There have been some great victories over Manchester Utd since the 1958-59 season. If one tried to select the most memorable you would probably automatically include the following on the short-list:
- Bobby Moore’s home debut in the 3-1 victory of 1958-59;
- the glorious 3-1 1963-64 FA Cup semi-final triumph in the rain and mud of Hillsborough;
- the famous ‘indecent effort’ 1-0 home victory of 1991-92;
- the Di Canio 0-1 FA Cup victory at Old Trafford in 1998-99;
- the 1-0 home and 0-1 away victories during the 2006-07 ‘great escape’ season; and
- the 2-1 home win of 2007-08
These are all great matches that have now passed in to Hammers folklore. But there are others, and it is one of those other wins over Man Utd that I always recall with great fondness and pride.
On the evening of Monday, 16 May 1977 we played the final game of the 1976-77 season against Manchester United at Upton Park. It was one of those nerve racking seasons that fans in the 1970s were particularly familiar with. A relegation struggle for three quarters of the season and then championship title form in the final quarter to save ourselves at the 11th hour.
The scenario that spring evening was very straightforward. If we won we stayed up, if we lost we were almost certainly relegated. Before the game the bottom of table was as follows:
- Coventry City (34 pts)
- Sunderland (33 pts)
- Stoke City (33 pts)
- West Ham Utd (33 pts)
- QPR (32 pts)
- Bristol City (31 pts)
- Spurs (31 pts)
It was one of those typical evening matches at the old stadium, under the magic of the floodlights. The incredible passion and belief from the terraces permeated the evening air prior to kick off. Many of us erroneously hoped that Man Utd’s place in the 1977 FA Cup Final against Liverpool, the following Saturday, would result in them playing a weakened side and/or not putting in the usual effort! When the teams were announced it was actually their strongest side, apart from Paddy Roache replacing the injured Alex Stepney. The teams were:
West Ham: Day, Bonds (Capt), Lampard, Pike, Taylor, McGiven, Radford, Pop Robson, Devonshire, Brooking, Alan Taylor – 12th man: Jennings
Man Utd: Roache, Nicholl, Albiston, McIlroy, Brian Greenhoff, Buchan (Capt), Coppell, Jimmy Greenhoff, Pearson, Macari , Hill - 12th man: McCreery
Man Utd’s commitment and attacking intentions were obvious straight from the kick off. And the Hammers faithful were stunned when we went behind to a Gordon Hill strike after only 25 seconds of play. Regardless of this shocking start, the team did not fall apart as could well have been the case. The experience of Bonds, Lampard, Tommy Taylor, Pop Robson and Brooking steadied the ship and provoked a flurry of claret and blue retailiation, with Trevor Brooking elegant and brilliant at the heart of it.
Within five minutes Alan Taylor had hit a post and then shot a foot wide, as Man Utd buckled under the power and skill of West Ham’s forward play. Our reward finally came in the 3oth minute, with Frank Lampard firing an equaliser from 25 yards. Then just before half-time Lou Macari fouled Brooking to concede a penalty. The crowd erupted with joy and anticipation, as Geoff Pike picked up the ball and placed it on the spot. But horror of horrors he blasted it over the bar. We went in at half-time slightly deflated but all square at 1-1.
Pike must have been fuming about that miss at half-time, but in the 53rd minute in made amends in spectacular fashion. He ran from the half way line and smashed a long range screamer in to the roof of the Man Utd net. Better was to follow ten minutes later, as that legendary goal poacher Pop Robson converted a through ball from Alan Taylor to make it 3-1.
Man Utd had been penned back by the passion and quality of our play. But going 3-1 down stung them into action and in the 67th minute Pearson lobbed the ball over Day to bring it back to 3-2. The prospect of a Man Utd revival appeared likely at that juncture, but the brilliant duo of Brooking and Pop Robson were having none of it! Robson forced a corner and Brooking took one of those left footed in-swingers that always seemed to defy the laws of physics. And who was on the end of it? Yes, none other than that man Pop Robson. As his bullet header hit the net, the West Ham crowd exploded in to a rapture of pride, delight and relief, as our bubbles anthem rang out in the night air. West Ham were safe from relegation and we all knew it.
Man Utd rallied and pushed forward, but the rear guard marshalled by Billy Bonds repelled their best efforts and the whistle blew on a unforgettable 4-2 victory. I will never forget the passion, determination and skill shown by that West Ham team. After the match John Lyall stated: ‘That was as good as any West Ham display that I have ever seen.’ High praise indeed!
The final positions at the bottom of the table that season were:
- QPR (36 pts)
- West Ham (36 pts)
- Sunderland (34 pts)
- Bristol City (34 pts)
- Coventry City (34 pts) (R)
- Stoke City (34 pts) (R)
- Spurs (33 pts) (R)
However, the fates dictated that this superb West Ham display only reprieved us from relegation until the following season. John Lyall was quoted after the match as stating: ‘ adversity does you no harm if you learn from it.’ Well, the West Ham board did not learn from it and they failed to invest in the squad for 1977-78. A crazy and criminal decision that virtually guaranteed relegation the following campaign, regardless of another brave, late charge for safety that failed on the back of a 0-2 home defeat to Liverpool in the corresponding final game!
Regardless of subsequent events, it does not devalue a classic Hammers performance or great memories of the electric atmosphere in the ground that night. If the current West Ham team could muster 50% of the skill and effort shown by Bonds and co that evening then a result on Saturday would be in the bag!
One thing is sure, just like Tommy Docherty in 1976-77, the current Man Utd manager will not make the mistake of under-estimating us. Sir Alex’s teams have suffered too much at the hands of the Hammers in the past to do other than play his strongest line up on Saturday.
Lets hope we can hand Manchester Utd another Upton Park defeat to add to their already impressive collection!
SJ Chandos.
l was at Hillsbrough in the rain,and did it rain,Man U had just signed a new starlet G Best. Don;t hold a lot off hope today,
86 we were the last team to ever get the benefit of dodgy decisions but we beat em in the cup at Old Trafford but for some unknown reason we have fared ok against them.
How about I met a Millwall supporter here in Queensland today and he referred to West Ham as scum shows the old story of the difference between Millwall and a bucket of Shite?the Bucket!
Very well penned SJ; There have been some remarkable wins home and away against Man U. I remember being at the theatre of screams a few seasons ago when the Judas who now plays for the Spuds scored the only goal in 0-1 win. We are due a result against them and let’s hope today is the day. GFZ needs to pick the right team and we can do it.
SJ I love your work and your contributions really make the difference to this site I think.
However there's a mistake in your research for this artcle.
It was Sunderland who went down with Stoke and Spurs. Coventry were 19th out of 22 with 35 points. It would take another 20 years plus of astonishing sustained mediocrity before the sky blues finally went through the trapdoor.
We, as you say, ended up 17th with 36 points before crashing out ignominiously the following season.