Blast from the past
7th September 1938 – the Sudeten crisis was reaching its height as Nazi Germany demanded the region be ceded by Czechoslovakia, Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had been capturing the public’s imagination at the cinema and West Ham United emerged victorious from a Second Division encounter against Manchester City with a 4-2 win.
Alec Herd and Fred Howe scored City’s goals at Maine Road in front of 20,351 but they were eclipsed by a brace from West Ham forward Stan Foxall (pictured) and one apiece for wing-half Benny Fenton and outside-left Jackie Morton.
The match marked the 467th and final peace-time appearance for West Ham United legend Jim Barrett. He went on to play for the Hammers in the War League and his son, Jim Barrett Junior, also went on to play for the club. Indeed they played together for the West Ham ‘A’ team in 1945/46.
The Hammers went on to finish in 11th place in 1938/39 while City ended up 5th in Division Two.
Manchester City: Frank Swift, Gordon Clark, Eric Eastwood, Les McDowall, Dick Neilson, Jackie Bray, Ernie Toseland, Jack Milsom, Fred Howe, Alec Herd, Eric Brook.
West Ham United: Herman Conway, Charlie Bicknell, Charlie Walker, Norman Corbett, Jim Barrett, Joe Cockroft, Benny Fenton, Archie MacAulay, Stan Foxall, Len Goulden, Jackie Morton.
Club Connections
A large group of players have turned out for West Ham United and Manchester City. Divided by playing position, they include:
Goalkeepers – David James, Perry Suckling.
Defenders – Stuart Pearce, Wayne Bridge, Tal Ben Haim, Tyrone Mears.
Midfielders – Marc-Vivien Foe, Kevin Horlock, Mark Ward, Steve Lomas, Frank Lampard Junior, Michael Hughes, Ian Bishop, Trevor Sinclair.
Strikers – Carlos Tevez, Craig Bellamy, Phil Woosnam, Justin Fashanu, Trevor Morley, Paulo Wanchope, Clive Allen, David Cross, George Webb.
Ex-Hammer Richard Wright is currently on the Citizens’ playing staff. Malcolm Allison and John Bond join Pearce as West Ham players who have gone on to manage City.
Today’s focus though is on an Israeli international who excelled with the Hammers for two seasons in the late ‘90s before later joining City in 2001. Eyal Berkovic began his career with Maccabi Haifa in 1989, winning a league and cup double in 1991 before moving to Southampton on a season-long loan in 1996. He announced himself on the Premier League stage by scoring twice and providing three assists in a 6-3 win over Manchester United at The Dell.
Harry Redknapp swooped to sign Berkovic for West Ham United for £1.75m in the summer of 1997, beating Tottenham in securing the deal. Berkovic’s Upton Park career got off to a flying start, scoring what proved to be the winning goal ironically against Tottenham in a 2-1 home victory for the Hammers on 13th August 1997 (video below) and finishing the month with a goal in the 3-1 home win over Wimbledon. Berkovic also scored the winning goal as the Hammers beat Liverpool 2-1 at the Boleyn Ground the following month and struck again in the 3-0 win over Bolton. His first away goal came in a 2-1 defeat at Leicester before he netted in a 4-1 triumph over Crystal Palace. Only one league goal was to follow after Christmas, in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday, but the classy playmaker made his mark on the Hammers’ run to the FA Cup quarter-finals, scoring in the 2-1 fourth round win at Manchester City and in the 2-2 home draw with Blackburn in the next round. Berkovic saw his penalty saved by Arsenal’s Alex Manninger as the Gunners won through to the semi-finals via a dramatic sudden-death penalty shoot-out, which also saw John Hartson and Samassi Abou hit the post with their spot-kicks.
1998/99 saw Berkovic notch three goals – another winner against Liverpool at Upton Park as the Hammers triumphed 2-1, a strike at The Valley as Charlton defeated the Hammers 4-2 and a sweeping finish from a Paolo Di Canio cutback against Derby in a 5-1 home win (this goal can be viewed in the video below). The season was marred by a training ground incident which saw Berkovic kicked in the head by Hartson. His final game in claret and blue saw him have a hand in all four goals as the Hammers beat Middlesbrough 4-0 to secure fifth place in the Premier League and InterToto Cup qualification (these, and other, assists can also be viewed in the video below). Berkovic had joined the club soon after a relegation fight but his two seasons in east London saw the club record two top-eight finishes, the latter remaining our second highest-ever league finish of fifth. Having played a crucial creative role, providing numerous assists from his attacking midfield position, Berkovic signed for John Barnes’ Celtic in the summer of 1999 for £5.75m. He had scored 12 goals in 79 appearances in all competitions for West Ham United.
After two years in Glasgow, which included a loan spell at Blackburn, Berkovic signed for newly-relegated Manchester City in the summer of 2001 for £1.5m. Part of an attacking formation under Kevin Keegan, Berkovic scored in his first game at Maine Road in a 3-0 win against Watford. The Sky Blues went on to win the First Division (now Championship) title, recording 99 points and registering 108 goals. Berkovic was instrumental in a 3-1 Manchester derby triumph the following season as City established themselves back in the Premier League and was voted the 2002/03 player of the season by the club’s magazine.
After a fallout with Keegan and having scored 7 goals in 56 league appearances for City, Berkovic rejoined his former manager Redknapp at Portsmouth in January 2004. He helped his new employers to beat City 4-2 on his debut but, a year later, decided to return to his home country, signing for Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Berkovic announced his retirement from playing in May 2006 at the age of 34. Now 43, Berkovic has managed Maccabi Netanya and Hapoel Tel-Aviv and is currently the owner of Hapoel Rishon LeZion.
Referee
Saturday’s referee will be Bobby Madley. The Yorkshire-based official will take charge of a West Ham game for the first time in the Premier League, although he was the man in the middle who awarded the Hammers two penalties as we knocked Burnley out of the League Cup two seasons ago. Matt Taylor and Jack Collison converted one spot-kick each in a 2-0 win at Turf Moor, while Keith Treacy was sent off for the hosts for his involvement in the second penalty incident. Madley, who is 29 years old, first refereed in the Premier League in April 2013.
Possible line-ups
Manchester City are expected to be without the injured Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy and Fabian Delph as they seek to protect their 100% record. Vincent Kompany should be fit after being withdrawn against Juventus on Tuesday. Kevin De Bruyne could make a first start for the Sky Blues, while Sergio Aguero could return to the starting line-up. As was the case with Liverpool when the Hammers visited Anfield last month, they are yet to concede a Premier League goal this season.
West Ham United have seen Angelo Ogbonna join Joey O’Brien, Alex Song and Enner Valencia on the injury list. Mauro Zarate is back in training but may struggle to claim a place on the bench at this stage, while Pedro Obiang will be fit having resumed training after picking up a knock against Newcastle on Monday. Goalkeeper Adrian returns from suspension.
Possible Manchester City XI: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Toure; De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling; Aguero.
Possible West Ham United XI: Adrian; Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell; Kouyate, Noble; Lanzini, Payet, Moses; Sakho.
Enjoy the game – Come On You Irons!