Former West Ham United midfielder Don Hutchison is the latest guest to share his memories on Iron Cast, the Club’s official podcast!
The ex-Scotland international, who scored 18 goals across 110 appearances during a successful period for the Club, experienced the highs of promotion to the lows of relegation during a six-year stint in east London.
After struggling to break through at Liverpool, a move to east London gave him the platform to showcase his talent and paved the way for a successful, storied career in the game.
Speaking to Iron Cast co-hosts Chris Scull and James Collins, he spoke about his love-hate relationship with former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness: “He [Graeme Souness] wanted to swap me with Tim Flowers at Southampton but I didn’t want to go. Souness then put on a six-v-six game as he was going to crunch me, so I went even higher and two-footed him. We both fell to the floor and started rolling around fighting on the ground. He then stood up and said ‘that’s what we need’ – and I started on the Saturday.
“I love him, he gave me my debut, and was one of the best managers I have ever played under. I loved it [playing for Liverpool] and would have played a lot more if I was a lot more disciplined off the pitch. I was the kid in school that always got caught.
“It’s sad because I do put my head on the pillow at night time and wonder if I would have been there longer if I and the team had behaved a lot better. It was the culture of the 90s, you play hard, and you work hard. It was amazing for the lads."
Hutchison was signed by Harry Redknapp for a Club record £1.5m fee from Liverpool, and went on to score eleven goals in 27 games during his first season, proving himself to be a pivotal figure as West Ham narrowly avoided relegation.
He also told the story of how his move to the Hammers transpired quickly, after several conversations with Redknapp over the phone, while living in digs with his son Jamie [Redknapp] at Liverpool.
“Me and Harry [Redknapp] had some unbelievable battles here. Me and Jamie Redknapp used to live together in digs in Liverpool,” said Hutchison. “He [Harry Redknapp] used to ask to speak to me on the phone and was always sowing the seed, telling me how much I’d love it down here and, all of a sudden, six weeks later he ended up signing me.
“I wasn’t the best player in the world, but one of my strengths was that I was able to play anywhere, and could problem solve no matter where I played. I always thought I was a number eight midfield player, but I was never the quickest, though was a cross country runner so could run for fun.
“We were a good team. Players like John Moncur and Ian Bishop are £100m players these days. I’m not saying Ian is the same as a [Sergio] Busquets, Rodri and [Michael] Carrick quality, but he was unbelievable. He was a guy that was so good in the wrong era.
“We [Hutchison and Harry Redknapp] just didn’t get on at all. Off the pitch, absolutely, but Harry is very, very emotional. We are the same sort of character.
“We ended up clashing all of the time on the training ground, every day. But as soon a we went back into the canteen he was a different person; I was a different person and I loved him. We just couldn’t stand being together for so long."
After successful spells with Sheffield United, Everton, and Sunderland, Don returned to Upton Park in August 2001 for £5m, another Club record fee.
Hutchison’s second spell was hampered by injuries and, after returning from an ACL injury in 2003, his side were involved in a serious relegation battle.
And like many players from that era, he’s still bemused that a side of that quality failed to avoid the relegation trap door, while admitting it was the worst experience he ever had in football.
“I think now with modern day managers, they would have that team close to the top four,” said Hutchison.
“The thing is about football, when you kick off the season you have so much hope, hoping you can kick on and get higher up the table and, before you know it you’ve lost a couple of games, drawn a few, won a couple of games and are halfway through the season.
“You’re looking around the dressing room and we've got [Paolo] Di Canio, [Jermain] Defoe, [Frédéric] Kanouté, Carrick, [Trevor] Sinclair, [Joe] Cole– and thinking how has this happened?
“You always think you’re going to get out of it, and I always say you need back-to-back wins. The reason you’re down there is because you’ve not had any.
“Our squad wasn’t made up of massive egos, but it was very talented, and everyone was vying for positions or to be the alpha male in the dressing room. It was an amazing group of lads to be with.
“The worst experience I’ve ever had in football is getting relegated. It’s soul destroying. You feel gutted and like you have nothing else inside of you. You just want to cry.”
Hutchison, who is now an engaging media analyst for ESPN, talkSPORT and the Premier League, has retained his close affinity with Hammers fans and is still guaranteed a warm welcome whenever he visits London Stadium.
And he recalled his memories of commentating on West Ham’s UEFA Europa Conference League win in Prague last year.
“It was amazing. I didn’t feel for the players on the pitch in terms of what they had done, I got more in the sense of what the West Ham fans had been through during my days such as disappointment, rejection, and relegation,” said Hutchison.
“Seeing grown men and women cry in their 50s or 60s, you saw they had been through the 90s football.
“I’m a Newcastle fan at heart as I stood on the Gallowgate End as a kid, but you saw my face when I drove in here. It was a brilliant time. I’ve been lucky to play for some fantastic clubs such as West Ham.”
