback at Upton Park features the Leeds United away game. Hammers set a new club record of 19 consecutive matches without defeat.

By 1995 the new Centenary Stand was opened to complete the initial £11.5 million rebuilding of Upton Park to establish an all-seater stadium. In August, West Ham United kicked-off our Centenary Season with a 2-1 defeat at home to Leeds United. In 1999 Sir Geoff Hurst became the first former West Ham United player to become a knight in the Queen's New Year's Honours List. Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe became the Club record signing in a £4.5million move from French club RC Lens. May - Hammers' youngsters set a new FA Youth Cup record when they hammered Coventry City 9-0 on aggregate in the final. Three days later, the Under-19s became the first-ever winners of the FA Youth Academy. MD Peter Storrie left the Club and was succeeded by Paul Aldridge. By the year 2000 The new millennium brought disaster as the Hammers lost their Worthington Cup re-match 3-1 to Villa. In November, the Club accepted an £18million bid from Leeds United for star defender Rio Ferdinand.

The 21-year-old England international made his record-breaking move to Elland Road just days after playing his final match for Hammers against Leeds. Ferdinand is the world's costliest defender and represents the Club's biggest-ever sale. In 2002 Glenn Roeder's first season at the helm ended in success with West Ham finishing seventh in the Premiership, their third best top flight finish ever. The year also saw the emergence of Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe as first team regulars at Upton Park. The Hammers signed England goalkeeper David James and he, along with Cole and Trevor Sinclair were included in England's 2002 World Cup squad on May 9.
That same day the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the new Dr Martens West Stand.

The new season didn't begin in quite the same way as the old one had ended for West Ham, as they struggled to pick up points at Upton Park. The first victory of the campaign came in a spectacular 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge but come Christmas the Hammers were bottom of the league without a home win. Finally in 2004 Jermain Defoe and David James departed in the transfer window but Hammers fan Bobby Zamora arrived from Spurs.

The automatic promotion places were slipping out of reach, but Padrew's team did enough to clinch fourth spot and a Playoff Semi-Final against Ipswich Town. The 1-0 defeat at Portman Road set up a mouth watering clash at Upton Park for the second leg which saw one of the best atmosphere's under the floodlights the Club has ever known. A spectacular second half strike from Matty Etherington and a scrambled effort from Christian Dailly were enough for the Hammers to earn a first trip to Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

There was more heartbreak however, as Crystal Palace, who ironically wouldn't have even made the Playoff's if West Ham hadn't equalised against Wigan on the final day, triumphed 1-0.

West Ham had to prepare for another stay in the newly renamed Championship without Michael Carrick who departed for Spurs, but Pardew managed to capture the signature of veteran England international Teddy Sheringham.

By P.Wells