In my eyes there has been no finer winger to grace the Boleyn Pitch than Alan Devonshire.
He seemed to just drift down the wing skipping past the opposition with the ball glued to his feet – he was sensational.
Signed from non-league team Southall for just £5,000 in 1976, he made his league bow against West Bromwich Albion in October 1976 and it was against West Brom that he scored the first two of his 32 goals for the club a year later in November 1977 in a great 3-3 draw, (view here).
That game featured David Cross for the opposition just three weeks before he signed for the Hammers.
Devonshire was an instant hit with the fans, as evidenced in being runner up to Trevor Brooking in the Hammer of the year at the end of his first season. He would win the trophy himself in 1979 after the club’s relegation the year before.
Dev would play a big role in bringing the FA Cup to the Boleyn in 1980. He scored his only FA cup goal and possibly his greatest ever for the club at Elland Road in the semi final replay.
It was also his run, beating Arsenal defender Pat Rice before crossing into the box that finally led to Brooking’s goal at Wembley in the Final.
A true mark of the player was coming back from knee ligament damage suffered in January 1984 against Wigan. He wouldn’t play again for 14 months making a comeback against Wimbledon in a FA Cup tie and replay, but they would be the only two games he would play in season 84/85.
Fit again, Dev came back into the side at the start of the 85/86 season, and played in 38 of the 42 league games as the Hammers narrowly missed out on winning the league title for what would have been the only time in our history.
Injuries again though restricted Dev to just 35 league games in the next four seasons and he would leave for a swansong season at Watford.
With just 32 goals in over 430 games for the Hammers Dev was not a great goal-scorer and perhaps the club could have expected more, but what he was, was a scorer of great goals.
Words by ClaretandHugh historian Nigel Khan
Follow Nige on Twitter @mywhufc
Oh for another brooking and dev ,unbelievable pair !!!!!!
He was the best
I remember this was just a couple of years before Trevor Francis became the first £1m transfer and fees were going bonkers (or so we thought then). I was worried about what sort of quality we could possibly have got for just five grand…..
Devo turned out to be the Di Canio of his day. Loved watching him – simply sublime the wssd he seemed to skip and wander past guys who determined to break him if they could catch him.
He was one of the best. Always remember that terrible match against Wigan (didn’t McCarthy come from Wigan) when Dev was stretched off and took ages to regain fitness. What skills, what a football brain. Thanks for the memories Dev.