
WEST HAM UNITED
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Memorabilia through the Decade
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
A Pictorial History
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
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PORT VALE
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SWANSEA TOWN
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PORT VALE
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SOUTHEND UNITED : Essex Pro Cup Final
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NOTTS COUNTY
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BRISTOL CITY
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LEEDS UNITED
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FULHAM
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BURY
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BARNSLEY
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PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
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CRYSTAL PALACE : Southern Floodlight Cup (1st Round)
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LIVERPOOL
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DONCASTER ROVERS
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LINCOLN CITY
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BLACKBURN ROVERS
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HULL CITY
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST
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SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
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LEICESTER CITY
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SOUTHEND UNITED : Essex Pro Cup (Semi-Final)
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BRISTOL ROVERS
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ROTHERHAM UNITED
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SWANSEA TOWN
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MIDDLESBROUGH
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MIDDLESBROUGH
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NOTTS COUNTY
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PRESTON NORTH END : FA Cup (Third Round)
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LEEDS UNITED
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FULHAM
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CARDIFF CITY : FA Cup (Fourth Round)
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BURY
Upton Park
4 February 1956
Postponed : Frozen Pitch
BARNSLEY
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BLACKBURN ROVERS : FA Cup (Fifth Round)
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BLACKBURN ROVERS : FA Cup (Fifth Round Replay)
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LIVERPOOL
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR : FA Cup (Sixth Round)
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR : FA Cup (Sixth Round Replay)
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BRISTOL ROVERS
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BLACKBURN ROVERS
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BURY
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HULL CITY
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DONCASTER ROVERS
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STOKE CITY
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PLYMOUTH ARGYLE
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STOKE CITY
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READING : Southern Floodlight Cup (Semi-Final)
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SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
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LEICESTER CITY
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST
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LINCOLN CITY
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ALDERSHOT : Southern Floodlight Cup (Final)
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BRISTOL CITY
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