WEST HAM UNITED
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Collectables through the Decade
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
A Pictorial History
1991-92 South East Counties League (Div 1)
Manager: Paul Hilton
ARSENAL
Chadwell Heath
2 - 2 (Clark, Comerford)
17 August 1991
Small, Johnson, White, Harriott, Basham, Williamson, Lowe, Holland, Richards (Miller), Clarke T. (Whitmarsh), Comerford
Our opening fixture on August 17th was the same as last season, versus Arsenal at Chadwell Heath. Gunners' team manager Pat Race had the early satisfaction of seeing his side take the lead after only four minutes' play; Paul Hilton's squad quickly got back on level terms just five minutes afterwards. The Hammers' lead-up was via a move from the right wing; the centre was headed on by Michael Basham, but the opposing 'keeper failed to hold the ball and Tony Comerford nipped in on the blind side to put it past the despairing defence. Our team took a 2-1 lead on the half-hour. A clearance to the halfway line was headed forward by David White to Tony Clarke, who lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper to give us an interval advantage.
Arsenal came back to equalise during the second half, but were reduced to 10 men when the referee displayed a red card for dissent. From thence onwards the North Londoners held out to force a 2-2 draw, thus repeating the score from last season's game. Altogether a fair result, and pleasing to our manager and coaching staff who were impressed by the persistence of our team against last season's SECL champions.
GILLINGHAM
Chadwell Heath
1 - 2 (Miller)
24 August 1991
Small, Johnson, White, Harriott, Basham, Williamson, Lowe, Holland, Miller, Clarke T. (Whitmarsh), Comerford
The match at Chadwell Heath was an anti-climax after the previous week's 2-2 draw against Arsenal, because we lost a game that could reasonably have ended in victory for the Hammers. The Gillingham team had won their opening match of the season by 3-2 at Ipswich, but on this occasion it was our side that exerted the pressure almost from start to finish.
The Kent club produced the first surprise by opening the score in the tenth minute, and they maintained the advantage until after the change of ends. We made one change during the interval, Paul Whitmarsh replacing Tony Clarke. Within two minutes of the restart we were level, Simon Miller finishing a good move.
Despite having the run of the ball for most of the remainder of the game it appeared we were having to be content with a draw - only for the visitors to snatch a last-minute winner. A disappointing end to an interesting match.
PORTSMOUTH
Chadwell Heath
4 - 1 (Miller 2, Canham, Clark)
31 August 1991
Small, Johnson, White (Whitmarsh), Harriott, Basham, Canham, Lowe, Holland, Miller, Clarke T. (Whitmarsh), Comerford
REPORT:
CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Sparrows Lane
2 - 2 (Brunning, Miller)
7 September 1991
Small, Johnson, White (Clarke S.), Harriott, Basham, Canham, Lowe, Holland, Miller, Richards (Whitmarsh), Brunning
The South Londoners had opened this season's schedule with three victories to top the table, scoring 12 goals and conceding only one. The Athletic management had also acquired the services of ex-Hammer John Cartwright as youth team manager, following his resignation as Technical Director of the Football Association's School of Excellence at Lilleshall.
Hammers' manager Billy Bonds also took the opportunity to see our youngsters in action whilst en route to the First Team fixture at Upton Park, so both XTs were under keen scrutiny. By the end of the 90 minutes' play the respective coaches had seen each team meet with varying fortunes, eventually ending in a sharing of points through a 2-2 draw.
The Hammers opened the scoring, following a free-kick on the left flank; the ball was headed on by Roy Johnson, and Simon Miller scrambled it in for his fourth goal this season. Miller also participated in the move leading to our second counter, his pass to John Lowe creating the opening for John Brunning to be unmarked with the Charlton net unguarded. It was Bmnning's first SECL appearance this Charlton's opener was scored five minutes prior to the interval, and they drew level midway through the second half with a penalty awarded for what we considered to be a controversial hand-ball, which subsequently led to a dismissal of our player for dissent.
Nevertheless, our remaining 10 men (including two subs) were able to match the opposition, and the home goalkeeper made two good saves in the closing stages from Scott Canham and Paul Whitmarsh following corner-kicks.
A most interesting morning for all concerned, summarised by Billy Bonds' opinion that Charlton appear to have one of the best youth sides he has seen in recent years, with half-a-dozen players of particularly good potential.
IPSWICH TOWN
Portman Road
0 - 1
14 September 1991
Small
Kent
Fleming
Victory
Waters
Canham
Geraghty
Knight
Brunning
Clarke T. (Reeve)
Currie (Whitmarsh)
There were eight debutantes were Darren Currie, Shaun Fleming, Jason Geraghty, Stuart Kent, Jason Knight, Mark Reeve, Jamie Victory and Gary Waters.
The overall performance drew considerable praise from the team manager, despite a defeat sustained by a single goal netted around nine minutes from time. The home side's goalkeeper was a star of the match, making several excellent saves, including a couple in the closing stages after his side had gone ahead. He also stopped a penalty-kick midway in the second half to prevent the Hammers opening the score.
In contrast, the Town strikers were usually off target at the end of their attacks, and it was all the more disappointing that they were partially "presented" with the decider through a misplaced goal-kick which went directly to one of their players; the chance was accepted with alacrity, the ball being chipped over Keith Small and into an empty net.
BRISTOL ROVERS : SECL Cup (First Round)
Cadbury Schweppes Sports Ground
6 - 1 (Richards 2, Geraghty, Holland, Miller, Whitmarsh)
21 September 1991
Small
Harriott (Holland)
Fleming
Victory
Waters
Williamson
Geraghty
Canham
Miller
Richards
Currie (Whitmarsh)
As the kick-off was set for 11am the squad transport left Upton Park at 7.30, arriving in the West Country about half-an-hour before deadline time.
Although the surrounding countryside is exceedingly pretty the pitch was of rather less than top-quality, and following the somewhat tiring journey it was not exactly surprising that the Hammers took some time to settle down.
Furthermore, we had an enforced team-change when Marvin Harriott retired hurt after only 17 minutes' play, Matt Holland taking over as sub. The first 45 minutes proved goalless, and at half-time Paul Whitmarsh replaced David Currie.
From thence onwards it literally became "a game of two halves." Within seven minutes of the re-start we were three up; schoolboy Jason Geraghty opened our account (48 minutes) and Tony Richards netted twice in a couple of minutes. The score remained that way until 10 minutes from the end, but the next five minutes produced a further four goals in what was truly an astonishing finale.
BRENTFORD : SJFC (First Round)
Upton Park
4 - 4 aet (Brunning, Canham, Richards [pen], Whitmarsh)
30 September 1991
Small
Holland
White
Victory (Johnson)
Waters
Williamson
Geraghty
Canham
Brunning
Richards
Miller (Whitmarsh)
Our first round tie against Brentford at Upton Park produced a match of eight goals that went into extra-time. The young Bees are in the other division of the South East Counties League, and have won all their opening six games, mostly due to conceding only two goals. They are physically strong.
They began this cup-tie with a goal in the 14th minute and one shortly afterwards. We fought back to reduce the arrears in the 23rd minute, but the West Londoners netted again to be 3-1 ahead at the interval.
However, within 10 minutes of the restart the Hammers were back on level terms. Paul Whitmarsh made it 2-3 and then Tony Richards converted a penalty-kick to set the score at three apiece. The scores were still level after 90 minutes, so it went into an extra half-hour.
Nine minutes into the extended period Scott Canham put us in the lead for the first time, and it appeared likely that we would make progress to round two at the first attempt.
However, with just one minute to go Brentford struck back to gain a late equaliser and set the stage for a replay at Griffin Park
CAMBRIDGE UNITED
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BRENTFORD : SJFC (First Round Replay)
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CHELSEA
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WATFORD
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OXFORD UNITED : SECL Cup (Second Round)
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LEYTON ORIENT
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MILLWALL
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ASTON VILLA : SJFC (Second Round)
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SOUTHEND UNITED
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QUEENS PARK RANGERS
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CHELSEA : SECL Cup (Third Round)
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KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS : FAYC (Second Round)
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FULHAM
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ARSENAL
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GILLINGHAM
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PORTSMOUTH
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READING : FAYC (Third Round)
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CHARLTON ATHLETIC
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NORWICH CITY
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SOUTHEND UNITED : FAYC (Fourth Round)
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CAMBRIDGE UNITED
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SOUTHEND UNITED : FAYC (Fourth Round Replay)
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SOUTHEND UNITED : FAYC (Fourth Round 2nd Replay)
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WATFORD
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LEYTON ORIENT
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CRYSTAL PALACE : FAYC (Fifth Round)
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MILLWALL
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SOUTHEND UNITED
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QUEENS PARK RANGERS
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FULHAMN
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
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NORWICH CITY
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
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IPSWICH TOWN
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CHELSEA
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