West Ham 3-2 Preston, FA Cup Final, 2nd May 1964
West Ham United met Preston North End in the FA Cup Final in front of 100,000 at Wembley exactly 56 years ago today, on the 2nd May 1964. The Searchers were number one with ‘Don’t Throw Your Love Away’, and Harry H. Corbett, Eric Sykes, Ronnie Barker and Richard Briers were in UK cinemas in the Galton and Simpson comedy The Bargee. The First Division Hammers emerged victorious against the Second Division Lilywhites with a 3-2 win. Preston had beaten Nottingham Forest, Bolton, Carlisle, Oxford and Swansea on their way to the final, while West Ham’s run to Wembley had seen them knock out Charlton, Leyton Orient, Swindon, Burnley and Manchester United.
Jimmy Milne’s underdogs took the lead after ten minutes when Jim Standen failed to hold a shot and outside-left Doug Holden beat John Bond to bundle home the loose ball. Johnny Sissons, the youngest player in the Hammers’ line-up at just 18, equalised just a minute later, shooting left-footed beyond Alan Kelly. Irish international Kelly had a son, Gary, who would later have a loan spell at West Ham as emergency goalkeeper cover in 1994, although he never played a first-team match for the Hammers. His other son, Alan Junior (another goalkeeper), played for Preston and Sheffield United and also represented the Republic of Ireland. Preston regained the lead in the match five minutes before half-time when Alex Dawson headed home from a corner.
Ron Greenwood’s Hammers were level within seven minutes of the start of the second half – Peter Brabrook’s corner was helped on by the head of Ken Brown and found Geoff Hurst whose header struck the underside of the bar before finding the net via the luckless Kelly. The favourites took the crucial lead in the dying seconds of the game when Peter Brabrook’s cross from the right was nodded home by Ronnie Boyce to claim West Ham United’s first peacetime FA Cup. Bobby Moore walked up the 39 steps for the first of three occasions in three consecutive years to collect the trophy.
Preston’s Howard Kendall became the youngest player to play in a Wembley FA Cup Final, aged 17 years and 345 days. He retained this record until 1980 when, ironically, West Ham’s Paul Allen played in that year’s final at the age of 17 years and 256 days. Seven of the Hammers XI that day are still with us, although only three of the Preston line-up – Dave Wilson and goalscorers Holden and Dawson – are still alive today.
West Ham United: Jim Standen, John Bond, Ken Brown, Bobby Moore, Jack Burkett, Peter Brabrook, Eddie Bovington, Ronnie Boyce, Johnny Sissons, Johnny ‘Budgie’ Byrne, Geoff Hurst.
Preston North End: Alan Kelly, George Ross, Jim Smith, Nobby Lawton, Tony Singleton, Howard Kendall, Dave Wilson, Alec Ashworth, Alex Dawson, Alan Spavin, Doug Holden.
As an added bonus, I found this incredible colour footage of the bus parade, which is well worth a look:
West Ham 4-1 Chelsea, 2nd May 1988
2nd May 1988 – with S-Express at number one with ‘Theme from S-Express’ and Wall Street in UK cinemas, West Ham United met Chelsea for the final game at Upton Park of the 1987/88 season in front of 28,521.
Prior to kick-off, Stewart Robson was named Hammer of the Year, with Billy Bonds runner-up. The Irons, needing a win to secure top flight survival, broke the deadlock in the 16th minute – Mark Ward found Leroy Rosenior (pictured) who swivelled and fired beyond Kevin Hitchcock from just inside the area. The pair were involved again for the second goal 20 minutes later, Ward producing excellent work in his own half before sending Rosenior clear with a delightful ball in behind the Chelsea rearguard, the striker slotting past Hitchcock to double the lead.
Hammers defender Paul Hilton scored the third on 57 minutes after Tony Dorigo had blocked Rosenior’s header following Tony Gale’s flick-on from a corner. Rosenior turned from hero to villain when he lashed out at future West Ham assistant manager Steve Clarke and was sent off. Substitute Colin West reduced the arrears for Chelsea from a corner but Tony Cottee restored the three-goal advantage, making it 4-1 with a late header from a Ward cross. Cottee would be the club’s top scorer in 1987/88 with 15 goals from 44 matches. The goals, and end-of-season presentations, can be viewed in my video below.
The Hammers would finish 16th in 1987/88 while Chelsea would finish 18th. Liverpool won the league title and Wimbledon won the FA Cup.
West Ham United: Tom McAlister, Steve Potts, Paul Hilton, Tony Gale, Julian Dicks, Mark Ward, Stewart Robson, Alan Dickens, George Parris, Leroy Rosenior, Tony Cottee.
Chelsea: Kevin Hitchcock, Gareth Hall, Steve Clarke, Steve Wicks, Tony Dorigo, John Bumstead, Micky Hazard (Colin West), Joe McLaughlin, Pat Nevin, Gordon Durie, Kerry Dixon.
West Ham 3-0 Nottingham Forest, 2nd May 1992
Finally today we travel back exactly 28 years, to the 2nd May 1992 – The Hand That Rocks the Cradle topped the UK box office, KWS were number one with ‘Please Don’t Go/Game Boy’ and UEFA awarded the 1996 European Championships to England three days later. Already-relegated West Ham United, meanwhile, secured a 3-0 victory over Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest in front of 20,629 at Upton Park.
Stuart Slater was in the West Ham side to make his 179th and final appearance for the club before moving to Celtic; Dean Martin made his only start for the club in what was to be his third and final appearance in claret and blue. Des Walker was playing his last game for the visitors before a summer move to Sampdoria – he would return to the City Ground later in his career.
The first half ended goalless and few could have anticipated the second 45 minutes that were to follow. Frank McAvennie had been named on the bench by manager Billy Bonds and was to leave the club on a free transfer that summer; with no sign that Bonds was going to put the Scottish striker on, midfielder Mitchell Thomas faked an injury at half-time and McAvennie replaced him. The 31-year-old marked his 190th and final appearance in claret and blue by scoring a second-half hat-trick, the only treble he scored in his two spells with the club. His first came when he latched on to Steve Potts’ lofted pass forward, controlled with his right foot before slamming home with his left. His second was a tap-in after a Mike Small pass and his third was a well-taken effort with his left foot after he’d controlled a long pass forward from Julian Dicks with his chest. McAvennie joined Aston Villa and enjoyed a brief spell with them in the first season of the Premier League.
The Hammers ended up bottom and were relegated at the end of the 1991/92 season; Forest finished in eighth position. Dicks was voted Hammer of the Year for the second time, with Potts runner-up. Small was leading scorer with 18 goals in 51 matches, Leeds were First Division champions and Liverpool won the FA Cup.
West Ham United: Ludek Miklosko, Steve Potts, Tony Gale, Alvin Martin, Julian Dicks, Martin Allen, Mitchell Thomas (Frank McAvennie), Ian Bishop, Stuart Slater, Dean Martin, Mike Small.