MANY West Ham United fans may be surprised to know that Hammers
have played West Bromwich Albion in both a League Cup Final (1966)
and League Cup semi-final (1967).
Both matches were two-leg affairs and the programmes from the Final are some of the rarer items sought after by collectors. The home-leg generally sells for £30, while the clash at the Hawthorns has been attracting a three figure sum recently.
It should also be stated that the ticket stubs from either game would reach the same financial heights. The first-leg of the Final was played at Upton Park and goals from Bobby Moore and Johnny Byrne sent the Hammers north with a 2-1 advantage. However, the trophy was lost after a devastating performance from the Baggies secured a 5-3 aggregate win.
The following year the League Cup Final switched to Wembley. Sadly, a 2-6 defeat against West Brom, this time at the semi-final stage denied the Hammers once again.
West Brom have brought some fine teams to Upton Park down the years and the Ron Atkinson era of the early 1980s walks tall in terms of quality and entertainment. The late, great Laurie Cunningham, Cyrille Regis, Bryan Robson, Brendan Batson, and John Wile serves to underline West Ham's achievement in dispatching them from the 1980 FA Cup at the Third Round stage. Phil Parkes will remember the 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns that year as it is widely held by players and fans alike to be his greatest performance in the claret and blue shirt.
It was left to Geoff Pike and Trevor Brooking to illuminate a
packed Upton Park in the replay and drive the Club on to Wembley
glory a few months later.
West Brom are one of very few clubs to have beaten the Hammers by
six clear goals. This came in 1925-26 when Jimmy Ruffell's goal
was negligible on a 1-7 score-line.
The Hammers heaviest victory over West Brom came in the 1964-65
season when a 6-1 victory stands as Brian Dear's greatest
individual achievement at the club. The "Stag" bagged
five goals in a 20 minute spell either side of half-time.
Can such an astonishing display of finishing ever be emulated? The
programme from that game, sporting the great man's signature,
is simply a must have item in any serious collection.