WEST HAM UNITED
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Memorabilia through the Decade
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
A Pictorial History
1955-56 London Mid-Week League
Manager : Bill Robinson
CHELSEA
Spotted Dog Ground
0 - 3
19 September 1955
Rhodes, Cooper, Hallas, Matthews, Hayes A., Smith J., Franklyn, Pyke, Fenn, Figg B., McDonald
The Pensioners fielded an all-professional side, and proved generally superior to win by 3-0 in a game where the experience of the visitors was a decisive factor. Incidentally Chelsea "A" have a 100% record this season, having also won all their Metropolitan League games.
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CHARLTON ATHLETIC
The Valley
0 - 2
28 September 1955
Rhodes
Chapman
Hallas
Johnstone
Roberts P.
Parker
Franklyn
Matthews
Fenn
Smith J.
Barrick A.
The only newcomer was Roberts, a member of our Coits" side who has played for London v Sussex this season in the F.A, County Youth Tournament,
A brilliant display by Marsh in the homesters' goal foiled all our attempts to score, although he had a lucky escape when Fenn hit the bar soon after the start, it was therefore rather disappointing to us that Charlton twice scored through our defensive slip-ups, their first coming before the interval through a long-range "swerver" and the other following a back-pass in the second half that presented the home forwards with an easy chance.
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QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Loftus Road
4 - 1 (Stroud 2, Lawrence, Lundstrum)
5 October 1955
Chiswick
Cooper
Christie J.
Johnstone
Brown
Taylor J.
Stroud
Adams W.
Lawrence
Lundstrum
Franklyn
Christie is a member of our "B" Team who played his first game for our 'A" side on this occasion, whilst Lawrence will be remembered as a member of our team which recently beat the F.A. Amateur Xi at Upton Park.
Although held to 1-1 at the interval we were well on top in the second half and ran out easy winners by 4-1, Lundstrum, Lawrence and Stroud (2) were our scorers.
PORTSMOUTH
Spotted Dog Ground
2 - 0 (Fenn, Smith)
10 October 1954
Rhodes, Robinson, Taylor J., Pyke, Nelson, Matthews, Fenn, Crockett D., Lawrence, Smith J., McDonald
This was an interesting game, but we held the edge on Pompey through the finishing shown by our young forward-line, who were better in this respect than their opponents. Less than a minute before the end, Portsmouth's inside-left Pawley sent in a hard ground shot that the West Ham goalkeeper Rhodes did well to stop. That save was Pompey's one and only shot at goal throughout the whole match.
West Ham relied on their wingers and it was Smith who gave the Hammers the lead prior to the interval and Fenn clinched the game for West Ham five minutes from time to make our victory complete by a 2-0 margin.
CHELSEA
Stamford Bridge
1 - 0 (Barrick)
26 October 1955
Rhodes
Chapman
Cooper
Pyke
Nelson
Johnstone
Stone E.
Fenn
Lawrence
Smith J.
Barrick A.
Chelsea had plenty of experience in their side but there was little between the teams. Our XI played very well and with Rhodes making some good saves the defence withstood the Pensioners' raids. After a goalless first half the Blues were awarded a penalty; Rhodes made a brilliant save in tipping the ball over the bar only for the referee to order the kick to be re-taken, alleging our.'keeper had moved before the ball was kicked: however the homesters failed to take advantage of this and at the second attempt shot outside the post. Heartened by this escape our forward-line came right into the picture and in the closing minutes Barrick beat the full-back out on the wing, cut into the middle and scored with a fine shot well wide of the 'keeper to inflict the first defeat of the season on the Chelsea "A" side.
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Cheshunt
2 - 1 (Franklyn, McDonald)
17 November 1955
Rhodes
Walker
Chapman
Pyke
Roberts P.
Johnstone
McDonald
Docherty J.
Fenn
Griffiths B.
Franklyn
Continuing their successful run in the Mid-Week League the Hammers won an end-to-end game by 2-1. McDonaid and Franklyn each netted once in a match which provided plenty of good soccer.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Spotted Dog Ground
3 - 1 (Bennett, Craydon, Musgrove)
6 February 1956
Chiswick, Wright, Cooper, Parker, Brown, Hayward, Musgrove, Bennett, Wragg, Matthews, Craydon
Against this experienced opposition the youthful Palace side did well, and manager Cyril Spiers was obviously pleased with their display. However, the Hammers succeeded in gaining the points by a 3-1 margin afler being one up at the interval. Musgrove, Bennett and Craydon being our scorers. Craydon, a Leyton youngster, showed up well in his first game for us.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Spotted Dog Ground
0 - 0
27 February 1956
Rhodes, Walker, Cooper, Byers B., Brown, Obeney, Race R., Crockett D., Fenn, Harvey, McDonald
Neither side appeared to be very dangerous in the opposing penalty-area, and the only really good shot of the game came from Fenn. This produced an extremely fine save from the Spurs' goalkeeper — who was none other than Ted Ditchburn; indeed, it was only a goalkeeper of Ted's ability who would have stopped such an effort!
Consequently the result of a goalless draw could be considered a fair one on a ground whose rather bumpy surface did not help to bring good Football.
CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Spotted Dog Ground
3 - 0 (Cooper [pen], Fenn, Smith)
5 March 1956
Rhodes, Taylor J., Cooper, Pyke, Brown, Schroer H., Wragg, Moss T, Fenn, Smith J., McDonald
It was an intersting game and the score might easily have been 2-2 by half-time despite some good work by goalkeepers Rhodes and Marsh. However, the first half proved goalless, and it was not until we were awarded a penalty that the scoring opened. Cooper converted this, and later Smith from 20 yards and Fenn each netted another to give us a 3-0 win that puts us in second place in the table.
ARSENAL
Highbury
1 - 2 (Stroud)
14 March 1956
Taylor
Wright
Kinsell
Pyke
Walker
Schroer H.
Stroud
Bennett
Fenn
Smith J.
McDonald
Although the score was 1-1 with ten minutes to go the Hammers went under by the odd goal in three, in a game that we could have won but for avoidable mistakes. However, an encouraging feature was the display of some of our youngsters, especially wing-half Hans Schroer. a young German who is at present in England to learn the language; he is a player of much promise and we are pleased to have him playing in our teams.
The scorer at Highbury was Stroud. who moved to centre-forward in the second half to show some of the form of which we know he is capable.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Spotted Dog Ground
0 - 0
19 March 1956
Rhodes, Chapman, Cooper, Pyke, Walker, Harvey, Fenn, Smith J., Stroud, Schroer H., McDonald
For the first 20 minutes we swarmed around the Rangers' goal and were kept out only because of a brilliant display by their goalkeeper. However, after that the game somewhat fizzled out, and the result was a goalless draw which proved most disappointing from our point of view.
ARSENAL
Spotted Dog Ground
1 - 2 (Smith)
9 April 1956
Rhodes, Chapman, Kinsell, Pyke, Nelson, Crockett D., McDonald, Bennett, Harvey, Smith J., Lyall
Smith gave us an interval lead in an even game, and it appeared that we would most likely maintain this balance. However, the Gunners went in front during the second hall' and. surviving several "near misses" by our forwards, they gained the points by 2-1.
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PORTSMOUTH
Fratton Park
2 - 1 (Lundstrum 2)
11 April 1956
Rhodes
Brown
Nelson
Kirkup
Walker
Fenton A.
Wragg
Byers R.
Lundstrum
McDonald
Lyall
Portsmouth took the lead five minutes after the kick-off, but the Hammers retaliated strongly to be 2-1 in front at the interval. Both our goals were scored by Lundstrum, who had a very good game at centre-forward and was unfortunate not to add another couple with "near misses." We maintained this odd-goal advantage till the final whistle of an interesting tussle.
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CRYSTAL PALACE
Selhurst Park
5 - 1 (Fenn 2 [2 pens], Stroud 2, Harvey)
1 May 1956
Goymer
Fenn
Hayward
Pyke
Robinson
Lewis C.
Stroud
Walker
Harvey
Duggan T.
Lyall
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