Charlie Paynter discovered this brilliant inside-forward on the club's doorstep, playing Sunday morning football for the Builders Arms pub team in Stratford and also for Pearl United and Manor Park Albion.

Daniel Harold Shea joined the Hammers in 1907 and made his Southern League debut against Norwich City at Newmarket Road in a 1-1 draw on 7 December 1907. A superb ball-player, hard to dispossess, he developed into a consistent goalscorer and became the leading light in West Ham's attack. His fine form didn't fail to catch the attention of Football League club's and after 179 Southern League appearances for Hammers, Blackburn Rovers duly broke the existing transfer record to take him to Ewood Park for £2,000 in 1913.

It proved to be a shrewd transaction on Hammers part when, after winning two England caps and a First Division Championship medal while at Rovers, he returned South during the War years to make a further 73 appearances in the claret-and-blue as a guest player in the hastily-formed London Combination.

Shea also had a spell with Nottingham Forest in 1918-19, and was in the side which defeated Everton in the Final of the Victory Shield. Although Danny went back to Blackburn with cessation of hostilities to win further England honours in two Victory Internationals against Scotland. Danny returned for a second spell at the Boleyn Ground.

His return proved to be an abortive reunion, for after 16 Second Division outings and a solitary goal to show for his efforts in 1920/21, he transferred to Fulham in November 1920 after a difference of opinion with the West Ham management. The move saw him regain some of his old form and he finished the following season as the Cottagers' second top scorer with 11 goals. His football journey continued with moves to Clapton Orient, Coventry City and later Sheppey United.

 

Born: 6 November 1887, Wapping, London, England

West Ham United Career: (1907-1913 and 1920-21) Appearances: 217, Goals: 122

International: Inter-League (3 caps)

Died: 25 December 1960 (aged 73)