West Ham United celebrates its 125th anniversary on 29 June – and as part of our celebrations we're counting down to the date with the Club’s #50GreatestMatches – brought to you by Monster Energy!
Since the Hammers were formed as Thames Ironworks FC in 1895, we have played in excess of 5,500 matches – reaching five FA Cup finals - and one women's FA Cup final, lifting European silverware and competing across the globe and enjoying thousands of memorable moments.
With your help and recommendations, we've whittled down that list of 5,500 matches to a top 50, featuring landmark goals, trophies held aloft, heroic individual performances and remarkable collective efforts.
We continue the #50GreatestMatches countdown with an unforgettable League Cup semi-final victory at the Boleyn Ground...
West Ham United secured their place in the League Cup final with a dramatic 2-0 semi-final second-leg win over Coventry City at the Boleyn Ground on 10 February 1981.
The Irons, who were the FA Cup holders and runaway Second Division leaders at the time, reached the second League Cup final in the Club’s history on a dramatic night in east London 39 years ago, coming from behind to defeat their First Division opponents.
The Hammers had looked certain to reach Wembley when Billy Bonds and an own goal by Garry Thompson put the visitors in control of the first leg at Highfield Road two weeks earlier, only for two goals from Thompson and one from Gerry Daly to seemingly turn the tie around in the Sky Blues' favour.
Back in east London, roared on by a capacity 36,551-strong crowd, West Ham fought back themselves, as goals from Paul Goddard and Jimmy Neighbour, in the last minute, sent John Lyall's side to Wembley.
Goddard opened the scoring with a rasping half-volley from 20 yards that flew past future Hammer Les Sealey in the Coventry goal.
The tie looked to be heading for extra-time, albeit with West Ham leading on away goals, until Neighbour popped up in the final minute, running in from the right wing, controlling and slotting past Sealey to send his team to the final.
There, they held favourites Liverpool to a 1-1 draw before being edged out 2-1 in a replay held at Villa Park.
However, the season still ended on a high as Lyall's side secured the Second Division title and promotion back to the First Division after a three-year absence.
