Throughout the 2024/25 season, we're taking a look at some of the best players to have worn a range of squad numbers for West Ham United, since they were introduced for the start of the 1993/94 campaign.
Vote for your favourite No7 from the four chosen nominees below!
All West Ham No7s since 1993/94 | |
|---|---|
1993-1994 | 2012-2015 |
1994-1998 | 2016-2017 |
1998-2001 | 2017-2019 |
2001-2007 | 2019-2022 |
2007-2008 | 2022-2023 |
2008-2011 | 2023-2024 |
2011-2012 | 2024-present |
Ian Bishop
DOB: 29.05.65 WHU: 1989-1998 Apps: 304 Goals: 17
Popular former midfielder and captain Ian Bishop was a regular member of the West Ham United team throughout the 1990s, twice winning promotion under Billy Bonds before helping establish the Hammers in the Premier League.
A respected captain, he was much-loved by the fans. His flowing locks at a time when short back and sides was the norm marked him out as someone worth watching even before he took to the field. In all, he played 304 matches in Claret and Blue between 1989 and 1998 after arriving from Manchester City.
Throughout his ten years at West Ham, Bishop was also called up into the England ‘B’ team, named in the divisional team of the year, and also won the Evening Standard Footballer of the Month award.
Born on Merseyside, the Scouser has been Stateside for several years, where he is teaching young American players to be the best they can be and to dream of competing with Europe's elite.
Christian Dailly
DOB: 23.10.73 WHU: 2001-2007 Apps: 191 Goals: 4
Few players have endeared themselves to the Claret and Blue Army this century more than Christian Dailly.
When the Scotland defender was snapped up by Harry Redknapp in 2001, he had already enjoyed a successful career both north and south of the border, winning the Scottish Cup with Dundee United and playing Premier League football with Derby County and Blackburn Rovers, and appeared for Scotland at the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals.
At West Ham United, however, he became a true cult hero for his work-rate, commitment, willingness to fill any position, and, most notably, his thick and curly dark hair. Even now, 17 years on since his departure, the Club’s supporters regale the amiable centre-back with a chorus of his unique terrace chant at every match.
Following a successful first season in Claret and Blue, Dailly could not help the Hammers avoid relegation in 2002/03, but would contribute to our promotion back to the Premier League at the second attempt in 2004/05. It was in this time that the Scot would enjoy the highlight of his West Ham career, scoring the winner over Ipswich Town in the 2003/04 Championship Play-Off semi-final at Upton Park, having been handed the captain’s armband by Alan Pardew, although we would lose in the final to Crystal Palace.
Matt Jarvis
DOB: 22.05.86 WHU: 2012-2016 Apps: 90 Goals: 6
Matt Jarvis was a player boss Sam Allardyce trailed all summer but had to wait until late in the transfer window to land the pacey winger, who eventually put pen-to-paper a week before the window was due to slam shut for a then Club-record fee from Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2012.
Following his release from the books at Millwall, Jarvis joined Gillingham at the age of 17. After appearing for Gillingham, featuring 119 times and scoring 15 goals, Jarvis' hard work and impressive performances in the lower leagues were rewarded when he joined Wolves. Having clinched promotion to the Premier League in 2009, Jarvis transformed into one of the most efficient wingers in Europe and earned his first England call-up.
Big Sam had already had the wheels in motion in east London by the time Jarvis arrived at the Boleyn Ground, having led the Club to promotion at the first attempt. The winger’s most famous goal in Claret and Blue was an equaliser away to Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup, with the Irons going on to win 2-1 at White Hart Lane.
Having retired in 2021, Jarvis represented the Irons in The Soccer Tournament in the United States in 2023 and is regularly seen at London Stadium in an ambassadorial role on home matchdays.
Andriy Yarmolenko
DOB: 23.10.89 WHU: 2018-2022 Apps: 86 Goals: 13
When most players leave West Ham United, they often refer to it as a family Club, and in the case of Andriy Yarmolenko, that was no different.
Growing up, the winger was earmarked as the ‘new Shevchenko’, becoming a legend at Dynamo Kyiv, scoring 137 goals in 341 appearances in all competitions and being voted Ukrainian Footballer of the Year on no fewer than four occasions.
After seeking advice from Shevchenko and former West Ham striker Sergei Rebrov, Yarmolenko completed his £17.5 million move from Borussia Dortmund to West Ham in 2018, and despite his four-year spell being disrupted by injuries, there is no doubt he captured the hearts of so many in Claret and Blue.
Having been granted compassionate leave in the midst of the crisis engulfing his home country of Ukraine, he battled back bravely, and the image of Yarma pointing to the heavens after scoring against Aston Villa in March 2022 while being reduced to tears is one many will never forget.
His added-time winner against Chelsea in July 2020 remains the standout moment, as it was of huge importance which enabled David Moyes’ side to secure their Premier League status for another season, and he followed that with the memorable extra-time winner in West Ham’s win over Sevilla in their last-16 UEFA Europa League clash in spring 2022.
