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1950-51 Friendlies

FIRST PRACTICE MATCH
Club Colours v. Blues

Upton Park
2 - 5

10 August 1950
Club Colours
(Foan 2)
Peters
Devlin
Yeomanson
Parker
Walker
Moroney
Parsons
Barrett
Robinson
Foan
Betts
Blues
(Johns 2, Tucker 2 [1 pen], Gazzard)
Chiswick
Bond
Kearns
Corbett
Niblett
Jackman
Southren
Noble A.
Johns
Gazzard
Tucker

Interest was centred on newcomers and those who joined the Club at the end of last season than on the regulars when West Ham staged their first public practice match on Thursday. Conditions were favourable and the ground, looked as good as it ever has done.
Both Foan and Niblett, transferred from Norwich Citv and Reading respectively, the former playing at inside left for the Club colours and Niblett, a centre half for tne opposition, impressed by their displays Foan registered both his side's goals and proved a worrier and a strong marksman. On trial from South Liverpool, Johns leading the Blues forwards, was also persistent. He scored twice the other scorers being Tucker (two, one from penalty) and Gazzard. On his right, Johns had A. Noble, the amateur international and Leytonstone inside forward, who did well when he had plenty of room.

SECOND PRACTICE MATCH
Club Colours v. Blues

Upton Park
3 - 4
12 August 1950

Club Colours

(Robinson 2, Foan)

Gregory

Forde

Yeomanson

Parker

Walker

Moroney

Woodgate

Barrett

Robinson

Foan

Betts

Blues

(Johns 3, Gazzard)

Taylor

Armstrong

Kearns

Malcolm

Howe (Bradly)

Jackman

Southren

Gazzard

Johns

Wade

Tucker

As so frequently happens in trials, the West Ham "Blues", mainly reserve players, defeated the probable first' team, "Club Colours" at Upton Park.
Blues were the more impressive of two very friendly teams, and their 24-year-old centre forward. Stan Johns, on trial from South Liverpool, had the satisfaction of notching three of his side's four goals.
All the players took matters very steadily and the whole 90 minutes was punctuated with small jovial incidents and gestures so absent from the real thing. In fact the match took on the air of an ordinary weekly training game, the only difference being the presence of spectators.
Inside forward. George Petchley, was unable to get leave from the Army and his place at inside-left in the "Blues" was taken by Wade, whose position on the left wing was filled by Tucker.
Onlookers had barely time to glance at their programmes before Gerry Gazzard followed up a long centre from Jackson and ran the ball over the line to put the Blues ahead after 30 seconds. Still the second strings continued to dominate the proceedings and after an exciting bombardment of the Colours' goal by Gazzard, Tucker, Wade and Jackman, Johns scored the first of his three goals with a quick turn and snap shot.
The first eleven were thus two goals down in the first 12 minutes, but nobody worried and the momentum and spirit did not change one iota.
As an opportunity of assessing newcomers' abilities and to discover if the old 'uns have still got it there, the match did not help much.
Gazzard looking very fit and perhaps a little speedier than last season, was the best player on view. Ken Tucker had a good first half, but rarely touched the ball after the interval. Dick Walker was as casual as ever, but showed that he could get there when he wanted to. Eric Belts did a lot of hard first-time picking but did not indulge in much positional play and all four backs, Forde, Yeomanson, Kearns and Armstrong took the chance of extra practice at long-range clearances. Jackman displayed pace and craft at left half for the "Blues" and his companion on the right Hank, Andy Malcolm, the club's newest and youngest professional, performed with an ease and coolness that augurs well.

DEAL TOWN : Reserves
Charles Sports Ground
4 - 4 (Burks, Johns, Noakes, Wade)
19 August 1950

Chiswick

Bond

Kearns

Malcolm

Howe

Noakes

Southren

Petchey

Johns

Wade

Burks

REPORT:

ARSENAL : Charlie Paynter Testimonial
Upton Park
3 - 1 (Johns, Gazzard, Robinson)
18 September 1950
Att: 18,000

Gregory

Devlin

Forde

Parker

Walker

O'Farrell

Parsons

Johns

Robinson

Gazzard

Woodgate

Directors copy

REPORT:

Sorry No Image

TROWBRIDGE TOWN : 'A' Team
Woodmarsh
2 - 4 (Chapman 2)
2 December 1950
Att: 1,950

Taylor

Bond

Kearns

Jackman

Nelson

Noakes

Hooper

Johns

Chapman

Petchey

Betts

The Trowbridge defence, notably Sutherland, stood well to the all-out efforts of West Ham forwards, of whom Betts and Hooper, the wingers, were extremely fast and dangerous. The crowd—and Chapman—gasped as missed an open goal with keeper Vince not at home. In the 54th a faulty pass was returned Abrahams. Off he went with the ball seemingly glued to his feet, past one, two, three defenders, and then as Taylor came out narrow the angle the inside left flicked the ball high and dry. almost square from the goalpost, into the other side of the net a remarkable goal. A clever back-header by almost caught Taylor napping, and then Abrahams got through and crashed in a shot which brought Goal from the crowd. When the crowd of players thinned, however, we saw Taylor with the ball in safe keeping—another wonderful save. In the 70th minute, however. Haddon cut through, and from a very narrow angle managed to turn the ball between the upright and goalkeeper to make the score 4-2. the closing minutes the Trowbridge goal was bombarded. Betts struck the upright and Sutherland kicked off the goal me; Betts headed against an upright and Vince cleared the rebound, and Hooper also saw an upright deny him a goal.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Upton Park
1 - 5 (Parker)
10 February 1951
Att: 15,500

Taylor

Forde

Kinsell

Parker

Niblett

Cater

Woodgate

McGowan

Robinson

Gazzard

Betts

REPORT:

MARCH TOWN : 'A' Team
GER Ground
1 - 5 (Roach)

14 April 1951  

Chiswick

Nelson

Armstrong

Malcolm

Bradly

Noakes

Bing

Wade

Howe

Knights

Roach

REPORT:

BANGOR CITY : Reserves
Farrar Road
2 - 1 (Betts, Foan)
21 April 1951

Peters

Wright

Devlin

Cater

Niblett

Jackman

Southren

Williams

Chapman

Foan

Betts

We sent a Reserve Team to meet Bangor City in a friendly. Our side showed some very clever football in a keenly-contested game in which the home side spared no effort to gain a victory, but a goal each by Albert Foan and Eric Betts proved sufficient to give us a 2-1 win.

LEYTON ORIENT : Wally Pullen Benefit
Osborne Road
3 - 3 (Barrett, Betts [pen], Chapman)
23 April 1951

Att: 2,500

Taylor

Wright

Kinsell

Moroney

Niblett

Jackman

Hooper

Barrett

Chapman

Foan

Betts

At an invitation of Leyton Orient we sent a team to met them in a match for the benefit of Wally Pullen. After Jimmy Barrett had put us ahead, Eric Betts converted a penalty to make it 2-0 in our favour at the interval. The Orient rallied, levelled the score and then took the lead, but Eddie Chapman again levelled it up at 3-3 with a header four minutes from time to bring honours even in a pleasing display of soccer. The fact that Wally Pullen scored one of Orient's goals could have been small consolation to him for the small attendance which numbered approximately 2,500.

PENZANCE & DISTRICT XI
Mennaye Fields
6 - 0 (Barrett 2, Gazzard 2, Hooper, Robinson)
1 May 1951
Att: 4,000

Gregory

Forde

Kearns

Moroney

Andrews

Parker

Devlin

McGowan

Walker

Gazzard

Woodgate

The fine weather promised a bumper gate for the town's soccer highlight of the year, but the heavy rain that fell for hours before the game right through until nightfall ruined the match as a spectacle and kept the attendance down to about 4,000. However, this did not deter our side from giving those present a grand exhibition of soccer and although we were comfortable winners the football that brought our 6-0 success was a spectacle preety to watch. Right from the start we went into the attack and home 'keeper was kept very busy. A clearance by Harry Kinsell to Jimmy Barrett was passed on to Gerry Gazzard who scored our first goal after 15 minutes. Shortly afterwards Terry Woodgate hit the upright and Bill Robinson netted the rebound and two minutes later a great shot by Harry Hooper from an oblique angle made it 3-0. Just before half-time we made it 5-0 when Hooper passed along the ground for Gazzard to net his second and Barrett sent in from close range. Despite the treacherous conditions underfoot our lads played some real exhibition stuff in the second half, and the one goal scored by Barrett was the result of a move that put all the defence out of position. After the game the teams were entertained to dinner at the Queen's Hotel.

Sorry No Image

BATA SPORTS : Essex FA Fund
Bata Sports Ground, East Tilbury
6 - 1 (Unknown)
10 May 1951

Line-up Unknown

REPORT:

ROYAL STANDARD LIEGE (Belgium) : Festival of Britain
Upton Park
3 - 2 (Barrett, Moroney, Woodgate)
12 May 1951

Taylor

Devlin

Forde

Moroney

Allison

O'Farrell

Hooper

Barrett

Robinson

Gazzard

Woodgate

REPORT:

CLAPTON
Old Spotted Dog Ground
2 - 2 (Gazzard, Robinson)
16 May 1951

Line-up Unknown

REPORT:

Other Matches Played at the Boleyn Ground

LONDON BOYS v. GLASGOW BOYS
Schoolboy Match

1 - 2
25 November 1950

LONDON BOYS (1)

Line-Up Unknow

GLASGOW BOYS (2)

Line-Up Unknown

REPORT:

Sorry No Image

WEST HAM BOYS v. HERTFORD BOYS
Corinthian Shield (4th Round)

4 - 1
27 January 1951

WEST HAM BOYS

(Matthews 2, Derby, Toms)

Burley

Lee

Goddard

Toms

Morgan

Britton

Derby

Matthews

Williams

Daly

Church

HERTFORD BOYS

(Dartnell)

Line-Up Unknown

REPORT:

WEST HAM BOYS v. SHEFFIELD BOYS
Diamond Jubilee Celebration Match (Cully Trophy)

0 - 0
27 January 1951

WEST HAM BOYS

(Matthews 2, Derby, Toms)

Burley

Lee

Goddard

Toms

Morgan

Britton

Derby

Matthews

Williams

Daly

Church

SHEFFIELD BOYS

(Dartnell)

Line-Up Unknown

REPORT:

WEST HAM BOYS v. ILFOD BOYS
Sun Shield Final

1 - 1 aet
2 May 1951

WEST HAM BOYS

(1)

Line-up Unknown

ILFORD BOYS

(1)

Line-Up Unknown

Of the two sides Ilford had a slight advantage in height and weight, but West Ham made up for this by extra keenness and endeavour, and half a minute from the interval went ahead when a cross-pass from the left-wing was steered into the net after a brief scramble. However, Ilford were on level terms within five minutes og the re-start with a clever goal and the team went in for  ding-dong, en-to-end tussle for the remainder of the time, although Ilford missed an opportunity when a penalty was shot straight at the West Ham keeper. A couple of shots hit the bar and several scraped outside, but despite all these efforts there was no further score, including the 20 minutes extra-time. The teams will replay on Thursday next at the Cricklefields Ground, Green Lane, Ilford to decide the destination of the Shield which carries with it the Junior Championship of London.

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