Blast from the past
Boxing Day 1935 was to prove a strange day for a player who enjoyed an exceptional and record-breaking career with West Ham United. Vic Watson, who remains West Ham United’s all-time record goalscorer, scored against the Hammers as we defeated Southampton by four goals to two in front of 19,347.
The other Saints’ goal came courtesy of Arthur Holt but the east Londoners stormed to victory with two goals from Dave Mangnall (pictured and signed as Watson’s replacement earlier that year), one from Len Goulden and an own goal by Charlie Sillett. A full-back who played 175 league games for Southampton, Sillett was the father of John (who managed Coventry to FA Cup glory in 1987) and Peter (who won the league with his brother at Chelsea in 1955). Charlie was tragically killed in a U-boat attack on an Allied convoy while serving with the Royal Navy in 1945.
West Ham would finish the 1935/36 Second Division season in 4th position, while Southampton would end up in 17th.
Southampton: William Light, Charlie Sillett, John McIlwarne, Arthur Roberts, Stanley Woodhouse, Cyril King, John Gurry, Vic Watson, Laurence Fishlock, Arthur Holt, Frederick Tully.
West Ham United: Herman Conway, Alf Chalkley, Albert Walker, Ted Fenton, Joe Cockroft, Jim Barrett, Jimmy Ruffell, Dave Mangnall, Peter Simpson, James Marshall, Len
Goulden.
Club Connections
An array of West Ham United’s good, bad and ugly have also turned out for Southampton: Bill Adams, Vic Watson, Ian Pearce, Paul Allen, Richard Hall, Ted MacDougall, Henri Camara, Joe Kirkup, Darren Powell, Wayne Bridge, Justin Fashanu, Alex McDonald, Nigel Quashie, Frank Costello, Albert Roles, George Kitchen, Christian Dailly, Fred Harrison, David Speedie, Walter Pollard, Arthur Wilson, Horace Glover, Iain Dowie, Eyal Berkovic, Luis Boa Morte, Jimmy Harris, Richard Wright, Calum Davenport, Neil Ruddock and Robbie Slater have all appeared for both clubs. In addition, George Kay played for the Hammers and managed the Saints while Harry Redknapp and Alan Pardew have managed both clubs.
Today’s focus though falls on a centre-forward who had brief spells with both clubs in the first decade of the twentieth century. Jack Foster was born on the 19th November 1877 in Rawmarsh, South Yorkshire and started his professional career at Second Division Blackpool in 1901. He spent four seasons in the Midland League with Rotherham Town until 1906 when he joined Southern League side Watford where he was described as a “dashing leader of attacking football”. He returned to league football with Sunderland in December 1907 but, following a decline in his health, Foster’s doctor advised him to move to a milder climate in the south.
He subsequently signed for West Ham United in May 1908, scoring on his debut in September that year against Q.P.R in a 2-0 home win and again in his next match, a 3-2 loss at Brighton. He scored two goals in a 4-0 win over Luton to make it four goals in as many matches by the end of September. He bagged a hat-trick in a 3-1 home victory over Portsmouth the following month but only two more goals were to follow, the winner in a 1-0 home triumph over Millwall in November 1908 and another in a 2-0 win over Coventry in the same month. After 9 goals in 15 matches for West Ham, Foster was on the move to Southampton in March 1909 in an exchange deal with Frank Costello.
Foster’s career at The Dell started badly as he missed some easy chances and, after only six matches and having scored once, he lost his place in the team. At the end of the season, he was on the move again to join Huddersfield Town, playing their last season in the Midland League and was their top goalscorer with 25 goals. Foster went on to be assistant manager at Bradford City under Colin Veitch. He succeeded Veitch in January 1928 as caretaker manager for the final four months of the 1927/28 season, finishing
sixth in Division Three (North), just seven points shy of promotion, before handing over to Peter O’Rourke. Jack Foster died in 1946.
Referee
Wednesday’s referee will be Craig Pawson; 2014/15 is Pawson’s third as a Premier League referee. He refereed West Ham’s 3-1 home win over Liverpool earlier this season as well as our 4-1 Capital One Cup home defeat to Wigan two seasons ago and our 3-1 loss at Stoke’s Britannia Stadium last term.
Possible line-ups
Southampton have problems at left-back where Ryan Bertrand is suspended and Matt Targett is injured; Florin Gardos could come into the back four. Manager Ronald Koeman faces a decision over whether to start Eljero Elia or Dusan Tadic. Midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin faces a late fitness test while Toby Alderweireld, Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez remain sidelined.
West Ham United could be unchanged from Sunday’s match against Manchester United as neither Winston Reid nor James Collins are expected to recover from injury in time for the trip to St Mary’s. Andy Carroll could return from a knee injury while Kevin Nolan has a foot problem.
Possible Southampton XI: Forster; Clyne, Yoshida, Fonte, Gardos; Wanyama, Davis; Ward-Prowse, Mane, Tadic; Pelle.
Possible West Ham United XI: Adrian; Jenkinson, Kouyate, Tomkins, Cresswell; Song, Noble, Nolan; Downing; Sakho, Valencia.
Enjoy the game – Up The Hammers!