top of page

1955-56 Football League Second Division

Manager : Ted Fenton

The first win of the season did not come until 3 September when Notts County were beaten 6–1 at home. Winger Harry Hooper scored twice and this was noted by the England selectors, who awarded him two caps that season at under-23 level. October proved to be a good month, with 14 goals being scored in three home games. First Barnsley were beaten 4–0, then another 4–0 win against Plymouth Argyle saw Ken Tucker score a hat-trick. Finally Harry Hooper scored three times in the 6–1 rout of Doncaster Rovers. After this match the team went eight games without winning and slumped to nineteenth in the league table.

A 5–1 win over Swansea Town put the team in good spirits for the visit of First Division Preston North End in the FA Cup. Losing 2–1 at half-time, the Hammers fought back with a splendid hat-trick from Albert Foan and eventually won 5–2. Cardiff City were beaten 2–1 at home in the next round with the fifth-round opponents being Blackburn Rovers. Following a goalless draw at home the teams met again at Ewood Park, with West Ham winning 3–2. A huge crowd of 69,111 turned up to see the quarter-final tie at Tottenham Hotspur. An exciting match saw the Hammers race into a 3–1 lead with a hat-trick from Johnny Dick. The Spurs fought back to draw level at full-time and it was the North London side that won 2–1 in the replay. Only five more league games were won, leaving the Hammers to finish in  sixteenth place. In March, to the fury of the supporters, Harry Hooper was sold to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and as the season came to a close Dave Sexton was transferred to Leyton Orient.

Note:

Players in BOLD made their debuts for West Ham United

ROTHERHAM UNITED
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

PORT VALE
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

SWANSEA TOWN
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

PORT VALE
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

SOUTHEND UNITED : Essex Pro Cup Final
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

NOTTS COUNTY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BRISTOL CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

LEEDS UNITED
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

FULHAM
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BURY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BARNSLEY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

CRYSTAL PALACE : Southern Floodlight Cup (1st Round)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

LIVERPOOL
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

DONCASTER ROVERS
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

LINCOLN CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BLACKBURN ROVERS
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

HULL CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

LEICESTER CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

SOUTHEND UNITED : Essex Pro Cup (Semi-Final)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BRISTOL ROVERS
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

ROTHERHAM UNITED
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

SWANSEA TOWN
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

MIDDLESBROUGH
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

MIDDLESBROUGH
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

NOTTS COUNTY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

PRESTON NORTH END : FA Cup (Third Round)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

LEEDS UNITED
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

FULHAM
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

CARDIFF CITY : FA Cup (Fourth Round)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BURY
Upton Park
4 February 1956

Postponed : Frozen Pitch

BARNSLEY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BLACKBURN ROVERS : FA Cup (Fifth Round)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BLACKBURN ROVERS : FA Cup (Fifth Round Replay)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

LIVERPOOL
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR : FA Cup (Sixth Round)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR : FA Cup (Sixth Round Replay)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BRISTOL ROVERS
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BLACKBURN ROVERS
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BURY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

HULL CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

DONCASTER ROVERS
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

STOKE CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

STOKE CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

READING : Southern Floodlight Cup (Semi-Final)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

LEICESTER CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

LINCOLN CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

ALDERSHOT : Southern Floodlight Cup (Final)
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

BRISTOL CITY
Venue
? -  (??)
Date

Player 1

Player 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Our

WEST HAM UNITED                                                 ONLINE MUSEUM

bottom of page