WEST HAM UNITED
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Collectables through the Decade
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
A Pictorial History
2023-24 Premier League 2
Manager: Steve Potts
The 2023-24 Premier League 2 is the top tier of the Professional Development League. It is an Under-21 league where clubs are permitted to field five 'over-age' outfield players and one 'over-age' goalkeeper. The league operates under the so-called 'Swiss Model' where the 26 teams will be seeded into five pots based on their historical performance in the competition over the preceding three years, meaning each team will play 20 matches in the regular season (the same number as in PL2 Division Two in 2022-23 but six fewer than in PL2 Division One).
A 21-game week scenario will see teams playing each club in their own pot plus four or five teams in all other pots, either home or away. After this, the combined table will determine play-off positions, with the top 16 teams qualifying for the knockout format.
Reading regained Category One status in the summer of 2023 and return to this level after a one-year hiatus. Manchester City are the defending Division 1 champions.
ARSENAL
Meadow Park
0 - 3
11 August 2023
Knightbridge
Laing
Casey
Luizao
Forbes
Kelly
Orford
Chesters
Earthy (Appiah-Forson)
Scarles
Marshall
West Ham United U21s fell to a 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in their Premier League 2 opener on Friday evening. An even first 45 minutes saw Mark Robson’s side compete with their counterparts, and arguably edge the chances too. Callum Marshall and George Earthy both went close when their efforts were deflected away, before Kaelan Casey’s header was superbly kept out on the stroke of half-time.
In truth, Arsenal begun the quickest of the two sides in the second half though, and saw Casey’s block deny the hosts an opening goal just minutes after the restart. Soon, the Gunners’ pressure told, however. And Jacob Knightbridge, who had previously stood tall with a hatful of stunning saves between the sticks was finally beaten.
Myles Lewis-Kelly and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji struck either side of the hour to put Arsenal two goals ahead. And while Keenan Appiah-Forson almost pulled one back with a delicate chip wide of the post five minutes from time, Arsenal would clinch victory with a third in stoppage time. Amario Cozier-Duberry struck from close range to confirm a London derby defeat in our Premier League 2 opener.
SUNDERLAND
Rush Green
2 - 0 (Luizao, Marshall)
18 August 2023
Knightbridge
Chesters (Robinson)
Laing
Casey
Luizao
Scarles
Coventry
Kelly (Orford)
Marshall (Kodua)
Mubama
Earthy (Appiah-Forson)
An emphatic, dominant, performance saw the Irons quickly out of the traps, determined to put last week’s defeat behind them. A feat they achieved clinically within 17 minutes. A bright start saw two quick goals, with Callum Marshall first turning home a Dan Chesters’ cross from inside the area.
Luizão then tapped in from close range after a well-worked corner fell at the Brazil defender’s feet to double his side’s lead from inside the six-yard box. From then on the chances kept coming the way of those in Claret and Blue – and, in truth, most will leave disappointed the Hammers did not grab a third or even a fourth. In the first half, Divin Mubama had the ball in the net, although he was flagged offside.
The second half was a similar feat too. Hammers flooded forwards in search of a third and had plenty of chances to net one. Earthy blazed over after Chesters' neat run and cross. Conor Coventry and Mubama both saw free kicks sail over the bar. Marshall saw his dipping effort fade wide of the post.
The Hammers No9 continued to search for a goal and would have turned Scarles’ cross into the net but for a stunning stop from Sunderland stopper Matthew Young.
Sunderland would have pulled a way back into the fixture had Keenan Appiah-Forson not found a crucial late tackle, but the Hammers deserved the three points – and arguably, with 24 goal attempts to their name, another goal or two for their performance in east London.
Valencia (Spain) : Premier League International Cup
Chigwell Construction Stadium
1 - 0 (Kodua)
22 August 2023
Anang
Chesters (Robinson)
Laing (Tarima)
Casey
Luizao
Scarles (Battrum)
Kelly
Orford
Kodua
Marshall
Earthy (Moore)
West Ham United U21s produced a resolute performance in their opening match of the Premier League International Cup, as they beat Valencia CF 1-0 at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
In an incredibly even contest on Tuesday evening, it looked as though the match was going to be heading to a stalemate, but Gideon Kodua produced a moment of real quality, firing the ball into the bottom corner late on to win the tie.
It took some time for the Hammers to find opportunities against a stubborn Valencia side that made Steve Potts’ team work for their openings across the 90 minutes.
The first real chance of note arrived on 36 minutes as compatriots Patrick Kelly and Callum Marshall combined, with the former seeing an effort blocked in the area. Up the other end, Brazilian defender Luizão was in inspired form, as he stopped the away side from advancing on several occasions.
Pushing for consecutive wins, Kodua, Marshall and George Earthy combined well as the game entered the second 45 minutes, but again, the Irons couldn’t find the final pass that would unlock the opportunity for a clear strike on goal. Earthy nearly broke the deadlock on 70 minutes, but his shot nestled wide of the post.
In the end, the pressure from the home side was rewarded. A run from Kelly opened the space up for Kodua to hit a sweet-struck effort that nestled in the bottom corner, winning the tie for his team.
LEEDS UNITED
Elland Road
5 - 2 (Marshall 3, Casey, Scarles)
25 August 2023
Knightbridge
Chesters (Robinson)
Laing (Tarima)
Casey
Luizao
Scarles
Kelly (Battrum)
Orford
Earthy
Marshall (Moore)
Kodua
A third win on the bounce came the way of West Ham United U21s who ran riot at Elland Road.
Steve Potts’ men swept past Sunderland and Valencia in recent victories and quickly had Leeds United in their sights in their third PL2 outing of the campaign. Kaelan Casey struck the first poking home Ollie Scarles’ corner before a front three of Gideon Kodua, Callum Marshall, and George Earthy showed their class in Yorkshire. Threatening throughout, Marshall struck his first of a sensational hat-trick on the stroke of half-time to restore the lead after Connor Douglas equalised for Leeds.
The Northern Ireland international added his second shortly after the break turning home a Kodua’s assist to put the Hammers two-goals ahead.
Scarles then found the net himself, powering home from inside the area with a fierce swish of his left foot before Marshall completed his hat-trick, with West Ham’s fifth four minutes from time. His late goal meant that a Leeds second from Cian Coleman in added time was rendered meaningless and the points returned to east London.
The Hammers rise to sixth in the Premier League 2 table, with six points from their first two games.
EVERTON
Chigwell Construction Stadium
3 - 1 (Kodua, Marshall, Orford)
1 September 2023
Knightbridge
Chesters
Laing (Tarima)
Casey
Luizao
Scarles
Kelly (Appiah-Forson)
Orford
Kodua
Marshall (Moore)
Earthy (Robinson)
Four wins on the bounce now as West Ham United U21s came from behind to beat Everton at Rush Green Stadium.
After an early strike from Everton’s Katia Kouyate, who found the bottom corner from close range, the Irons responded impeccably after the break to secure the victory.
Shaking off a sluggish first half, the U21s pulled level through a curling strike from Lewis Orford, who left goalkeeper Billy Crellin stranded as he found the bottom corner. Ollie Scarles continued to threaten down the left to see Callum Marshall fouled inside the area, with Toffees’ skipper Ryan Astley receiving his second booking of the night – and sent off – for a clumsy challenge.
Marshall then struck his fifth goal in his last three Premier League games from the spot to give his side a deserved advantage.
And chances continued to fall to those in east London, before Gideon Kodua headed home a game-settling third from close range.
At times it wasn’t pretty from the U21s, but finding a way to win is a pleasing trait, and one they have shown in abundance over the past fews weeks. Plenty of momentum then, as the young Irons head into the September international break, sitting fifth in the Premier League 2 table, as it stands.
CELTIC 'B' : Premier League International Cup
Chigwell Construction Stadium
5 - 0 (Marshall 2, Mubama 2, Orford)
15 September 2023
Anang
Chesters (Robinson)
JohnsonCasey (Forbes)
Laing
Scarles (Moore)
Coventry
Kelly (Orford)
Earthy
Marshall (Kodua)
Mubama
West Ham United U21s put on a comprehensive attacking display to comfortably beat Celtic B 5-0 in the Premier League International Cup.
Divin Mubama’s opener on ten minutes, turned in from six yards after Ollie Scarles’ wicked cross, came following a frantic opening period in which both sides registered big chances without netting.
West Ham’s lead was doubled just 12 minutes later as Callum Marshall scored his first of the evening, latching onto Levi Laing’s lobbed pass to slot home at the second attempt.
Marshall scored his second and West Ham’s third on 28 minutes with a smart finish, ensuring a dominant advantage for the Hammers at the interval. It would only take the Irons three minutes in the second half to get a fourth, as Mubama maturely read a deflected shot and tucked in his personal second.
A host of substitutions followed for both sides and one of the introduced Irons, Lewis Orford, would net a beautiful fifth for the hosts just a few minutes after his introduction. The midfielder arrowed a well-taken strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the area, putting Steve Potts’ side in full control before an hour had been played.
Celtic’s best chance of the fixture came in the opening few minutes, when Magnus Mackenzie tried his luck from distance, but otherwise the Scottish side did little to test goalkeeper Joseph Anang or indeed trouble the Hammers defence.
Junior Robinson will feel he should have added sixth for West Ham on 77 minutes, but his headed effort from just a couple of yards out somehow went over the bar.
BRISTOL ROVERS : Papa Jones Trophy
Memorial Stadium
3 - 1 (Marshall 2 [1 pen], Earthy)
19 September 2023
Anang
Chesters (Robinson)
Laing
Casey
Luizao
Scarles
Orford
Kelly
Earthy (Moore)
Marshall
Kodua (Clayton)
West Ham United U21s produced a stunning comeback to beat EFL League One outfit Bristol Rovers 3-1 in the EFL Trophy and record a sixth straight win in all competitions.
With the rain pouring in Bristol, the hosts took the lead at Memorial Stadium, but it was all West Ham after Sam Finley found the bottom corner from inside the area with 24 minutes played. The development side had chances to equalise through Patrick Kelly, Callum Marshall, and Gideon Kodua in the first half, but it was after the break that this talented group showed their class to stroll to a second win in five days.
The comeback was set in motion when Dan Chesters’ swashbuckling run won a penalty with 70 minutes played. George Earthy then shaped to take the penalty, before handing the ball to Marshall, who found the bottom corner from 12 yards.
And a second quickly followed when Kodua found Earthy, who completed a quick counter-attack with a deft finish from inside the area. But the Hammers weren’t done there and had chances to net a third too, despite Joe Anang preserving the lead with a string of superb stops. By the time the game rolled into stoppage time, Marshall found the net from close range, poking the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs to secure a win that takes the U21s top of Group H in the EFL Trophy Southern Section.
SOUTHAMPTON
Rush Green
3 - 3 (Marshall 2, Earthy)
22 September 2023
Knightbridge
Chesters
Laing (Luizao)
Casey
Johnson
Scarles (Moore)
Coventry
Kelly (Orford)
Marshall
Mubama (Kodu)
Earthy
In a hard-fought Premier League 2 fixture at Rush Green training ground, the Saints took the lead when skipper Kamrai Doyle curled a delicious free-kick over the wall and into the near corner with 19 minutes played.
West Ham United’s fifth PL2 outing of the season saw chances for both sides, with Jacob Knightbridge making a string of exceptional saves, before the Irons pulled level through George Earthy. The No10 finished Callum Marshall’s inch-perfect cross from close range to restore parity midway through the first half.
Marshall was then on the scoresheet himself when he headed home a teasing cross from Dan Chesters, who again showed his quality in attack when bursting forward from right wing-back.
The game was in the Hammers’ favour at the break then, although the Saints struck twice in the second half to swing momentum back the way of the visitors, Samuel Amo-Ameyaw’s effort proved to be too powerful for Knightbridge, who could only tip the Southampton No7’s shot onto bar before it crept over the line. Princewell Ehibhatiomhan then finished a stunning counter-attack to put the visitors ahead.
Marshall though had other ideas. His eleventh goal in his last eight games stole a point after a delicious pass from Coventry sent the forward through on goal in stoppage-time.
MANCHESTER CITY
Joie Stadium
2 - 2 (Kodua, Marshall)
30 September 2023
Knightbridge
Chesters
Laing
Casey
Luizao
Scarles (Clayton)
Kelly
Orford
Kodua (Moore)
Marshall
Earthy
A resolute showing from West Ham United U21s at Manchester City saw goals from Callum Marshall and Gideon Kodua secure a point.
The Hammers move seventh in the Premier League 2 table, four points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur, with an impressive performance in the defending champions' backyard. A battle followed in the North West as the hosts started well. Indeed, West Ham needed Marshall to cancel out Kane Taylor’s early opener with his 12th goal of the season inside ten minutes.
In the Hammers’ ninth competitive outing of the campaign, City would lead at the break as Josh Adam curled the hosts’ second past Jacob Knightbridge, although West Ham responded well in the second.
George Earthy and Lewis Orford both went close until the U21s’ second of an impressive performance in the North West salvaged a point. Earthy won the ball brilliantly and allowed Orford to find Callum Marshall. The Northern Irish forward then left Kodua with a tap-in at the back post.
Late chances for Orford and Marshall meant the Hammers could have seen more than a point from their travels, although a draw was perhaps a fair result. Knightbridge, Laing, Luizão, and Kaelan Casey all played their part to stop City from finding a third late on.
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