CandH’s top blogger Allen Cummings has been charting his top ten Hammers of all time over the week and today arrives at his Number 4

No. 4 – GEOFF HURST

It’s impossible to talk about Geoff Hurst without mentioning THAT hat-trick in the World Cup Final.

What Geoff did for England that day was, and still is, unique in English football, and will remain so for ever more in my opinion!

But what Geoff did for West Ham during his many years of loyal and valiant service was equally remarkable! He remains the club’s leading post-war goal scorer with 252 first class goals to his name between 1959 and 1972, again an achievement unlikely to be beaten, as  does his 29 league goals scored for the Hammers in a single season in 1966-67.

The fact that Geoff was just a run-of-the-mill wing half until Ron Greenwood made possibly the masterstroke of all time and converted him to a centre forward, is an indelible part of West Ham folklore.

Hursty possessed incredible shooting power and accuracy in both feet, as well as a heading ability that was second to none. His trade mark run to the near post and resulting glancing header punished defenders and goal keepers up and down the land – and across the world.

Geoff Hurst was, in every sense of the word, the complete striker. But Geoff didn’t only bring goals to the team. He was a workhorse – a magnificent team player – someone who would run all day for the cause, and the fans loved him for it!