It was a whirlwind start to the season with nine goals scored in two home games. Lincoln City were beaten 5–0 and a hat-trick from Fred Kearns came in the 4–1 victory over Leicester City. There was a shock in the next game at Rotherham as the Yorkshire side won 5–0, but in the return game with Rotherham six days later the Hammers got their revenge by winning 3–0, with Dave Sexton scoring all three. Against Swansea Town at home Tommy Dixon became the third player to score a hat-trick that season as the Welsh club were beaten 4–1. After ten games only one had been lost, but this was followed by four successive defeats as the Hammers slipped to eighth. Inside-forward Johnny Dick had been signed to score goals and he obliged with a hat-trick in the 5–0 rout of Bury. He was again on target in the 2–1 win at Lincoln City and he scored the only goal in the win against Luton Town on Christmas Day.

First Division Huddersfield Town were the visitors in the FA Cup and left after being thrashed 4–0. Blackpool in the next round were stronger and after a 1–1 draw in London the Lancashire side won the replay 3–1. In a remarkable game at Fulham, West Ham were losing 3–0 just before half-time. In an amazing comeback, Dick scored twice with further goals from Dixon and Sexton giving the Hammers a 4–3 victory. After Leeds United were beaten 5–2 at home there were only three more wins in the remaining 14 games of the season. Skipper Malcolm Allison was the only ever-present as once again a mid-table place (thirteenth) was achieved.