Guest Post by Nigel Kahn
As an avid reader of football books of all types, Harry Redknapp’s new effort was delivered to me this week, “A man walks on to a pitch” is the title and it has Harry looking nostalgically back over the players that he has enjoyed over his time in football, not just as a manager or player but growing up as kid in the East End in the 50’s. He has sectioned the book chapters into decades enabling to choose his favourite players as he goes through each decade. Reading the book got me thinking of the same, I have been watching West ham since the 70’s and I have always struggled to name an all time favourite 11 Hammers as there are so many to choose from and with the different times, different players meant different things to me. So I sat down and split my all time hammers teams into decades, one rule I did set was no repeat players, they can only appear once in one team and I have seen all these players play for West Ham, and my watching of West Ham starts in the mid 70’s becoming a regular supporter in 1977.
So here is my seventies XI:
1.Mervyn Day. Not really spoilt for choice here though I did nearly go for Bobby Ferguson but that was purely down to the fact that I met him once in the
large tea bar that used to be in the West Stand corner by the North bank. Mervyn was the young star keeper who aged only 19 not only helped us win the FA cup in 75 but also won the PFA young player of the year award that season. Sadly his career with West ham nosedived which funnily enough coincided with West ham nose diving out of the 1st Division after 30 years and he left to Join Orient in 1979.
2.John McDowell. Another home grown talent, possibly not the best choice but as kid I remember the goals v Newcastle he scored in a home game our 1st season back in Division 2 and he was always in the team when I was watching.
3.Frank Lampard Senior. Cant remember a time when as kid I came over and Frank wasn’t playing, add to the fact that I still remember his Dry Cleaning shop across from Rathbone St market he was a local celebrity to me. Did pop up with some great goals too.
4.Tommy Taylor. A member of the cup final team and a main stay of the team throughout my time watching in the 70’s and another 1 of the 3 players we sold to Orient at the end of the decade but considering who came in to replace him it wasn’t a bad move in selling him. But when you are young you don’t really appreciate who is talented and who is not, if they are in the team you like them no matter. Oh the folly of youth.
5.Kevin Lock. Famed perhaps as the player that replaced Bobby Moore, if ever there was tough act to follow he managed it twice as he left us to go to Fulham once Moore had retired from football with them. A local Plaistow boy who lived the dream to play for the club he supported. Not the greatest but still better than Bill Green
6.Pat Holland. A 1-club man, underrated in my eyes looking back, and injured himself scoring a goal from which he never recovered away at Notts County. In modern times would have had 2 FA cup medals but he missed out in 1980 being the player that wasn’t picked in the 12 man squad. Had great control of the ball when dribbling
7.Billy Bonds. Captain of the team and leader of men, possibly could have been put in to my 80’s team as well but as he was my first and still my all time hammers hero I’ve put him in where it started. Socks Down no shin pads he rampaged across the pitch, my abiding memory though is of his Goal in a game V QPR in the FA cup, his picture on the back page of the papers the next day. 21 years as a player, over 700 games, 6ft 2 eyes of blue. God bless you Billy Bonds.
8.Pop Robson. The natural goal scoring machine who was in his second spell with the club when I remembered him, scored with a great overhead kick V Sunderland in 1 game, but was possibly the unluckiest of all hammers stars of the 70’s. left us to join Sunderland before our 75 cup win, only to re-join us then leave again for Sunderland the same season we won the cup in 80.
9.Alan Taylor. The hero of the 75 cup run, makes it into my team just for that. I remember that day like yesterday watching the game with my Mum in our flat in Canning Town and then it was straight outside for the Street party afterwards, not forgetting that DR Who faced the cybermen that day as well, strange the things you remember. I must admit though when I got to see him play he was probably ineffectual as I cant say I remember him scoring when I saw him live.
10.Sir Trevor Brooking The man is a living legend his poise, his grace, the way he let the ball drift across his body he had it all. The goal he scored one night V Chelsea even got around of applause off the keeper Borotta. Boys own hero and for me, the greatest manager we should have had. For me his status is on par with Bonds as one of the greats the club have ever had.
11. Billy Lansdowne. What do you mean who? Il take you all back to a night in October 79, a time when cup games went to replays and 2nd replays in this case as we faced Southend in a league cup tie at the Boleyn. Young Bill had already scored in the league against Burnley and he seized his chance on this night to score a Hat trick. Ok not a great feat but for the 9-year-old Nigel it was outstanding, and for the next few weeks I had a new hero, you could keep your David Cross or Pop Robson I had Billy Lansdowne.
That goal V Burnley was to be his only League Goal and his career with West Ham was as good as done and dusted, but for that 1 night it was magical.
Not the greatest West ham team but wasn’t the greatest of times for us when I first started watching, I will say though everyone of those players is special to me and to me deserve to be in that team, but better was to follow as for me the 80’s is the greatest period for me being a West Ham Fan.
Nigel Kahn is a regular contributor to the West Ham fanzine Over, Land and Sea (OLAS), a member of the West Ham Supporters Advisory Board and frequent guest on numerous West Ham podcasts including Moore Than Just A Podcast. Follow him on twitter at @MYWHUFC