WEST HAM UNITED
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Memorabilia through the Decade
A Pictorial History
John Lyall
#0528
BILLY JENNINGS
Born: 20 February 1952, Hackney, London
Signed: Watford
Date: 5 September 1974
Fee: £110,000
Debut: 7 September 1974, Sheffield United (H)
Last game: 21 April 1979, Charlton Athletic (A)
Appearances: 110/15
Goals: 39
Transferred: Leyton Orient
Date: 11 August 1979
Individual honours: FA Cup Winner (1975),
FA Charity Shield Runner-up (1975),
European Cup Winners Cup Runner-up (1976)
Born in Hackney, Billy Jennings progressed through the ranks at Watford to carve out a professional career for himself with the Vicarage Road club in 1970, scoring 33 goals over four years and earning England youth international honours.
On 5 September 1974 the quick-silver striker made a £110,000 switch across London from the Third Division club to West Ham United, becoming John Lyall’s first signing. The striker’s arrival coincided with a distinct revival of fortunes for the Hammers. Two-days later, Jennings made a scoring debut against Sheffield United at Upton Park but finished on the losing side 1-2.
His signing, together with that of fellow striker Keith Robson, initiated a goal scoring spree for the Hammers. Despite his relatively small stature Jennings was surprisingly known for his aerial ability, scoring a number of headed goals.
At the end of the 1974/75 season, he finished as the club’s top scorer, with an impressive fourteen goals and would pick up an FA Cup winners medal against Fulham at Wembley, despite the embarrassment of scoring an own-goal in the semi-final replay victory over Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge.
The following campaign, he would score twice at the right end as West Ham fought back from 4-0 down at one stage to beat Den Haag an away goals to reach the semi-finals and ultimately a heart-breaking defeat to Belgium side Anderlecht in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final held at Stade du Heysel in Brussels on 5 May 1976.
In the summer of 1977 he had a short loan spell in America with NASL side Chicago Sting, playing 19 games and scoring 6 goals. The striker returned for the start of 1977/78 season but picked up a serios Achilles tendon injury which put him out of action for a year, restricting his appearances and ultimately failed to hold on to a regular place in the team.
After 125 league and cup appearances and scoring 39 goals he took the well-trodden path between Upton Park and Orient's Brisbane Road ground on 11 August 1979. Jennings scored 26 goals in 78 appearances for Orient before moving to Luton Town. However, after just 2 substitute appearances for the Hatters he retired from the professional game and played non-league football for Isthmian League clubs Dagenham, Bishop's Stortford and Heybridge Swifts and later worked as a football agent.
#0529
KEITH ROBSON
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Keith Robson played his youth soccer with Newcastle United before progressing to their first XI in 1971. West Ham signed this no-nonsense utility player from St James’ Park in September 1974 for the princely sum £55,555 plus a further £20,00 after making 20 first team appearances, for the Hammers this was money well spent as the likeable but temperamental Geordie got his Boleyn Ground career off to a flying start, scoring 5 goals in his first five appearances in a claret and blue shirt.
A member of the club’s successful cup squad of the mid-seventies, but missed out in the 1975 FA Cup final against Fulham due to injury. He partly made up for that disappointment when won a Runners-up medal in 1976 finding the net in the 4-2 defeat to RSC Anderlecht in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final and in doing so became one of only three West ham players who have had the honour of scoring in a major European final. Alan Sealey at Wembley in 1965 and Pat Holland along with Robson in the Stade du Heysel, Brussels final.
Robson moved to Cardiff City in August 1977, having scored 19 goals in 89 appearances for the Hammers. His Bluebird career yielded 5 goals from 21 games before teaming up with Ex-Hammers Alan Taylor, Graham Paddon, Martin Peters and John McDowell at Norwich City in February 1978. The £25,000 signing scored 13 goals in 65 games for the Carrow Road club. Later played for Leicester City and Carlisle United followed by a brief spell in Hong Kong with South China Athletic Association. A spell as assistant manager with Wroxham before retiring from the game and work for Norwich International Airport.
#0530
ALAN TAYLOR
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Alan Taylor began his apprenticeship with Preston North End in October 1969, but was allowed to drift into non-league football following the club’s relegation. Playing first for Lancashire City, but it was the goals he scored for Morecombe that prompted Third Division Rochdale to sign him in May 1973. By the time Taylor had shown up on the West Ham radar, the Spotland Stadium side had dropped a Division into the Fourth, but this didn’t discourage manager John Lyall from paying £45,000 to bring him to the Boleyn Ground in November 1974.
This speedy whippet-like striker made the transition from the Fourth Division in true "Roy of the Rovers" fashion, by scoring twice in the FA Cup Sixth Round victory over Arsenal at Highbury, poached another brace in the Semi-Final Replay against Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge, and did the same again in the Final at Wembley against Fulham.
Sparrow made his initial debut as a substitute for Billy Jennings against Leeds United at Upton Park in a 2-1 victory on the 7 December 1974. Although he played in Irons' 1976 European Cup Winners' Final appearance against Anderlecht in Belgium, his style of play made him very susceptible to injuries, which restricted his First XI outings.
Thirty-six goals in 124 appearances were enough to persuaded Norwich City to invest £90,000 in his services when he joined the Canaries in August 1979.
He later joined Cambridge United after a spell with Vancouver Whitecaps. Was given a free transfer by Hull City at the end of 1983-84 and then back in the claret-and-blue for a different cause with Burnley in June 1984.
#0531
ALAN CURBISHLEY
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Schoolboy prodigy who was reluctantly allowed to join Birmingham City 11 July 1979 for a huge £225,00 fee after a dispute over his role in the side. Curbishley made his Hammers debut against Chelsea at Upton Park on 10 March 1975 finishing on the losing side 0-1.
In addition to starring at schoolboy level he also won six caps for England Youth and was a member of Hammers' side which reached the F.A. Youth Cup Final in 1975. Joined Brighton and Hove Albion after spells with Aston Villa and Charlton Athletic, which he later became manager in July 1991 steering them to Premiership status. He left his position with the Addicts in May 2006 and after a short spell away from the game, which was augmented by work as a television pundit, Curbishley returned to management in December 2006 when he was appointed as manager of West Ham United. Resigned his post in September 2008 after a dispute over the club’s transfer policy. In December 2013 Curbishley was appointed technical director with Premier League side Fulham, but following the arrival of Felix Magath was was released less than two months into the role.
#0532
YILMAZ ORHAN
Born: 13 March 1955, Nicosia, Cyprus
Signed: 16 February 1973
Debut: 24 March 1976 Queens Park Rangers (H)
Last Game: 30 October 1976 West Bromwich Albion (A)
Appearances: 9
Goals: 0
Transferred: Team Hawaii (USA)
Date: 31 March 1977
Born in Nicosia, Cyprus, and of Turkish parentage, Yilmaz came to England and attended Clissold Park Comprehensive School, Hackney. The would-be lawyer was spotted by ex-Hammers’ player Terry Matthews playing for local side Averley F.C.
In addition to first-team appearances for the Athenian League club he also represented Essex County Youth. Orhan played a few games for Southend United before joining the ground-staff at Upton Park at the end of October 1972 and made a scoring debut in the 2-0 win for the South East Counties League side against Fulham at Chadwell Heath on 4 November.
After progressing to Football Combination football, Orhan signed professional forms on 16 February 1973. The 20-year-old made his First Division debut in the 1-0 win at the Boleyn Ground against Queens Park Rangers on 24 January 1976.
Manager John Lyall commented on his performance afterwards by say “Yilmaz showed plenty of potential and a lot of individuality, he also showed composure and, most of all, ability in the box.” With a bit more composure, he might even have crowned his league debut with a goal.
In his nine senior appearances for the first-team he failed to get on the scoring-list and left the Hammers on a free transfer on 31 March 1977 for Team Hawaii of the North American Soccer League.
Orhan later played for Houston Hurricane and San Diego Sockers before joining a host of American clubs playing in the Major Indoor Soccer League between 1980 and 1987. After his playing days were over he worked in a casino in Las Vagas.
#0533
GEOFF PIKE
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This whole-hearted endeavour and perpetual motion of this key midfield man did much to cushion the blow of losing Patsy Holland through injury. A similar type of player to Pat and his predecessor Ronnie Boyce, Geoff made a major contribution to the club's promotion back to the top flight in 1981. Making his League debut at Upton Park as a substitute for Yilmaz Orhan in a 1-2 defeat by Birmingham City on the 6th March 1976, he played much of his early soccer in Thurrock District and later with Gidea Park Rangers, well-known providers of football talent. A member of Hammers' Youth side which reached the F.A. Youth Cup Final in 1975, against Ipswich Town.
Pike had to wait a further five years for his first senior honour an F.A. Cup Winners medal in 1980 against Arsenal at Wembley. He followed it up with a League Cup Runners-up medal and Second Division Championship memento's the next year. Transferred to Notts County in the summer of 1987 for £50,000 also given the responsibility of club captain. Later he joined near London neighbours Leyton Orient.
#0534
BILL GREEN
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#0535
ALAN DEVONSHIRE
Born: 13 April 1956, Park Royal, London
Signed: Southall
Date: 27 September 1976
Fee: £5,000
Debut: 27 October 1976,
Queens Park Rangers (H)
Last game: 14 February 1990,
Oldham Athletic (A)
Appearances: 432/16
Goals: 32
International: England (8 caps),
England B (1 cap)
Individual honours: Hammer of the Year (1979),
FA Cup Winner (1980),
FA Charity Shield Runner-up (1980),
Second Division Champions (1981),
Football League Cup Runner-up (1981)
Transferred: Watford
Date: July 1990
Born in Park Royal in 1956, Alan Devonshire was spotted playing for the Isthmian League side Southall by Hammers scouts Eddie Baily and Charlie Faulkner who recommended him to West Ham manager Ron Greenwood.
The youngster was rejected at the age of 14 by Crystal Palace for being too small, he returned to Selhurst Park two years later, playing a couple of youth games before again being released. Not to be disheartened he combined his day to day working life as a fork-lift truck driver at the Hoover factory in Middlesex with a senior football career with non-league Southall.
On 27 September 1976, Devonshire fulfilled his boyhood dream and signed his first professional forms. West Ham United paid a paltry £5,000, and nobody could have known just how good a deal the Hammers were getting. For that modest outlay, the east London side secured a player who would establish himself as one of the most talented players ever to wear the Claret and Blue.
Devonshire made his senior first team debut in the League Cup against Queens Park Rangers at Upton Park 27 October 1976 and proceeded to set the First Division alight as he took on and beat opponents with his silky skills and wing play, although the gifted player couldn't halt the Hammers slide into the Second Division in 1978.
The midfielder’s telepathic partnership with Trevor Brooking was influential in the Hammers’ FA Cup final victory over Arsenal, when his run down the left flank ended with the cross that led to Brooking scoring the only goal of the game. The pair also played a leading role in the club’s return to the top flight in 1980/81, and also the dazzling Cup successes of the same period and ‘Dev’ was awarded the first of 8 England caps against Northern Ireland at Wembley Stadium in May 1980.
He continued to excel, shaking off an injury which caused him to miss almost all of the 1984/85 season to play 47 times the next year – when West Ham secured their highest-ever league finish of third. He might only have scored 32 times for West Ham, but he created countless chances for others during one of the Club’s golden periods.
The talented midfielder was awarded a testimonial against Crystal Palace at the start of the 1989/90 campaign and went on to make 448 appearances for the Hammers during his memorable 14-year spell in east London and ending his playing days at Watford, joining the Hornets on a free transfer in the summer of 1990 before embarking on a successful career in non-league management.
Having taken the reigns at Brentford Women, Maidenhead United and Hampton & Richmond Borough, he led Braintree Town in the Conference, before returning to Maidenhead in 2015 and taking them them to non-league football’s top tier. His 800th game in sole charge of the Magpies came at Aldershot Town on 31 August 2024, Dev is still in the dugout with the Berkshire club.
#0536
ANTON OTULAKOWSKI
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#0537
JOHN RADFORD
Born: 22 February 1947, Pontefract, Yorkshire, England
Signed: Arsenal
Date: 14 December 1976
Fee: £80,000
Debut: Liverpool, 18 December 1976 (H)
Last game: Leeds United, 26 November 1977 (H)
Transferred: 23 February 1978
Appearances: 30
Goals: 0
A famous name from Arsenal's "1971 double season" and notched up 481 appearances, scoring 149 goals. Radford signed for West Ham United for £80,000 on 14 December 1976 to aid their fight against relegation. Hammers’ manager John Lyall declaring on the day he put pen to paper “even when he’s not scoring goals he’s helping to make them, and because he’s good in the air it means we can put in some high crosses.” The ex-Gunner made his Hammers debut four days later in the 2-0 victory over Liverpool at Upton Park.
However, the West Ham manager came to rue his earlier words, as the Highbury polific centre-forward, was dogged by almost unbelievable bad luck in a Claret and Blue shirt. In 30 senior outings over two seasons he did everything but score; at times it seemed gremlins were at work to prevent him doing so.
As if by magic, his move to Blackburn Rovers on 23 February 1978 saw him regain his scoring touch with ten strikes in 38 appearances. However his 30 games for Hammers without scoring a goal must remain something of a record for a recognised striker. After retiring, he became a pub landlord in Thaxted, Essex, and enjoyed several spells as manager of Bishop's Stortford in the late 1980s and early 1990s and worked as a youth coach with Queens Park Rangers.
#0538
PAUL BRUSH
Born: 22 February 1958, Plaistow, London
Apprentice: 15 July 1974
Professional: 22 February 1976
Debut: 20 August 1977, Norwich City (H)
Last game: 20 May 1985, Liverpool (H)
Appearances: 175/11
Goals: 1
Transferred: Crystal Palace
Date: 21 December 1985
Individual honours: FA Cup winner (1980),
FA Charity Shield Runner-up (1980),
Second Division Champions (1981)
Born in Plaistow, Paul Brush came through West Ham’s academy, signing apprenticeship forms on 15 July 1974. A member of the Hammers FA Youth Cup final team of 1975, a year later on his 18th birthday, he signed professional forms.
Brush made his first team debut in the opening game of the 1977/78 season, although on the losing side that day, a 3-1 defeat to Norwich City at the Boleyn Ground, he went on to play a total twenty-four league games in his first season in Claret and Blue.
A defender of some standing in Football League circles, he made the left-back position his own in the 1978/79 season, being ever present during the Hammers first season following relegation to the Second Division. Despite John Lyall’s side failing to regain their top status over the following two campaigns, the club did taste success by winning the FA Cup in 1980. Brush though was desperately unlucky to be only selected as twelfth man at the expense of the experienced Frank Lampard, despite having played in all but one of the games during the cup run.
A consolation appearance at Wembley came a few months later in the 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Charity Shield, he also made four appearances in the Hammers European Cup Winners’ Cup campaign in the same season.
However, following the emergence of the full back partnership between Ray Stewart and Lampard, Brush’s first team opportunities were now limited, and he made only thirty-four starts over the next four seasons, but along the way he did pick up a Second Division Championship winners’ medal in 1981/82 as the Hammers were promoted back to the First Division.
Although still a highly-valued member of the senior senior squad he proved invaluable during the 1984/85 injury crisis and Lampard’s decision to withdraw from first team contention. Brush scored just a solitary goal in 151 League games, coming against Queens Park Rangers on New Years Day 1985.
After his initial breakthrough to the side, and now facing strong competition from both Steve Walford and George Parris for the left back position, Brush was unable to sustain the consistency to become a permanent member of the well-established Hammers back four of the time.
The likeable defender signed a 3-month loan deal with Crystal Palace on 30 September 1985. His transfer to the Eagles was made permanent on 21 December 1985. His stay in south London lasted three years and made 50 league appearances before joining Southend United in January 1988. An influential figure with the Shrimpers as they regained Third Division status at the first attempt in 1989/90 and went on to make 73 League appearances for the costal side.
He then moved into non-league football with Enfield in July 1990, he then played for Chelmsford City, Hendon and Heybridge Swifts before hanging up his boots to join Leyton Orient as youth coach in 1994. He was appointed O’s manager in October 2001 which lasted two years before returning to Southend as assistant manager, helping them to two successive promotions. A similar role at Lincoln City lasted a year, and then in 2012 became an academy development coach at Tottenham Hotspur and then a scout for Cambridge United.
#0539
DEREK HALES
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#0540
DAVID CROSS
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ALVIN MARTIN
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PHIL PARKES
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NICKY MORGAN
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#0544
BILLY LANSDOWNE Jnr.
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#0545
PHIL BRIGNULL
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#0546
STUART PEARSON
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#0547
DALE BANTON
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#0548
RAY STEWART
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#0549
JIMMY NEIGHBOUR
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#0550
PAUL ALLEN
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#0551
MARK SMITH
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#0552
PAUL GODDARD
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