West Ham supporter Robert Banks and author of a number of Hammers book including An Irrational Hatred of Luton has uploaded the 1989/1990 season review to Youtube this week.

In only the second game of the season the West Ham fans chanted “We hate Paul Ince” after they discovered through a national newspaper of the player’s transfer to Manchester United. Ince had reportedly been a transfer target for Alex Ferguson since the end of the previous campaign, the transfer finally being completed on 14 September 1989, by which time Ince had already played a Second Division game for the Hammers.

With the dismissal of long-serving manager John Lyall on 5 June 1989, speculation mounted about who was going to succeed him.  Swindon Town’s Lou Macari was unveiled as the club’s new manager on 3 July 1989.

Macari lasted less than a year as manager.  Club legend Billy Bonds was appointed manager in his place, and saw the Hammers complete their impressive run to the League Cup semi-finals for the second season in succession, but seventh place in the final league table was not quite enough for a play-off place. It could very well have been a different story had key striker Frank McAvennie not been absent for almost all of the campaign, breaking his leg on the opening day of the season against Stoke City and only managing four more league appearances that campaign when he made his comeback. New signings that season included Ludek Miklosko, Trevor Morley and Ian Bishop.

Thanks Rob!

His books can be found at:

An Irrational Hatred of Everything: West Ham 2003-2018 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178590404…

The Legacy of Barry Green: West Ham 2000-2003 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0952964120/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_etGJEb2E8J6C4

West Ham Till I die: West Ham 1995-2000 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0952964112/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_muGJEbN731VS9

An Irrational Hatred of Luton: West Ham 1975-1995 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0952964104/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_zsGJEbNKMQVR4