WEST HAM UNITED
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Collectables through the Decade
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
A Pictorial History
1994-95 FA Carling Premiership
Manager: Harry Redknapp
There was a shock just before the season began as manager Billy Bonds resigned and assistant Harry Redknapp was installed as the club’s eighth manager. After a poor pre-season the Hammers found it tough, and after five games without a win and only one goal scored the team were nineteenth. Midfielder Don Hutchison was signed for a club record fee of £1.5 million and for extra goal power former striker Tony Cottee was brought back from Everton. Cottee scored on his home debut in the 1–0 win against Aston Villa and his homecoming inspired further victories in the London derbies against Chelsea and Crystal Palace. Further good news came when Julian Dicks, the fans’ favourite, was transferred back to West Ham from Liverpool.
In the League Cup Walsall were beaten 3–2 on aggregate, which set up a home tie with Chelsea where an inspired display from goalkeeper Miklosko and a goal from Hutchison saw the west London team beaten 1–0. November was a poor month, with three 1–0 defeats in the league followed by a 3–1 home defeat to Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup. The big Dutchman Jeroen Boere was brought in to partner Cottee and it was his two goals that earned a 2–2 draw at Leeds United. Cottee was then on target with a hat-trick in the 3–0 home win against Manchester City. Redknapp made two more signings when buying midfielder Michael Hughes and the Danish defender Marc Rieper.
A difficult FA Cup tie at Wycombe Wanderers was won 2–0 but the Hammers went out in the next round after losing 1–0 at Queens Park Rangers. By early March the team were in relegation trouble, but in an excellent run there were only two defeats in the remaining 13 games. In that spell Arsenal were beaten 1–0 at Highbury, there was a 2–0 win at Aston Villa and a 2–0 home win over champions-elect Blackburn Rovers. The final two home games brought a 3–0 win against Liverpool and a 1–1 draw with Manchester United that ended the Reds’ title hopes.
Media Release
Note:
Players in BOLD made their debuts for West Ham United
LEEDS UNITED
Upton Park
0 - 0
20 August 1994
Att: 18,610
Miklosko
Breacker
Burrows
Potts (ADRIAN WHITBREAD)
Martin
Allen M.
Bishop
Butler
Morley
Chapman
Holmes (Marsh)
West Ham survived a second half grilling in this opening day encounter. New boss Harry Redknapp was certainly relieved to hear the final whistle which brought down the curtain on his first 90 minutes in the hot seat.
"That second half must have lasted two hours," he said as he wiped his brow. "We worked hard, but Leeds just took over after the break and they looked very dangerous." But, ironically, after putting a traumatic pre-season behind them, it was West Ham who might have got their noses in front by the interval. Matt Holmes sent a 20-yarder rasping into the side-netting after Palmer foiled Morley, and only a superb 44th minute save by Lukic prevented Martin Allen from opening the scoring.
The impotent Hammers' attack, however, caused Leeds few problems, and it was the Yorkshiremen who went on to create a whole host of chances during the second period. Wetherall went close with a couple of headers, and on the hour Alvin Martin escaped with a mere booking after dragging back the pacy Wallace. "I thought he might have gone," admitted a relieved Redknapp afterwards.
Right-back Gary Kelly was a continual threat with a series of dangerous overlaps, while the clumsy Deane volleyed skywards, hit the post and was also denied by Ludo.
MANCHESTER CITY
Maine Road
0 - 3
24 August 1994
Att: 19,150
Miklosko
Breacker
Burrows
Potts
Martin
Allen M.
Bishop
Butler (Whitbread)
Morley
Chapman (Marsh)
Holmes
The Hammers took a battering at Maine Road against Manchester City. The tricky Peter Beagrie was in destructive mood as he teased and tormented West Ham all night. An early lunge on the City winger by Breacker earned the Hammers' defender a harsh yellow card, and that was the signal for Beagrie to run riot.
On 15 minutes, he collected his short corner back from Phelan and pinged over a centre which Walsh headed past the diving Miklosko from six yards. And after Morley had an effort hoofed off the line, the Hammers' striker saw a header come crashing back off the post. West Ham's mini revival was short-lived, though, and on the stroke of half time, Beagrie fired home City's second from 20 yards.
Bishop and Morley both went close against their old club after the interval, but on the hour Rosler pounced to put the game totally beyond Hammers, when Ludo failed to hold another stinging 20-yarder from that man Beagrie.
NORWICH CITY
Carrow Road
0 - 1
27 August 1994
Att: 19,110
Miklosko
Breacker
Burrows
Potts
Martin
Allen M.
Bishop
JOHN MONCUR
Jones
Marsh (Whitbread)
Rowland (Chapman)
Lack-lustre Hammers skulked off at Carrow Road, still without a goal in their opening three Premiership games, and with the chants of 'What a load of rubbish ringing in their ears. Despite making four changes to the side that was comprehensively beaten at Maine Road, Harry Redknapp just could not kick-start West Ham's season into life. "I shuffled the pack today," he said. "I picked a team of midfielders who should all want to get forward, so I was very disappointed that we didn't create anything."
Neither side had scored in their opening two games, but with Mike Sheron, Canaries' new £800.000 signing from Manchester City, waiting eagerly in the stand. Robins and Ekoku needed no extra incentive.
Each of the City duo slid efforts wide early on as West Ham, fielding new boy John Moncur failed to get even the simplest passing movements together. Recalled at the expense of Chapman, the burden of opening the West Ham goals account fell to Steve Jones. The Hammers' striker forced Gunn to tip away his 10th minute snapshot, and just before the break he burst clear, only to be foiled by Bradshaw's timely tackle.
But his opportunities were few and far between and Norwich always looked most likely to score. And the introduction of substitute Akinbiyi on the hour finally led to the breakthrough. Just four minutes after his introduction, the sub, skipped clear of Steve Potts, and drove in a low centre. Although Ludo beat out Robins' first shot, the hungry striker - who had earlier seen a header ruled out for offside - made no mistake as he crashed home the rebound from 10 yards.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Upton Park
1 - 3 (Hutchison [pen])
31 August 1994
Att: 17,375
Miklosko
Breacker
Burrows
Potts
Martin
Allen M. (Jones)
Moncur
Butler
DON HUTCHISON
Marsh
Holmes
Record signing Don Hutchinson had his Hammers debut overshadowed by lethal Andy Cole. The Newcastle striker, intent on proving a point to Terry Venables after his omission from the England squad to face USA, had a hand in all three goals as the Magpies soared to the top of the Premiership. But despite this third defeat in four games, Harry Redknapp shrugged aside his disappointment. "We worked hard, created some decent chances and no-one could fault our commitment," he said. Buoyed by Hutch's arrival, the new-look Hammers staked out the Newcastle penalty area during a busy opening spell. Against the run of play, though, goal-king Cole fired a warning shot midway through the half with an instinctive volley which landed on the roof of Ludo's net.
And on the half-hour he outwitted Alvin Martin before firing in a low cross-shot which Steve Potts could only divert into his own goal. Five minutes later. Cole's angled pass behind the otherwise impressive Moncur and Burrows, let in Lee to slide home a well-worked second.
The revitalised Butler fruitlessly chased and harried all night, and along with Hutchinson forced good saves out of Smicek. Then substitute Steve Jones enjoyed an eventful final 25 minutes. He was knocked out sparko. booked, and after Marsh rocked the bar, his attempted cross was handled by Beresford. That led to Hammers' first goal of the season, nearly six hours into the campaign, as Hutchison found the net with the spot-kick.But that man Cole just had to have the last word and within seconds he helped restore Newcastle's two-goal advantage when he broke upfield and unselfishly set-up Mathie for the simplest of tap-ins.
LIVERPOOL
Upton Park
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WALSALL : Coca-Cola Cup (Second Round 1st-leg)
Upton Park
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ARSENAL
Upton Park
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CHELSEA
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WALSALL : Coca-Cola Cup (Second Round 2nd-leg)
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CRYSTAL PALACE
Upton Park
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MANCHESTER UNITED
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CHELSEA : Coca-Cola Cup (Third Round)
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EVERTON
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LEICESTER CITY
Upton Park
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SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Upton Park
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COVENTRY CITY
Upton Park
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BOLTON WANDERERS : Coca-Cola Cup (Fourth Round)
Upton Park
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QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Upton Park
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LEEDS UNITED
Upton Park
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MANCHESTER CITY
Upton Park
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REPORT:
IPSWICH TOWN
Upton Park
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WIMBLEDON
Upton Park
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Upton Park
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BLACKBURN ROVERS
Upton Park
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WYCOMBE WANDERERS : FA Cup (Third Round)
Upton Park
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Upton Park
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SOUTHAMPTON
The Dell
21 January 1995
Postponed : Rained off
The West Ham team arrived at the Dell only to be told the game will not go ahead.
Rearranged 15 March 1995
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Upton Park
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QUEENS PARK RANGERS : FA Cup (Fourth Round)
Upton Park
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LEICESTER CITY
Upton Park
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REPORT:
EVERTON
Upton Park
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COVENTRY CITY
Upton Park
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QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Upton Park
22 February 1995
Postponed : Waterlogged Pitch
Rearranged 3 May 1995
CHELSEA
Upton Park
? - (?)
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REPORT:
ARSENAL
Upton Park
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NEWCASTLE UNITED
Upton Park
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NORWICH CITY
Upton Park
? - (?)
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SOUTHAMPTON
Upton Park
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ASTON VILLA
Upton Park
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Upton Park
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WIMBLEDON
Upton Park
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REPORT:
IPSWICH TOWN
Upton Park
? - (?)
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REPORT:
BLACKBURN ROVERS
Upton Park
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REPORT:
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Upton Park
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REPORT:
CRYSTAL PALACE
Upton Park
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REPORT:
LIVERPOOL
Upton Park
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MANCHESTER UNITED
Upton Park
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