WEST HAM UNITED
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Collectables through the Decade
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
A Pictorial History
1931-32 Football League First Division
Manager: Syd King
Two wins against Bolton and Chelsea and a goal in each game from Vic Watson gave the Hammers’ faithful hope for the season. The bubble burst in September with a 6–0 defeat at Sheffield United followed by a 5–2 reverse at Aston Villa. To relieve the gloom there were narrow wins over Manchester City and Portsmouth but the defensive worries soon returned as both Derby County and West Bromwich Albion gained 5–1 victories. There was a mini-revival in December with a fine 4–2 win at Blackburn Rovers and a week later Jimmy Ruffell scored a hat-trick in a 4–2 home win over eventual champions Everton.
The FA Cup began with a 2–1 win at Charlton but ended in the next round as for the second year running the Hammers were knocked out by Chelsea, who won 3–1 at Stamford Bridge. Inside-forward Viv Gibbins left to join Brentford and was later replaced after a ten-year absence by former favourite Syd Puddefoot. Despite a string of poor performances, by mid-March the team stood fifteenth in the table. Then came trouble as defeats at Sheffield Wednesday (6–1), bottom of the table Blackpool (7–2) and Everton (6–1) sent West Ham plummeting down the league. The final game of the season saw the Hammers travel to Chelsea, where they played badly and lost 3–2. They finished bottom of the league, having conceded 107 goals, and were relegated to the Second Division.
Note:
Players in BOLD made their debuts for West Ham United
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BOLTON WANDERERS
Burnden Park
1 - 0 (Watson)
29 August 1931
Att: 15,740
Hufton
Earl
ALFRED CHALKLEY
Norris
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Earle
Watson
ANTHONY WELDON
Ruffell
Bolton put Willie Cook to outside-right and West Ham put Bolton right outside the pale by a solitary goal. Gibson on the losing side, was the able controlling force, but near goal he lacked that finishing touch that has been always his barrier in English football. Yet those around him should have wound up his initial work. Cook played a similar type of game, dancing and prancing, productive of little in the goal making department.
CHELSEA
Upton Park
3 - 1 (Norris, Watson, Weldon)
31 August 1931
Att: 28,338
Hufton
Earl
Chalkley
Norris
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Pollard
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
After a hard game at Upton Park, witnessed by 35,000 spectators, West Ham beat Chelsea by 3 goals to 1.
The losers played much the clever football up to the interval, but fell away considerably after change of ends, and West Ham deserved their success.
Tony Weldon played exceptionally well as Ruffell’s partner, while Barrett, at centre-half, more than held his own against Gallacher.
Chelsea had a splendid defender in Barber, while Bishop’s placing of the ball was splendidly accurate. Most danger to West Ham defence came from Cheyne and Jackson, the latter having the measure of Earl for the greater part of the time. Gallacher gave Chelsea the lead in eight minutes, but within half an hour Weldon put West Ham on level terms.
There were many thrills in the second half, mostly in the vicinity of Woodly, but it was not until within the last ten minutes that West Ham won, Watson and Norris scoring splendid goals.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Upton Park
0 - 2
5 September 1931
Att: 23,129
Hufton
Earl
Chalkley
Norris
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Pollard
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Bramall Lane
0 - 6
7 September 1931
Att: 11,055
Hufton
Earl
Chalkley
Norris
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Earle
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
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HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Leeds Road
1 - 3 (Watson)
12 September 1931
Att: 11,986
Hufton
Earl
Cox
Norris
Barrett
Collins
Yews
Pollard
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
Cox returned to the Hammers first XI following nearly a years absence through injury.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Upton Park
2 - 1 (Ruffell, Watson)
19 September 1931
Att: 21,558
Hufton
Earl
Cox
Norris
Barrett
Collins
Yews
Earle
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Upton Park
1 - 2 (Ruffell)
21 September 1931
Att: 12,075
Hufton
Earl
Cox
Norris
Barrett
Collins
Wood
Earle
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
ASTON VILLA
Villa Park
2 - 5 (Wood, Tate [og])
26 September 1931
Att: 39,619
Dixon
Earl
Cox
Norris
Barrett
Collins
Wood
Earle
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
LEICESTER CITY
Upton Park
1 - 4 (Gibbins)
3 October 1931
Att: 20,196
Hufton
Earl
Cox
Norris
Barrett
Collins
Earle
Watson
Gibbins
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
Ted Hufton punches away
LIVERPOOL
Anfield
2 - 2 (Gibbins, Weldon)
10 October 1931
Att: 23,819
Hufton
Earl
Wade
Norris
St Pier
Collins
Wood
James
Gibbins
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
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MANCHESTER CITY
Maine Road
1 - 0 (Ruffell)
17 October 1931
Att: 18,310
Hufton
Goodacre
Wade
Collins
St Pier
Norris
Wood
Earle
Gibbins
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
PORTSMOUTH
Upton Park
2 - 1 (Gibbins 2)
24 October 1931
Att: 18,092
Hufton
Goodacre
Wade
Collins
St Pier
Norris
Wood
Pollard
Gibbins
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
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DERBY COUNTY
Baseball Ground
1 - 5 (Watson)
31 October 1931
Att: 10,424
Hufton
Goodacre
Wade
Collins
St Pier
Norris
Wood
Earle
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Upton Park
1 - 5 (Ruffell)
7 November 1931
Att: 20,685
Hufton
Goodacre
Cox
Collins
St Pier
Barrett
Wood
Earle
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
The absence of floodlights and the threat of fog resulted in an early kick-off at 2.45pm instead of the advertised 3.00pm on November 7th, 1931.
Those late-comers missed the greater part of the 'fun' (fun as far as The Albion were concerned!), because 'W.G.' (Billy) Richardson scored four goals timed at 2.50, 2.52, 2.53 and 2.54. A historical five minutes, eulogised in Albion's history and engraved in soccer's records; the final count to Albion was 5-1, Ted Sandford adding the Albion's fifth and Jimmy Ruffell our lone strike.
ARSENAL
Highbury
1 - 4 (Watson)
14 November 1931
Att: 41,028
Hufton
Goodacre
Earl
Collins
St Pier
Barrett
Wood
Weldon
Watson
James
Ruffell
Arsenal on the attack
REPORT:
BLACKPOOL
Upton Park
1 - 1 (Ruffell)
21 November 1931
Att: 14,800
Dixon
Earl
Wade
Collins
Barrett
Cox
Wood
Earle
Gibbins
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
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BLACKBURN ROVERS
Ewood Park
4 - 2 (Barrett [pen], Gibbins, Phillips, Watson)
28 November 1931
Att: 8,426
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Wood
WILF PHILLIPS
Gibbins
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
EVERTON
Upton Park
4 - 2 (Ruffell 3, Wood)
5 December 1931
Att: 3,109
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Wood
Phillips
Watson
Gibbins
Ruffell
So well did West Ham United play at Upton Park that they beat Everton by four goals to two, and so repeated their victory of a week before at Blackburn which came after more than a month of disappointing work. The League leaders came to London five points ahead of all rivals, having dropped only one point – at Huddersfield – out of a possible 18. Away from home the Everton team had not in recent games done any exceptional scoring of the kind marking their efforts at Goodison Park, but the 41,000 people at the Boleyn Castle ground must have been astonished. Everton really were outplayed for about half an hour during which they conceded three goals. Bad tactics in defence accounted for their overthrow. Cresswell usually played so far back that Watson was able to keep well up the field, and as Gee, the centre half, chosen for England next Wednesday, seemed quite out of form, the West Ham leader of attack repeatedly found openings to break away. Williams, the other Everton back was not fast enough to hold Ruffell, and Watson made clear chances for the left flank man, who enjoyed the distinction of scoring three times in succession. Three goals actually came in the course of twelve minutes. Dean , the Everton leader, scarcely received a good pass, and was too closely watched to be able to distinguish himself.
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BIRMINGHAM CITY
St Andrew's
1 - 4 (Watson)
12 December 1931
Att: 19,725
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Wood
Phillips
Watson
Gibbins
Ruffell
REPORT:
SUNDERLAND
Upton Park
2 - 2 (Barrett [pen], Watson)
19 December 1931
Att: 6,505
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Wood
Phillips
Watson
Gibbins
Ruffell
REPORT:
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GRIMSBY TOWN
Blundell Park
1 - 2 (Watson)
25 December 1931
Att: 15,132
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Wood
Phillips
Watson
James
Ruffell
REPORT:
GRIMSBY TOWN
Upton Park
3 - 1 (Ruffell 2, Watson)
26 December 1931
Att: 23,859
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Phillips
Watson
James
Ruffell
REPORT:
BOLTON WANDERERS
Upton Park
3 - 1 (Watson 2, Ruffell)
2 January 1932
Att: 15,997
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Phillips
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
CHARLTON ATHLETIC : FA Cup (Third Round)
The Valley
2 - 1 (Watson 2)
9 January 1932
Att: 26,500
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Phillips
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
Pirate Programme
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MIDDLESBROUGH
Ayresome Park
2 - 3 (Watson 2)
16 January 1932
Att: 8,287
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Phillips
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
CHELSEA : FA Cup (Fourth Round)
Stamford Bridge
1 - 3 (Weldon)
23 January 1932
Att: 36,657
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Phillips
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
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NEWCASTLE UNITED
St James' Park
2 - 2 (Cadwell, Watson)
30 January 1932
Att: 31,942
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Earle
Watson
Phillips
Harris
REPORT:
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Upton Park
1 - 1 (Watson)
1 February 1932
Att: 8,631
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Earle
Watson
Phillips
Harris
REPORT:
ASTON VILLA
Upton Park
2 - 1 (Phillips, Yews)
6 February 1932
Att: 25,438
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Earle
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
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LEICESTER CITY
Filbert Street
1 - 2 (Ruffell)
18 February 1932
Att: 9,983
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Earle
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
LIVERPOOL
Upton Park
1 - 0 (Ruffell)
20 February 1932
Att: 15,721
Dixon
Goodacre
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Earle
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
MANCHESTER CITY
Upton Park
1 - 1 (Chalkley)
2 March 1932
Att: 13,524
Dixon
Goodacre
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Puddefoot
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
Chalkley (out of shot) scores for West Ham
REPORT:
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PORTSMOUTH
Fratton Park
0 - 3
5 March 1932
Att: 14,031
Dixon
Goodacre
Cox
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Puddefoot
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
DERBY COUNTY
Upton Park
2 - 1 (Ruffell, Watson)
12 March 1932
Att: 19,635
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Puddefoot
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
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WEST BROMWICH ALBION
The Hawthorns
1 - 3 (Phillips)
19 March 1932
Att: 19,002
Dixon
Goodacre
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Puddefoot
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Upton Park
1 - 2 (Ruffell)
25 March 1932
Att: 25,759
Hufton
Chalkley
Cox
Collins
Barrett
Musgrave
Yews
Puddefoot
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
ARSENAL
Upton Park
1 - 1 (Watson)
26 March 1932
Att: 34,852
Hufton
Wade
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Musgrave
JOHN MORTON
Pollard
Watson
Puddefoot
Ruffell
REPORT:
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SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Hillsborough
1 - 6 (Watson)
28 March 1932
Att: 14,848
Hufton
Chalkley
Cox
Collins
Barrett
Musgrave
Morton
Puddefoot
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
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BLACKPOOL
Bloomfield Road
2 - 7 (Morton, Watson)
2 April 1932
Att: 13,092
Hufton
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Morton
Earle
Watson
Phillips
Ruffell
REPORT:
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Upton Park
1 - 3 (Watson)
9 April 1932
Att: 10136
Hufton
Earl
Chalkley
Collins
Barrett
Cadwell
Morton
Wood
Watson
Pollard
Ruffell
REPORT:
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EVERTON
Goodison Park
1 - 6 (Cresswell [og])
16 April 1932
Att: 26,997
Hufton
Goodacre
Chalkley
Norris
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Wood
Watson
Phillips
Morton
REPORT:
BIRMINGHAM CITY
Upton Park
2 - 4 (Watson, Weldon)
23 April 1932
Att: 10,983
Hufton
Earl
Chalkley
Norris
Barrett
Collins
Yews
Earle
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
REPORT:
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SUNDERLAND
Roker Park
0 - 2
30 April 1932
Att: 13,528
Dixon
Earl
Chalkley
Norris
Barrett
Cadwell
Yews
Pollard
Watson
Weldon
Ruffell
The game at Roker Park on the last-Saturday-but-one was to prove a much greater disappointment to us. A string of reverses that had brought us but one point from eight matches had sent us tumbling down the table, and when we came to the match in question we were but two points ahead of Blackpool and three in front of Grimsby Town with two games to play. Several changes were noticeable in our side, the learn being: Dixon; Earl. Chalkley; Norris, Barrett, Cadwell Yews. Pollard, Watson. Weldon, Ruffell. Unfortunately even these re-arrangements failed to change our fortune, and a 2-0 success by Sunderland and Blackpool's 2-0 home win against Huddersfield Town put us one place further down the ladder into a position from which we could not recover. Relegation followed, with the result that we have not met the Wearsiders in any competitive fixture since.
CHELSEA
Stamford Bridge
2 - 3 (Barrett, Yews)
7 May 1932
Att: 24,386
Hufton
Earl
Chalkley
Norris
St Pier
Musgrave
Yews
Wood
Watson
Barrett
Ruffell
For the last match of the season and their last opportunity to avoid the drop Hammers made some drastic changes for the trip to Chelsea. Barrett was tried at inside left with St Pier brought in at centre-half. Musgrave goes to left-half and Hufton comes back to deputise for Dixon who hurt a knee at Sunderland. Wood wears the No.7 shirt with Yews on his inside.
