Born in Lower Clapton in 1956 and playing 372 times for the Hammers, Geoff Pike was your typical, ever reliable, good honest club man. He joined West Ham in 1966 as a ten year old and played his youth football in Thurrock and for Gidea Park Rangers before playing in the FA Youth Cup Final for the Hammers against Ipswich in 1975. Geoff made his first team debut the following season in a home defeat to Birmingham but it was not until the following season that he started to get a run in the first team. He was quite prolific initially, scoring seven goals from midfield in just 21 appearances. The goals never came as thick and fast again but he still totalled 41 over his 12 seasons at Upton Park.
Geoff was never as talented as many of the players that blossomed in that West Ham era. The Bond’s, Brooking and Devonshire’s of the World however, were well aware of the work rate and industry that Geoff provided in midfield and the combination provided the platform for the clubs phenomenal success in the late seventies and early eighties. The FA Cup final win in 1980 was undoubtedly the highlight of his career and that was followed by the Wembley League Cup final against Liverpool the following season and the promotion success back to the first division in 1981. Indeed, if we need any more hero status for Geoff, his first full 90 minutes for the club saw us beat Spurs 5-3 at home. But Geoff Pike was never the hero – he was the guy that played in the side every week and worked his socks off without the accolades. Every team needs one or two of those, even nowadays. Alan Curbishley was a similar type player in those earlier days at West Ham but he decided to move on for pastures new because of the lack of recognition. Geoff did not – he was part of the West Ham family and was happy to be just doing his job and it led to more play time for him when Curbishley left.
Geoff Pike played in the 1980 FA Cup final win over Arsenal. We all know Brooking scored the only goal, and it was initially from great work from Alan Devonshire down the left, and baby faced Paul Allen was the youngest ever player to win the Cup final – and who was the forgotten man in the midfield? The man who rarely got any praise, but he was always there mopping up, probing, and supporting – Geoff Pike of course! When asked about winning the FA Cup, Geoff said the feeling was “very difficult to explain but two weeks later, my first child was born and I think I went through the complete range of emotions over that period of time – elation, concern, love and then feeling very tired after no sleep!” In the famous 85/86 season where the Hammers finished 3rd in the top flight, he still managed 15 games despite being in the twilight of his career. He had served our club loyally and without the plaudits for twelve seasons. A rarity nowadays for any seasoned professional.
Geoff Pike played his last game for West Ham in April 1987 against Everton. He then joined Notts County, where he was made club captain for two seasons before playing a couple of seasons at Orient and then finally Hendon. Much of his life after his playing days has been spent working in FA coaching roles where he still says he is doing “all the work for Trevor Brooking.”