
WEST HAM UNITED
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Collectables through the Decade
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
A Pictorial History
1939-40 Football League Second Division
Manager: Charlie Paynter

Preparations for the 1939-40 football season began in an unreal atmosphere as war loomed once more. The Football League season was only three matches old when everyone's worst fears were realised and this time — unlike back in 1914 — the League programme was immediately abandoned. There was, of course, a different set of circumstances prevailing in 1939 and, fearing immediate mass air-raids, the Government introduced measures to restrict large gatherings at cinemas, race-tracks and football grounds.
Eventually, the restrictions were relaxed and, after a short period of friendly matches, the League began again in October, but in a regionalised format.
This group photo was taken at Ramsey in Huntingdonshire during July 1939, when 442 Battery of the 1/6 Essex Regiment Territorials were in call-up camp for a month prior to the start of the 1939-40 season.


The remaining five in the group were T/A. soldiers
(7, 8, and 23 are unknown, (A) is Pte. Sammy Larn and (B) is Corporal Bugg
1. Len Cearns
2. John Cearns
3. George Proudlock
4. Ron Cater
5. Jim Harris
6. George Sadler
9. Billy West
10. Jack Helliar
11. George Taylor
12. Ernie Gregory
13. Richard Dunn
14. Norman Corbett
15. Dick Bell
16. Billy Lewis
17. Harry Medhurst
18. Terry Woodgate
19. Archie Macaulay
20. Jackie Wood
21. Reg Attwell
22. Arthur Banner

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Home Park
3 - 1 (Hubbard 2, Wood)
26 August 1939
Att: 18,000
Medhurst
Bicknell
Walker C.
Fenton
Walker R.
Cockroft
Burton
Macaulay
Hubbard
Goulden
Wood
West Ham, opened their League programme at Plymouth and stepped off the mark in great style beating Argyle fairly and squarely by three goals to one. In Hubbard, who justified the faith placed in him by scoring two goals, Hammers have at least found the lightning raider to support the gulie of goulden and Macauley.
Such opportunism as was displayed has not been a feature of the West Ham attack since those good-old days of Watson and Gibbins. Like greased lightning Hubbard followed up those early through passes by Golden. In the first half the international lobbed the ball over an advancing defender's head and the centre-forward sprinted through and crashed the ball past Middleton to give the Londoner's a first half lead.
Hubbard was well up with the play during the second period, and was frequently in duels with the home 'keeper. After failing in an attempt to harass Middleton over the line, he later succeeded in following up a faulty pass back by Clark to kick the ball from the goalkeeper's hands into the net.
West Ham's tird goal was scored by Jack Wood, the former West Ham schoolboy who is heading for a regular berth in the Hammers' left flank. Eluding Kirkwood, the burly Plymouth back, he cut into the middle and gave Middleton no chance at all. One of Plymouth's newcommes, Sargeant, was the only home forward to shine, and sent in several oblique angle shots which troubled Medhurst. He scored the Argyle's only goal to level the scores after the interval.
Plymouth Argyle:
Middleton, Kirkwood, Rae, Gorman, Clark, Archer, Lane, Jones, Glover, McDonald, Sargeant
Goal: Sargeant

FULHAM
Upton Park
2 - 1 (Fenton, Wood)
28 August 1939
Att: 15,000
Medhurst
Bicknell
Walker C.
Fenton
Walker R.
Cockroft
Burton
Macaulay
Hubbard
Goulden
Wood
REPORT:
Fulham:
Turner, Bacuzzi, Keeping, Evans, Dennison, Tomkins, Finch, Worsley, Rooke, Woodward, Arnold
Goal: Rooke

LEICESTER CITY
Upton Park
0 - 2
2 September 1939
Att: 13,400
Medhurst
Bicknell
Walker C.
Fenton
Walker R.
Cockroft
Burton
Macaulay
Hubbard
Goulden
Wood

REPORT:
Leicester City:
McLaren, Jones D., Reeday, Smith S., Sharman, Coutts, Griffiths, Bowers, Dewis, Liddle, Stubbs
Goals: Dewis, Griffiths
Going forward
WEST HAM UNITED
competed in the
REGIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH