Ray Stewart scored the only goal via the penalty spot in a FA Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa on 8th March 1980 to continue their road to Wembley. The sixth round match was watched in front a Boleyn Ground crowd of 36.393.
Villa fans claim to this day they were robbed after Stuart Pearson tricked the referee into awarding West Ham a penalty. They say Stuart managed to place Ken McNaught`s hand onto the ball by grabbing his elbow and steering McNaughts hand onto the ball.
West Ham went on to a semi-final against Everton which they won 2-1 at a Boleyn Ground replay before overcoming Arsenal 1-0 thanks to a Trevor Brooking header in the Wembley FA Cup final.
West Ham team: Phil Parkes, Ray Stewart, Paul Brush, Alvin Martin, Frank Lampard (Snr),Paul Allen, Trevor Brooking, Alan Devonshire, Geoff Pike, David Cross, Stuart Pearson
We will bring you more FA Cup sixth round memories from yesteryear in the run up to Sunday’s quarter final against Manchester United.
Remember the game like it was yesterday. You might want to edit the semi-final replay win though Sean, wasn’t won at The Boleyn. Wasn’t it played at Elland Road??