Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"
A certain François Van Der Elst playing a big part in that final. Still he made it up to us a few years later becoming one of our first foreign signings.
A good years for the club as a whole. In the space of seven years
1975 F.A.Cup winners
1976 Cup Winners Cup, Runners Up
1980 F.A. Cup Winners
1981 2nd Division Champions
1981 Cup Winners Cup Quarter Final
not bad dont you think..?
Does the team of 1986 live up to that squad..? That team was good but only succes was finishing 3rd..
1981 League Cup Runners Up (after replay)
I agree Essex does the team of 2015 live up to that ?
How can you compare Nolan with Brooking eft ect the only better player is proberly Cresswell instead of Lampard.the keepers are probably on a par and Kouyate,Sakho and Valencia would have got in the squad
It was a great time to be a season ticket holder and fan.
Make you want to qualify for Europe again,
Hard to believe it was 39 years ago. Disappointing but it was an exciting trip and a privilege to be able to go and experience it. We need to do it again (but win!) so the younger fans can share the joy. Maybe next season in the Europa !
I agree sparrow it doesn’t seem 39 years ago.
There are five things that I remember most:
1. I couldn’t buy a programme – they had sold out.
2.The Heysel Stadium was decrepit – no toilets and cinder terracing.
3. West Ham wore the new shirts for the first time. I didn’t like them.
4. When Anderlecht scored an enormous dust cloud erupted from the Anderlecht supporters at the other end of the ground. – Unfortunately that happened four times.
5. The Anderlecht supporters were very friendly.
I remember there were no programmes and I was amazed at the state of the stadium. It not only looked fit for demolition, it seemed the work had started. The other thing I remember, aside from the the football, was that after the game we were immediately bussed back to the port where there was no ferry waiting and we had to wait hours through the night and everything locally was shut.
I too was at this game, fourteen I was, had my first beer on that tour ( Stella).
As I remember we were well on top in this game until Frankie Snr knacked up.
However, at no time did we resort to hit and hope tactics. Did you notice we has seven in attack when Brooking lost possession, looking to score an equaliser, not camped in our half chasing shadows. That team had guts, a never say die attitude and not shortage of wonderful, pass and move football. Please give me my West Ham back!
You forget how good Billy Bonds was in the air,
But good memories,on paper not the best team in the world but what a heart.
A certain François Van Der Elst playing a big part in that final. Still he made it up to us a few years later becoming one of our first foreign signings.
A good years for the club as a whole. In the space of seven years
1975 F.A.Cup winners
1976 Cup Winners Cup, Runners Up
1980 F.A. Cup Winners
1981 2nd Division Champions
1981 Cup Winners Cup Quarter Final
not bad dont you think..?
Does the team of 1986 live up to that squad..? That team was good but only succes was finishing 3rd..
1981 League Cup Runners Up (after replay)
I agree Essex does the team of 2015 live up to that ?
How can you compare Nolan with Brooking eft ect the only better player is proberly Cresswell instead of Lampard.the keepers are probably on a par and Kouyate,Sakho and Valencia would have got in the squad
It was a great time to be a season ticket holder and fan.
Make you want to qualify for Europe again,
Hard to believe it was 39 years ago. Disappointing but it was an exciting trip and a privilege to be able to go and experience it. We need to do it again (but win!) so the younger fans can share the joy. Maybe next season in the Europa !
I agree sparrow it doesn’t seem 39 years ago.
There are five things that I remember most:
1. I couldn’t buy a programme – they had sold out.
2.The Heysel Stadium was decrepit – no toilets and cinder terracing.
3. West Ham wore the new shirts for the first time. I didn’t like them.
4. When Anderlecht scored an enormous dust cloud erupted from the Anderlecht supporters at the other end of the ground. – Unfortunately that happened four times.
5. The Anderlecht supporters were very friendly.
I remember there were no programmes and I was amazed at the state of the stadium. It not only looked fit for demolition, it seemed the work had started. The other thing I remember, aside from the the football, was that after the game we were immediately bussed back to the port where there was no ferry waiting and we had to wait hours through the night and everything locally was shut.
I was only a nipper,i can still remember watching it on tv, crying my eyes out when we lost.What a little tart 😀
I too was at this game, fourteen I was, had my first beer on that tour ( Stella).
As I remember we were well on top in this game until Frankie Snr knacked up.
However, at no time did we resort to hit and hope tactics. Did you notice we has seven in attack when Brooking lost possession, looking to score an equaliser, not camped in our half chasing shadows. That team had guts, a never say die attitude and not shortage of wonderful, pass and move football. Please give me my West Ham back!
DJ On that trip to Belgium I experienced Stella for the first time as well but it wasn’t my first beer.