By CandH’s top blogger Allen Cummings
When West Ham take on Eintracht Frankfurt at the London Stadium on Thursday it will be a semi-final occasion many of today’s Hammers’ fan have never experienced before.
The pre-match excitement coupled with understandable expectancy is growing with every hour – and will be at fever pitch by the time the two teams walk out of the tunnel.
A few older supporters like myself, who have been around to see the highs and lows of our club for numerous years now, will look upon the upcoming game with a touch of déjà vu mixed in with a large helping of nostalgia.
It was 46 years ago when West Ham took on this same German club side at this very same point of a major European cup competition. That night we were faced with a 2-1 deficit to make up, but came out the other side victorious after a pulsating evening under the lights at Upton Park.
It was a night many, myself included, rate as one of the very best ever at the old ground.
Two goals from Trevor Brooking, a player who had a knack of netting on the big occasion – and one from Keith Robson -took care of business, despite a late goal by our visitors, to earn us a place in the final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
It was also responsible for one of my all-time favourite black and white West Ham photos with Brooking and Pat Holland sharing a celebratory bottle of bubbly in the dressing room after the game.
This Thursday’s encounter may be a more cagey affair than the winner takes all meeting 46 years ago, this being the first leg with the second leg to follow in seven days time.
In 1976 West Ham went into the tie after a pretty indifferent season in the old First Division – in fact they finally finished in 18th place – just six points above the relegation zone.
This season of course David Moyes’ team have spent almost the entire season in the top half of the table – and much of it battling it out in the top six. So our hopes are entitled to be high.
It was a pretty wet and unwelcoming day in East London 46 years ago – in fact the game was thought to be in danger of postponement at one stage, but was eventually passed fit for play late on.
I was one of the 39,202 crammed into the Boleyn Ground, having come straight from work in the city, hardly dressed for a night on the South Bank in a suit, collar and tie (although I did ditch the tie before the game).
Tension was high and nerves were jangling after a goal-less first half. But after the break a Brooking header put us one up – Keith Robson then made it two – and Trev made it three following a trademark gliding run over the sodden surface before curling in a beauty with his left foot.
Eintracht Frankfurt – the 2022 version – are no mugs off course, having reached this far by virtue of the 3-2 away defeat of Barcelona in the last round.
They shouldn’t be taken lightly – and there is no fear on that score coming from Moyes and his team. But a repeat of our last performance away in Lyon – coupled with what will be another fantastic atmosphere at the LS, there is no reason to believe West Ham can’t build a solid foundation to take to Germany in seven days’ time – and then ultimately move on to that date back in Seville for the final.