Blast from the past
My preview for the home game against Newcastle United last November focused on the famous 8-1 triumph over the Magpies in the record-breaking 1985/86 season. I hope, dear reader, that with the Boys of ’86 returning to Upton Park on Monday night, you won’t mind revisiting this particular walk down Memory Lane…
April 1986 surely goes down as one of the most relentlessly exciting months in West Ham United’s history. Beginning with a 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest, the Hammers reinvigorated their title charge by winning eight of their next nine matches. The most outstanding and amazing game in this unforgettable run has to be the incredible 8-1 victory over this Monday’s opponents, Newcastle United.
It was Monday the 21st of April 1986 and the goals began to flow after just three minutes. Alan Devonshire’s floated free-kick from the left was prodded home by an unmarked Alvin Martin for his first on what would turn out to be a remarkable personal night for ‘Stretch’. It was 2-0 after 11 minutes as Mark Ward found Ray Stewart overlapping on the right wing – Tonka’s cross-cum-shot was fumbled over his goalline by the Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Thomas, who had been suffering from injury before the game. On 36 minutes Devonshire played a short pass to Neil Orr who hit a rasping 30-yarder which deceived Thomas in mid-air and found the net for the Hammers’ third. Shortly before half-time, Stewart’s long throw sparked a spot of head tennis in the Newcastle penalty area, which culminated in future West Ham manager Glenn Roeder flicking the ball off his heel and into his own net to give the Irons an ultimately unassailable 4-0 half-time lead.
Thomas’ race was run and he was substituted at half-time with outfield player Chris Hedworth taking the goalkeeper’s jersey in his stead. Hedworth himself was soon injured in a collision with Tony Cottee but stayed between the sticks to see Martin notch his second of the game, and the Hammers’ fifth, after Tony Gale had flicked a cross into the path of his central defensive partner’s run. Hedworth succumbed to injury, with Newcastle consequently being reduced to ten men and Peter Beardsley becoming their third custodian of the evening. Hedworth never played for Newcastle again. Billy Whitehurst fired a consolation for the Magpies but the Hammers were soon back on the attack and grabbing a sixth. Devonshire and George Parris combined down the left, with Devonshire’s dinked cross to the far post being nodded in by the onrushing substitute Paul Goddard (who would go on to sign for Newcastle six months later). Goddard then released Cottee down the left and his cross was headed in by Frank McAvennie to make it seven.
There was still time for an eighth. Ward’s cross found Cottee in the area, the PFA Young Player of the Year-in-waiting being bundled to the ground by Roeder. With the majority of a buoyant Boleyn crowd of 24,735 chanting ‘Alvin, Alvin’, penalty king Stewart passed on responsibilities to his captain and the man of the moment… who didn’t disappoint, Martin completing a very unique hat-trick not just because it came from a defender, but because each strike was registered against a different goalkeeper. Cottee, who must have been desperate to add his own name to the scoresheet, hit the bar with a header late on, with the Hammers having to settle for just the eight goals.
West Ham won their next four matches, keeping their title hopes alive until Liverpool clinched the championship with a win at Chelsea. In the final-game decider for the runners-up position, Everton beat the Hammers 3-1 at Goodison Park to leave the Irons in third place, still our highest ever League position. Unfortunately there was no prize of a European place in 1986/87 following the Heysel ban on English clubs in Europe.
West Ham United: Phil Parkes, Ray Stewart, Alvin Martin, Tony Gale, George Parris, Mark Ward, Neil Orr, Alan Dickens (Paul Goddard), Alan Devonshire, Frank McAvennie, Tony Cottee.
Newcastle United: Martin Thomas (Ian Stewart), Neil McDonald, Glenn Roeder, John Anderson, John Bailey, Paul Stephenson, David McCreery, Chris Hedworth, Tony Cunningham, Peter Beardsley, Billy Whitehurst.
Club Connections
West Ham United and Newcastle United have shared a multitude of personnel over the years. Andy Carroll is expected to make the bench to face his former club on Monday. A brief run-through of some others who have represented both clubs is best served by dividing them by playing position.
Goalkeepers: Shaka Hislop and Pavel Srnicek.
Defenders: Abdoulaye Faye, Wayne Quinn, Dave Gardner and Stuart Pearce.
Midfielders: Scott Parker, Lee Bowyer, Rob Lee, Nolberto Solano, Kevin Nolan, Kieron Dyer and Franz Carr.
Strikers: Paul Goddard, Les Ferdinand, Demba Ba, Marlon Harewood, David Kelly, Keith Robson, Vic Keeble, Craig Bellamy and Paul Kitson.
Chris Hughton also played for the Hammers and managed the Magpies. Alan Pardew and Sam Allardyce have managed both clubs. Former West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald also played for Newcastle, appearing in the aforementioned match in 1986, as did Glenn Roeder who went on to manage the Hammers.
With a nod to the final season at the Boleyn Ground, this season’s match previews for home games will focus on one of the more high-profile names to have played for both clubs. A Magpie from 1962 until 1971, Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson was signed from Clara Vale Juniors and went on to be a member of Joe Harvey’s team who were crowned Second Division champions in 1965. Robson made his senior debut during that campaign, scoring 7 goals in 20 appearances and playing mainly as a right-winger before his move to a more central position. The story of his famous nickname goes back to when Robson and two childhood friends named themselves after the Rice Krispies cereal characters ‘Snap’, ‘Crackle’ and ‘Pop’ – Robson’s moniker was to stay with him. Newcastle went on to win the European Fairs Cup, the last major trophy to arrive at St James’ Park, with Robson forming an effective partnership with Wyn Davies. Robson scored 30 goals in 1968/69 as Newcastle enjoyed European success before notching 25 the following season. Having been at the club for eight years, Robson requested a testimonial after ten years’ service during contract negotiations. Chairman Lord Westwood rejected the request, following a trend at the club, according to ‘Pop’ himself, whereby homegrown talent was not as recognised or appreciated as much as purchased players.
At the age of 25 and following 97 goals from 243 starts for Newcastle, Robson became West Ham United’s record signing in February 1971 when Ron Greenwood signed him for a fee of £120,000. He scored on his debut in a 2-0 home win against Nottingham Forest on 24th February 1971. Two more goals against Manchester United and West Brom, both in 2-1 home victories, helped the Hammers avoid the drop at the end of that season. ‘Pop’ scored 14 goals in 1971/72, including a hat-trick in a 5-0 League Cup quarter-final win over Sheffield United (see video below). His finest season came in 1972/73, however, when he led the First Division goalscoring charts with 28 goals as the Hammers finished in the top six. This impressive haul included eight doubles and one hat-trick in a 4-3 home win over Southampton and resulted in ‘Pop’ being crowned Hammer of the Year. This was followed by just 8 goals the following season and, in July 1974, Robson was heading back to the north-east to join Sunderland for £145,000. He had scored 53 goals in 140 appearances for the Hammers.
After helping the Wearsiders to Second Division title glory in 1975/76, John Lyall brought the diminutive forward back to the Boleyn in October 1976 – while he had been away, West Ham had won the 1975 FA Cup and made the Final of the 1976 European Cup Winners’ Cup. His 14 goals in 1976/77, particularly a double in a final-day 4-2 home win over Manchester United, ensured the Hammers’ survival in the top flight. His 11 goals the following season however (including a brace in a 3-0 home win over Derby in the video below), were not enough to save the Irons from suffering relegation. ‘Pop’ hit 26 goals in the Second Division in 1978/79, including a hat-trick in a 3-0 triumph over fierce rivals Millwall in October 1978. After being voted runner-up to Alan Devonshire in the Hammer of the Year poll, Robson rejoined Sunderland in the summer of 1979 for £45,000 – he again missed out on FA Cup glory with West Ham as the club went on to win the trophy again at the end of the following season. ‘Pop’ had scored 51 goals in 115 matches during his second spell at Upton Park, giving him overall statistics of 104 goals from 255 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers.
Robson helped Sunderland to another promotion in 1980 and went on to play for Chelsea and Carlisle, as well as having a third spell with Sunderland. He represented England at Under-23 level but never won a full cap. Since retiring from playing Robson, now 69, has coached and scouted at Hartlepool, Manchester United, Leeds and Sunderland.
Referee
Monday’s referee will be Anthony Taylor – just three games after he controversially sent off Adrian against Leicester. The Cheshire-based official was the referee who had not one, but two red cards rescinded from the same game after he had sent off Carlton Cole and Darron Gibson in the Hammers’ 2-1 home defeat to Everton in December 2012. He was also in charge when awarding Liverpool a controversial, and ultimately match-winning penalty, against the Irons in April 2014. There was also controversy surrounding Guy Demel’s equaliser for West Ham in that game. Taylor officiated in three matches involving the Hammers last season, those being the 2-0 home win over QPR, the 2-0 away defeat to Manchester City and the 1-1 FA Cup third round tie at Everton. He also replaced the injured Chris Foy during the second half of the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal.
Possible line-ups
For West Ham United, Andy Carroll could return to the bench for the visit of his former club. Mauro Zarate could also be in contention, although he may not be rushed back considering the deadline day signings of Victor Moses, Michail Antonio and Nikica Jelavic, all of whom will join Carroll amongst the substitutes if Slaven Bilic keeps faith with the starting XI that achieved such a stunning result at Anfield. Alex Song has returned to the club but joins Joey O’Brien and Enner Valencia on the injury list. Carl Jenkinson is back from a ban, while Adrian will serve the final game of his three-match suspension.
Newcastle United are suffering their fair share of injury problems, although Steve McClaren could welcome back Mike Williamson for the trip to East London. Paul Dummett, Curtis Good, Sylvain Marveaux and Emmanuel Riviere are all sidelined through injury while summer signing Alexsandar Mitrovic is suspended. The Magpies have scored just one goal in their last eight away league games but their draw at Old Trafford last month ended a run of seven straight away defeats. Newcastle have lost only two of their last nine league games at the Boleyn Ground.
Possible West Ham United XI: Randolph; Tomkins, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Noble, Obiang, Kouyate; Lanzini, Payet; Sakho.
Possible Newcastle XI: Krul; Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Haidara; Tiote, Colback; Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Thauvin; Cisse.
Enjoy the game – Come On You Irons!