25 October 1975 just five months after winning the FA Cup and with nine of the 12 players on duty that day, the Hammers are home to Manchester United where they would triumph 2-1 with goals from Cup hero Alan Taylor and Bobby Gould with future Hammers manager Lou Macari replying for the visitors.
Manchester United had just been promoted back to the top division after one season out after relegation and were still recovering from the loss of Best Law and Charlton, but the game will be remembered more for the violence that day than the result.
The Official attendance was 38,528 but many more looked to be packed into the ground, as can be witnessed by the video Here of the crowd disturbances, with a large Manchester following packing out the South Bank stand behind the goal. Such was the trouble the game was held up for around 20 minutes as crushed fans spilled onto the pitch.
Keith Robson and Trevor Brooking look on as the police and St John Ambulance struggle to cope with the crowd on the pitch during the break in play.
Words and pictures from CandH historian Nigel Kahn
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