WEST HAM UNITED
theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES &
Memorabilia through the Decade
A Pictorial History
Ron Greenwood
#467
LAWRIE LESLIE
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IAN CRAWFORD
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RON TINDALL
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#470
JOHNNY BYRNE
Born: 13 May 1939, West Horsley, Surrey
Signed: Crystal Palace
Date: 8 March 1962, Fee: £65,000 + Ron Brett
Debut: 17 March 1962, Sheffield Wednesday (A)
Last game: 11 February 1967, Sunderland (H)
Appearances: 206
Goals: 108
Transferred: Crystal Palace
Date: 17 March 1967
Fee: £45,000
International:
England (10 caps),
England Under-23 (1 cap),
England Inter-League (2 caps),
Inter-League (4 caps)
Individual honours: FA Cup Winner (1964),
Hammer of the Year (1964),
Charity Shield (1965),
Football League Cup Runners-up (1966)
Died: 27 October 1999, Cape Town, South Africa (aged 60)
Trophy Cabinet
(Click Picture Link)
John Joseph Byrne was born in West Horsley in Surrey and played non-league football with Epson Town and Guildford City Youth, before signing a professional contract with Crystal Palace in May 1956. The goalscoring centre-forward with silky skills made his debut in October against Swindon Town. His early years at Selhurst Park saw Palace struggle but their fortunes improved and in 1960-61 his 30 goals helped them win promotion from Division Four.
In 1961 'The Big Book of Football Champions' proclaimed 'The discovery of the season: Johnny Byrne of Crystal Palace, the only Fourth Division player to gain international honours'. This statement was in recognition to Byrne winning an England Under-23 cap. By the end of the season, 'The Glaziers', as they were known then, were runners-up in the old Fourth Division and were promoted to the Third Division.
As a Third Division player 'Budgie' - nicknamed for his ceaseless chatter on the field - earned his first full international cap against Northern Ireland at Wembley in November 1961. The elevation to international recognition drew huge admiration and he inevitably became a target for the bigger clubs, including West Ham United.
In March 1962, after six seasons with the south London club, making 220 appearances and scored 95 goals Ron Greenwood paid a British record transfer of £65,000 for Byrne, the fee being made up of £58,000 plus ex-Palace inside-forward Ron Brett valued at £7,000.
Nine days later, Byrne made his Hammers debut at Hillsborough against Sheffield Wednesday in a 0-0 draw. Scored only once in the remaining eleven games of his first season, against Cardiff City in a 4-1 win. However, his strike ratio for the Hammers' would speak for itself, with a better than a goal every other game.
‘Budgie’ won an FA Cup winners medal and Hammer of the Year in 1964. He missed out on place in the victorious 1955 European Cup Winners Cup side due to a knee injury. In his time at the Boleyn Ground ‘Budgie’ was awarded ten England caps and was also tagged the ‘English Di Stefano’ by West Ham manager Ron Greenwood. After making 206 appearances and scored 108 goals he returned to Crystal Palace on 17 February 1967 for a £45,000 fee, not a bad return for six seasons.
Now past his best ‘Budgie’ made a further 39 appearances for the south Londoners before joining Fulham in March 1968 for only £18,000. At Craven Cottage he played as a half-back, recording 19 games before moving to South Africa in June 1969 to sign for Durban City where he played in 69 league games and scored 22 goals. He later became their manager and then in 1973 he joined Hellenic as manager where he spent 22 years with them before being sacked in October 1995.
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MARTIN PETERS
Born: 8 November 1943, Plaistow, London
App: 1 May 1959
Pro: November 1960
Debut: Cardiff City 20 April 1962 (H)
Last game: Ipswich Town 14 March 1970 (H)
Transferred: Tottenham Hotspur
Date: 16 March 1970
Fee: £200,000 + Jimmy Greaves
Appearances: 364, Goals: 100
Died: 21 December 2019, Brentwood, (aged 76)
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ALAN DICKIE
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JACK BURKETT
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BRIAN DEAR
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PETER BRABROOK
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#476
JIM STANDEN
Born: 39 May 1935, Edmonton, London
Signed: Luton Town
Date 19 November 1962
Fee: £6,000
Debut: Sheffield Wednesday 24 November 1962 (A)
Last game: 2 December 1967, Sheffield United (H)
Appearances: 236 - Goals: 0
Transferred: Detroit Cougars (USA) 1968
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Born in Edmonton in north London, Standen joined Arsenal in 1953, aged 18. He initially found his first-team opportunities limited, first by National Service and then by the presence of Wales international Jack Kelsey in the Arsenal goal. Standen made his Gunners’ debut in December 1957 before deputising for the injured Kelsey in 1958-59. The two shared net minding duties when he returned the following season, Kelsey regained the number one shirt outright at the start of 1960-61 and Standen left Highbury for Division Two club Luton Town in October 1960 having made 38 appearances.
At Kenilworth Road, Standen found himself playing second-fiddle, this time to England international Ron Baynham and, after failing to force his way into the side, he joined West Ham United on 19 November 1962 for £6,000 as an emergency replacement for the injured Lawrie Leslie who suffered a broken leg.
Standen made his West Ham United First Division debut in the 3-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on 24 November 1962. On Leslie's return, Standen kept his place and was a virtual ever-present over the next four seasons under Ron Greenwood. In 1963-64, his performances helped West Ham to reach the League Cup semi-finals and the FA Cup final, where they overcame Preston North End 3-2 at Wembley to lift the Club's first major trophy.
The following May, Standen and his team-mates were back at Wembley, with the goalkeeper keeping a clean sheet to inspire the Hammers to a 2-0 victory over German side TSV 1860 Munich in the European Cup Winners' Cup final. Standen remained No.1 during the 1966-67 season, but lost his place to Bobby Ferguson at the start of the following campaign.
After making 178 league and 58 cup appearances for West Ham he took the decision to move to North American Soccer League side Detroit Cougars in 1968. He returned for the 1969-70 season to play eight games for Millwall before signing a two-year contract with Portsmouth.
After 13 appearances between the sticks for Pompey he hung up his gloves in 1972. A dual-sport star, Standen also excelled at cricket. Primarily a right-arm medium pace bowler, he won a County Championship winner's medal with Worcestershire in 1964. He took 313 first-class wickets between 1959 and 1970 at an impressive average of 25.34.
After his retirement, he owned a sports shop in Camberley, Surrey, before set up home in the United States where he was a goalkeeper coach at Fresco State University.
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JOHN CHARLES
Born: 20 September 1944, Canning Town
App: May 1962
Debut: Blackburn Rovers 4 May 1963 (H)
Last game: Leeds United 2 April 1970 (H)
Appearances: 142
Goals: 2
Died: 17 August 2002 (aged 57)
Charles played for West Ham, Essex and London Boys, reaching the English Schools Cup final with the former in 1960, before signing his first professional contract at the Boleyn Ground in May 1962.
The talented left-back came through the Academy of Football ranks and captained the West Ham Youth Cup-winning side of 1963. Capped five times at youth level, Charles was also the first black player to represent England at any level, further cementing his position as a true pioneer not just for West Ham United, but for the entire country.
‘Charlo’, as he was affectionately known, made his League debut along with Martin Britt and Johnny Sissons against Blackburn Rovers at Upton Park, a 0-1 defeat on the 4 May 1963.
It would be during the 1965/66 season that Charles became a first-team regular under manager Ron Greenwood, making 36 appearances in all competitions, including seven as the Hammers reached the League Cup final – including his first senior goal in a fifth-round tie at Grimsby Town in November 1965 – and four in the club’s run to the European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-finals.
Charles remained Greenwood’s first-choice left-back for most of the next three seasons before the emergence of a man with whom he shared a birthday, Frank Lampard Senior, and increasing injury problems saw him call time on his career in the early part of the 1969/70 season. At just 26, he shocked the Hammers faithful with his decision to quit football and join his father-in-law as a greengrocer.
However, by then, Charles’ place in West Ham history was already assured, paving the way for future black players to star in Claret and Blue, including his younger brother Clive and teammates Clyde Best and Ade Coker.
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MARTIN BRITT
Born: 17 January 1946, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
Sign: Junior, July 1961
Debut: Blackburn Rovers
Date: 4 May 1963
Appearances: 26
Goals: 7
Transferred: Blackburn Rovers
Date: 14 March 1966
Fee: £17,000
International: England Youth (3 caps)
Martin Britt was spotted playing youth team football for Essex and London schoolboys. Aged fifteen the youngster was invited by West Ham scout Wally St Pier and manager Ted Fenton to participate in evening training sessions, the duo was so impressed, he signed apprentice forms in July of that year.
On 10 August 1961 before the upcoming campaign kicked-off the youngster was included in the first pre-season ‘Practice’ match at Upton Park, playing for ‘Club Colours’ against ‘The Whites’, Britt got off to the perfect start, scoring a hat-trick in his side’s 9-4 win.
The forwards first competitive match in Claret and Blue came for the ‘A’ teams Metropolitan League encounter with Arsenal at their London Colney training ground, the match ended with both sides sharing eight goals. Britt’s elevation to the Reserves side was swift, making his Football Combination debut against Ipswich Town at Upton Park on 7 October 1961. The stars of the 6-3 victory were Eddie Bovington and Britt, both scoring a brace of goals.
Britt’s first professional forms were signed on 17 January 1963, and in the same year had the distinction of scoring in each of his three England Youth internationals, the first against Switzerland at Stade de Frontenex in Genève on 19 March 1963 in a 3-0 win, another, also against the Swiss two-days later in a 7-1 victory, and his third goal at Tottenham’s, White Hart Lane enclosure in a youth tournament 2-0 win over Russia.
On 4 May 1963, Britt along with John Sissons and John Charles all stepped up to make their first-team debuts against Blackburn Rovers at Upton Park. At the end of the month he was an FA Youth Cup final winner. After losing 3-1 to Liverpool in the first-leg at Anfield, the second-leg at Upton Park was the scene for an amazing game of football. At half-time it looked all over as The Red’s stretched their aggregate lead to 5-2, but the 13,200 in attendance were treated to a spectacular comeback as the young Hammers rallied to score four unanswered goals in the second half to take the FA Youth Cup!
The star of the show was Martin Britt, who scored four of the goals, all of them headers – in view of this he was presented with the match ball, which he still cherishes today at the age of 78.
On his second first-team appearance, in October that year, he scored his first goal against Aston Villa in a 2-0 League Cup win at Villa Park. However, the centre-forward found the competition for places in the free-scoring West Ham attack of the mid-sixties a stumbling block for his advancement.
Over three seasons he made 26 appearances and scored 7 goals. An indication of his potential can be found in his transfer to Blackburn Rovers, who splashed out £25,000 to take him to Ewood Park. Sadly his career was prematurely cut short due to a knee ligament injury and the fee caused a major dispute between the two clubs. Blackburn claimed West Ham had not made them aware of his injury; his fee was later adjusted to £17,000. He remained with Rovers for eighteen months in a coaching capacity. After leaving football behind, he started his own successful textile business.
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JOHN SISSONS
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DAVE BICKLES
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#481
ROGER HUGO
Born: 6 September 1942, Woking, Surrey
Signed: October 1960
Debut: Leicester City 18 March 1964 (A)
Last game: Stoke City 31 March 1964 (A)
Appearances: 3
Goals: 2
Transferred: Watford
Date: May 1965
Died: April 2024, South Africa
Roger Hugo first pulled on a Claret and Blue shirt for West Ham United on 4 September 1958 against German side Hessicher Fussball Verband at Woodford Town’s Snakes Lane ground in a junior international club friendly match. His first competitive match for the Hammers came nine day later, playing in the South East Counties League against Southend United at their Waterworks Ground.
The inside-forwards progression through the ranks was steady and signed his first professional contract with West Ham United in October 1960. Hugo has a unique scoring record at senior level for the Hammers – scoring twice in three appearances, all away from home at Midlands based club; Leicester City, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City.
He is a member or a select group of Hammers who scored on their debut – nabbing one in a 2-2 draw at Leicester City in his first senior match on 18 March 1964. Ten days later he followed that up with the only goal against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.
His first team opportunities were limited due to a surplus of candidates for the inside-birth and never got a chance to show the Boleyn Ground crowd his undoubted skill at senior level and transferred to Watford in May 1965. During his time at Vicarage Road the inside-forward made 26 appearances, scoring 6 goals.
In 1966, Hugo’s next port of call was with Port Elizabeth City. The South Africa club was the first to employ players as full-time professionals and had their best season in 1967, winning the National Football League. It was in South Africa that he set up a successful film rental business and where he passed away in April 2024.
#482
PETER BENNETT
Born: 24 June 1946, Hillingdon Middlesex
App: July 1963
Debut: Bolton Wanderers 4 April 1964 (H)
Last game: Newcastle United 19 September 1970 (H)
Appearances: 47
Goals: 3
Transferred: Orient
Date: October 1970 - Tommy Taylor
Died: 22 march 2024 aged 77
A midfielder, Bennett joined the Academy of Football as 15-yeaar-old apprentice in 1961, having been spotted playing alongside John Sissons while playing for Middlesex Scoolboys by scout Charlie Faulkner. In 1963, both started alongside the likes of Harry Redknapp and John Charles as Martin Britt’s four second-leg goals saw the Hammers stun Liverpool to win the FA Youth Cup for the first time. Bennett made his first-team debut as a 17-year-old in a First Division fixture against Boulton Wanderers at the Boleyn Ground on 4 April 1964.
His first victory in Claret and Blue came in a famous win over Don Revie’s Leeds United in August 1965. Scored his first goal came later the same season, in April 1966 fixture at Chelsea, he followed that with further top-flight strikes away art West Browich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur in April 1967 and august 1970 respectively.
A valuable member of Ron Greenwood’s squad during the Club’s golden era, Bennett played 47 times between 1964-70, and scoring three goals as a trusted and reliable deputy for regular No.8 Ron Boyce.
The adaptable inside-forward who found it difficult to hold a regular place in the senior side and spent the best part of the 1970s at Brisbane Road after signing for the O’s in October 1970 in a deal that brought Tommy Taylor to Upton Park.
He also had a loan spell in the United States with North American Soccer League club St. Louis Stars in 1978, before a leg injury forced him into retirement in 1980 at the age of 33 and he took a job on the O’s coaching staff.
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EDDIE PRESLAND
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TREVOR DAWKINS
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HARRY REDKNAPP
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DENNIS BURNETT
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JIMMY BLOOMFIELD
Born: 15 February 1934, Notting Hill, Kensington
Signed: Brentford
Date: 30 September 1965
Fee: £6,500
Debut: Fulham 2 October 1965 (A)
Last game: Borussia Dortmund 13 April 1966 (A)
Appearances: 14
Goals: 1
Transferred: Plymouth Argyle
Date: 26 September 1966
Died: 3 April 1983 (aged 49)
On 30 September 1965, four months after winning the European Cup Winners Cup at Wembley Stadium the Hammers made their first transfer signing in over three years when manager Ron Greenwood snapped-up midfielder Jimmy Bloomfield from Third Division Brentford. Bloomfield’s signing from the Griffin Park club was as replacement for the injured Ron Boyce and to help strengthen the playing squad.
Born in Notting Hill, North Kensington on 15 February 1934, he began his career as a youngster with non-league club Hayes, and had a short spell with Walthamstow Avenue before joining Second Division club Brentford in October 1952. After the Bee’s were relegated in 1954, he was snapped up by Arsenal for £8,000 and played 227 times for the Gunners, scoring 56 goals. Bloomfield joined Birmingham City in November 1960 before returning to Brentford for a second spell in the summer of 1964.
Primarly signed as a back-up player, Greenwood’s £6,500 acquisition from the Griffin Park club made his West Ham United debut in the absence of Martin Peters against Fulham at Craven Cottage in a 0-3 reverse on 2 October 1965. Scored his one and only Hammers’ goal in the 3-3 draw at home to Blackburn Rovers in a 4th round F.A. Cup match 12 February 1966.
Bloomfield's last appearance for the first-team came in the European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final second leg tie against Borussia Dortmund at Rote Erde Stadion in April 1966. Unable to dislodge either Martin Peters or Ron Boyce for a permanent first team spot his stay at the Boleyn Ground lasted four-days short of a year, contributing just 14 Claret and Blue league and cup appearances before transferring to Plymouth Argyle on 26 September 1966.
After two years and 25 league appearances with the Home Park club he moved back to east London to join Leyton Orient as player manager whom he guided to 1969-70’s Third Division Championship title.
Following this success it was no surprise he progressed his managerial career with Leicester City taking over from fellow ex-Hammer Frank O’Farrell at Filbert Street. In his six years with the Foxes he kept the club in Division One and steered them to a FA Cup semi-final in 1973-74 where they lost to Liverpool in a replay.
In September 1977 he moved back to Brisbane Road where he worked a minor miracle by steering the Division Two club to a FA Cup semi-final. A major disagreement with the O’s chairman over the transfer of a player led to Jimmy resigning in May 1981.
In October that year he briefly returned to football with Luton Town in a scouting and coaching role until his premature death in April 1983 aged 49.
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BOBBY HOWE
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COLIN MACKLEWORTH
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GEORGE ANDREW
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BILL KITCHENER
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PAUL HEFFER
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TREVOR HARTLEY
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DOUG EADIE
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