theyflysohigh

West Ham came home triumphant from their first crack at a coveted European Trophy – it was a victory gained first by sweat then by skill against 11 fighting part-timers. Even as 600 East London soccer fans made themselves heard above klaxons and horns and saluted victory here in Ghent the Boleyn heroes promised: “We can – and will – do better !”
Manager Ron Greenwood – the man whose tactical knowledge fashioned this great Hammers triumph – told me: “We disappointed ourselves. But we did what we came to do keep a blank scoresheet against us for the return leg at home and win if possible. “Hammers hero was again East Ham grocer’s son Ron Boyce. He made it seem like Wembley all over again as he rose in the 52nd minute of this historic European Cup Winners Cup match to head home Alan Sealey’s corner. Boyce ended a defensive deadlock that had these two sides sparring like tense novice-boxers. Said Ron Greenwood “Blame me because of the tough build-up I gave my players. We were too anxious but perhaps this was better than going into our first European game expecting a push-over”. Ken Brown successfully recalled to centre-half –was the first to admit: “”Praise Ron for this. His special break-down of the Belgian team after seeing them only once before was just great. “I felt I knew their centre-forward before the game even started.”
Hammers deservedly won a join the exclusive band of British clubs that have won away in a European cup-tie – a near impossible feat. Defensively they never looked like in trouble. Up front, they created chances without hitting anything like top form. Gantoise had speed, fitness and enthusiasm – but in the end they were poor substitutes fro West Ham’s more skilful method.
Stars! Undoubtedly Bobby Moore and Martin Peters. Skipper Moore was magnificent. His head rose time and again to clear danger and his non-stop command from midfield rallied Hammers whenever they looked like losing their grip. Peters was a superb left-back. He switched there in a 1st minute change with Jack Burkett a touch viewer and almost twice sparked goal moves with intelligent fast – running. He almost scored himself with a flashing header. Speedy John Sissons was the best of an attack given little time to work together. But it was a great save by Jim Standen soon after Boyce’s goal that kept Hammers well on top. He dived to fingertip away a sudden shot from centre-forward Lambert and admitted after the game: “I thought it was in, I saw it so late !”. At the start, Hammers needed nearly all their defensive skill to keep out the eager Gantoise forwards. But when West Ham broke away they looked well able to score. Sissons had two great drives flash past the goal; Johnny Byrne almost converted a fine Peters pass and Hurst sent a strong header straight at the ‘keeper.
But Hammers control, a brief moment of panic apart, was never in danger in the second half. West Ham already with a reputation for fair play – were voted the cleanest British team to come to Belgium at an after-the-game banquet in Ghent. Now Hammers go into the second leg at Upton Park on October 7. Their one goal up should be enough to see them into the last 16 of the Europe’s second top competition and on the road for European Gold.

LA GANTOISE (Belgium)

Preliminary Round - 2nd Leg: Upton Park 1-1
7th October 1964 (agg 2-1)

Dickie
Bond
Peters
Bovington
Brown
Moore
Brabrook
Boyce
Byrne
Hurst
Sissons

HAMMERS MARCH ON
Thanks to Sissons

Welkom La Gantoise

Either manager Ron Greenwood or secretary Eddie Chapman will now represent Hammers in Brussels for the European Cup Winners Cup draw.
This was the news from the Boleyn camp late yesterday as West Ham licked their wounds after stumbling and fumbling their way into a place among the 16 “finalists” in Europe’s second greatest cup competition under the Boleyn lights.
Whoever goes will carry with them the sad memory of 24,000 fed-up fans booing West Ham’s first European outing at home. An d when this much-heralded so disappointing game was all over the fans – many paying £1 for their seat – stayed to give ten-and-a-half fighting fit, but quite ordinary Belgians the biggest cheer of the night.
For the part-timers from Ghent who arrived in London only 24 hours before the start and hardly trained, came near to shaming Hammers out of the cup. No wonder they hugged each other after the game. It was a moral victory. West Ham can rejoice on two points. They are through to the last 16 with a lesson learned from this first European venture and the chance to play better. The 24,000 gate at raised admission prices set a Boleyn receipts record, beating the previous best of £5,192 for a cup tie against Arsenal in 1930.
But manager Ron Greenwood who said before the game: “We shall seek quick goals to build on our lead established in Ghent,” was a disappointed man. Just how important that Ron Boyce goal on a foggy night in Ghent proved to Hammers was seen when the “quick goals” never came. It wasn’t until well into the second half that Hammers established any sort of command over the plucky Belgians who trained for this match on raw meat and coffee. Hammers hit La Gantoise with everything in the first half. They swept down on the 40-year-old Seghers in goal like buzzing bees – and emerged goalless and minus their sting.
The chances were there – at least five golden, gilt-edged chances – but they were either frittered away by some fantastically bad shooting or the do-everything-wrong-and-get-away-with-it charmed life of Seghers. Byrne, Hurst, Boyce and Moore missed “sitters” and then Gantoise – banking on defence to see them to smash-and-grab victory sprang clear to level the first leg lead with the softest of goals.
And it was a tragedy for 20-year-old goalkeeper Alan Dickie hurled into this European hot-bed just 30 minutes before the kick-off because of injury to Standen. He failed to call as Peters met a Storme cross and was way out of position as Peters unwittingly turned the ball into his own net trying to pass back. Two minutes before half-time Hammers went ahead. Brilliant Sissons – surely he must play for England after this outstripped his back in a great run and crossed superbly low and fast for Byrne to run the ball in for his 14th goal of the season.
West Ham never looked like establishing a superiority that should have brought a goal feast. Key men Bobby Moore and Ron Boyce were way below form, Byrne and Hurst ruined their own link up by woeful passing and only Sissons continued to trouble the Belgians, reshuffled after the first half injury to centre back Denayer.
Hammers have always learned from their mistakes in the past. They are still a too-talented side not to learn from this narrow escape from an inglorious European exit.

SPARTAK PRAHA SOKOLOVO (Czechoslovakia)

First Round - 1st Leg: Upton Park 2-0
25th November 1964

Bond, Sealey
Att: 27,590

Standen
Bond
Burkett
Bovington
Brown
Peters
Sealey
Boyce
Bryne
Hurst
Sissons

The gate was 27,590 and receipts £10,600 – a ground record.
Spartak had eighty fans flown over from Prague to cheer them – the first time Czech supporters have been allowed to leave the country.

Image courtesy of Simon Lord

SEALEY GOAL RAPS CZECHS – Seals cup lead.

Alan Sealey smashed home the most vital goal of his West Ham career under the Boleyn lights. It came eight minutes from the end. It smashed down for a second time on this glory night the seemingly impregnable wall Spartak flung across their goal. And it has probably clinched Hammers a place in the last eight of Europe’s second greatest soccer competition. But now goal hero Sealey could be the man left out of the team when West Ham go to Prague determined to build on their slender two goal lead at all costs in the second leg of the Cup Winners Cup. Boleyn manager Ron Greenwood may well decide on a 6-2-3 defensive line up to combat Spartak’s certain policy of all out attack. And that could mean an extra defender brought in and playing only four, possibly three, forwards.
The target was a minimum lead of two goals, Hammers hit that target. For moments in the first half it looked as though Hammers would falter in the tough test. They probed and picked at Spartak’s almost brutal eight man “iron curtain” without smashing it. But from an edgy, tense start they began to flow. The attack, which had raised only two first half shots, surged forward backed by the magnificent wing half play of Martin Peters and full backs Bond and Burkett, “freed” of defensive duties by Spartak’s keep-them-out obsession on defence.
Sissons was superb, his individual brilliance – always allied to team work and Hammers’ match plan – tore huge gaps down Spartak’s right flank.
Byrne, at his brilliant best, sparkled mid-field, his superb ball control creating openings with deftness and artistry. But it took the bludgeon boot of big John Bond to send 27,590 fans roaring the first goal salute. The ball came to him knee-high 30 yards out as an in-direct free kick was half cleared. And there was Bond blasting back a wonder shot which had the magnificent Kramerlus clutching air in a vain dive.
Fifty seven minutes gone, 33 to go – and the heat on Spartak. Burkett crashed a Sissons pass inches wide, Byrne tricked three men in eye-dazzling dribble and hooked the ball at Kramerlus who seconds later rose like an eagle to flick a Peters lob over the bar.
That vital, necessary second goal still seemed a marathon distance away. Byrne flashed a pass to Boyce on the left wing. A quick first-time flick, a stabbed boot by Sealey and the ball agonisingly hit the post. Then Sealey, the man who turned the jeers to cheers, was pouncing like a panther to smash in the rebound with an unstoppable left foot shot.
Will two goals be enough in Prague? Hammers work, accomplished here with fire and method, is not over. They must play with the same dedication to stop Spartak scoring there as they did here to score themselves. I think they will do it.

SPARTAK PRAHA SOKOLOVO (Czechoslovakia)

First Round - 2nd Leg: Away 1-2
9th December 1964 (agg 3-2)

Standen
Bond
Burkett
Bovington
Brown
Peters
Sealey
Boyce
Byrne
Hurst
Sissons

Image courtesy of Simon Lord

Player Memento's

Eddie Bovington's stick pin, these were given to the players as a souvenir of the match.

Programme image courtesy of Stuart Allen

The Czech hosts presented each of the Hammers party with a set of 6 Wine Goblets as a souvenir of the match, this one belongs to Alan Dickie

CZECHS FAIL TO
CHECK GREAT HAMMERS

A Hundred-and twenty fervent fans were singing West Ham’s battle song “Bubbles” all over the sad silent city that is Prague. It was a salute to 11 West Ham heroes who for 87 minutes smashed the challenge of the Czechs. Despite that 2-1 scoreline, West Ham are through to the quarter final of Europe’s second greatest competition. Now they must be considered favourites to follow Spurs and bring the Cup Winners Cup back to England. Nobody in the Czechoslovakian capital – certainly none in the 40,000 packed National Stadium – gave them a chance in this second leg. They were almost right, but they reckoned without the Boleyn boys’ superb planning and great fighting spirit.
Hammers great and gallant defence at last gave way under the tremendous strain of a fantastic Spartak finish and the Czechs produced a goal just three minutes from time. But it wasn’t enough. Hammers did their early work too well. It took a disciplined and highly skilled team to achieve this. No team could have played better or harder. They were inspired by the determination of skipper Ken Brown, untiring Ron Boyce – he was the shock “mopper up” in the best Bobby Moore style, John Sissons, who will never score a more vital goal, and Jim Standen whose 35th minute penalty save almost knocked the heart out of Spartak. Spartak, almost brutal in their fury to score that vital goal, pounded at West Ham’s defence. But with one move, a typical break from defence, it was West Ham who sent the fans delirious with joy with a goal in the 16th minute. It was the goal which for all the effort, tragedy and heartache that followed, won this tie for West Ham. It happened like this. Byrne raced clear, was felled by Tichy but went around him and crossed to Sissons. The left winger seemed to delay his shot – then lashed the ball high into the net. Hammers planned to hold Spartak for 20 minutes and, if possible, to score the first goal themselves. They lined up with Ken Brown at No.3 Jack Burkett four, Eddie Bovington five, and playing Boyce behind the entire defence. And it was Boyce who twice rescued Hammers from Spartak’s opening onslaught. But it was goalkeeper Jim Standen who finally silenced the home roars. He made brilliant saves from Mraz and Masek, but his greatest moment came in the 35th minute when he brilliantly saved a penalty by Mraz after a harsh hand ball decision against John Bond. It was all Spartak, but they seldom created a clear chance.
Each West Ham defender stuck to his pre-match role and it took brutal tackles on Peters and Sissons to stop West Ham adding to their lead before half-time.
It seemed as if nothing could stop Hammers’ victory. Then tragedy came in the 68th minute. Standen could only push a shot against the bar and as the ball dropped down Masek rushed in to shoot the ball home with Ron Boyce confidently expecting Standen to collect the ball again. It was Boyce’s only mistake in a great display. But it plunged Hammers, until then, completely in command into a backs-to-the-wall fight.
Like men who have given everything and an give no more they cracked again. Mraz nipped in to score from a defensive error and Hammers fought out the last three minutes which must have seemed all agony. But they can rest assured there’ll be nothing but praise for this performance. They were virtually reduced to 10 men in the second half when Alan Sealey, who received a three inch gash below the left knee was taken to hospital after the game for seven stitches.

LAUSANNE - SPORTS (Switzerland)

Second Round - 1st Leg: Stade Olympique - Pontaise 2-1
10th March 1965

Att: 20,000
Dear, Byrne

Standen
Kirkup
Peters
Boyce
Brown
Moore
Sealey
Hurst
Byrne
Dear
Sissons

For this European - tie the Hammers contingent were each given a Musical Ornament as a souvenir of the match, this one was presented to Alan Dickie

Can you help with a image?

GLORY MEN HEAD FOR LAST 4

West Ham went into their newest and toughest European soccer test geared, primed and prepared for draw. They emerged with a victory as massive as the snow-capped Alps which dwarfed the Lausanne soccer bowl. They did it through the brash innocence of Brian Dear – the 21-year-old “reserve” who could never have expected to play here 76 hours before. They did it through the magnificent 53rd minute goal of sheer cheeky brilliance of centre forward Johnny Byrne which had 500 Boleyn fans splitting the Swiss night air with a triumphant salute to greatness. These two by their goals smashed the sauntering Swiss on their own ground and put Hammers within what should be a formal 90 minutes of a Cup Winners Cup Semi-Final

Bobby Moore, Brian Dear and Johnny Byrne returning after a European game

– a feat won only by Spurs since the competition attained the huge 30-club proportions of today. But they were the executioners in a mighty team show which again belongs to the blueprint masterminding of manager Ron Greenwood and the ability of his talented team.
Once again like a phoenix rising from the ashes of constant league failure they proved bigger than the occasion and marched off to a triumphant salute from 25,000 Lausanne fans. It would have been fair reward for their courage and ability if they had gone into the second leg with a two goal margin. Nothing seemed more certain ten minutes from the end of this tingling tactical tussle. Then Martin Peters – this cool young soccer artist – made a mistake which did not seem possible amid the wealth of cultured defensive play. He aimed an indecisive clearance in his own packed 18 yard box from Eschmann’s cross and Hosp pounced to stab a low shot wide of Standen. It was a touch of almost cocky arrogance that manager Ron Greenwood will not gloss over before the return leg. If Hammers heed this lesson they must safely land a place in the last four. For team work, courage and skill they were ahead of a strong Lausanne side which for only the first 20 minutes and the last ten were allowed to look the Swiss champions they almost certainly will be. Hammers sat up late on Monday night planning this win over a Lausanne side which boasted eight full internationals and an unbeaten home record. The Boleyn men had come too far too quickly to be halted by reputation.
For 25 minutes they held Lausanne from that vital quick goal – but it was a struggle, Peters rescued them once when Standen failed to hold a Hertig shot, Armbruster rattled the bar from 18 yards and flying Dutchman Kerkoffs flashed a rising shot inches wide. Then Dear cheekily flicked in an “offside” goal and sent confidence soaring. They deserved the slice of luck which made the vital 33rd minute first goal possible. Boyce smashed an indirect free kick over the Lausanne wall. Goalkeeper Kunzl could have let the ball crash into the net. Instead he tried to catch it, dropped it and Dear incredibly wriggled the ball back under his body. And West Ham who came here by tradition to defend were suddenly by skill attacking on European soil. Passes, previously hesitant, flowed with thrust and meaning. Claret and blue shirts flitted in and out of spaces with a new menace. The West Ham “wall” of top-form Bobby Moore playing behind the four-man line of Kirkup, Boyce, Brown and Peters suddenly broke free from the shackles of defence. Hurst – a dynamic figure in a half back role – emerged as the power man as Hammers moved out in great waves of attack. But it was from almost on their own goal-line that Hammers snatched that so vital second goal. Moore cleared a delayed free kick to Dear who touched it back to Byrne. Jinking Johnny raced over 60 yards leaving a trail of grounded defenders in his wake, held off a final tackle and clipped a shot which Kunzl touched but could not stop. A glorious goal. And when Lausanne came back at the end, Kirkup’s superb headwork to clear menacing centres, Moore’s coolness and Brown’s resistance all boosted tired Hammers – with Sisson’s limping badly – through to a surely certain semi-final place.

LAUSANNE - SPORTS (Switzerland)

Second Round - 2nd Leg: Upton Park 4-3
17th March 1965 (agg 6-4)

Dear 2, Peters, o.g.
Att: 31,780

Standen
Kirkup
Peters
Boyce
Brown
Moore
Sealey
Hurst
Byrne
Dear
Sissons

Pirate Programme

Dated 17th Match 1965

DEAR DESTROYS SWISS

Fans Salute Lausanne as Hammers go into semi-final

Ronnie Boyce, Martin Peters, Bobby Moore and Johnny Byrne, the four strong men of West Ham on this glory night, could become the four-strong men of England’s World Cup Squad.
These bright young Hammers - the pick of the Boleyn pops in a match of a hundred shots, a hundred thrills and a hundred memories – stamped England class all over this mighty match against a Lausanne side which came here without chance and trooped off to a 31,000 fan salute. Boyce at right half, was the immaculate master as this night lifted the defensive shackles – and the lid – off European Cup soccer. Peters, a gem of a display, looked the complete full-back and stormed Hammers into a 3-2 lead with a glorious header. Moore, after an indifferent start, grew in splendour and poise as these slick Swiss matched Hammers ball for ball, and almost goal for goal. Byrne was the great individualist who used his wonderful talent to link defence and attack with inspired dribbles or slide-rule passes. In a game of magnificent moments – Dear’s two superbly taken goals. Eachmann’s unforgettable bicycle kick which left Jim Standen rooted in disbelief – they were the men who kept Hammers – at times an outmatched Hammers – hanging grimly to the vital goal lead they had snatched in Lausanne. It’s almost impossible to clock the tally of shots, near misses and superb soccer which flowed from two superbly fit teams dedicated to attack. For Hammers their one goal lead was not enough. They had to attack – and did in a fantastic opening burst which saw Geoff Hurst twice rattle the woodwork, brilliant ‘keeper Kunzl save splendidly from Dear, luckily from Byrne and these ten feet tall Lausanne defenders kick a volley of shots clear. For Lausanne attack was the only hope. They forced three corners in 30 seconds, survived Hammers blitz and came back with a goal, brilliantly headed by Kerkoffs in 36 minutes from a cross by the tall giant Durr. Then tragedy for the fighting Swiss. Sealey aimed a low cross and Tacchella deflected the ball past Kunzl in the 41st minute. And on the stroke of half time the irrepressible Dear notched an incredible goal. Kunzl turned another low Sealey drive away and as Dear chased hopefully, the ball seemed certain to go over the bye-line. Then Dear from an impossible angle, was soaring it high into the net. But Lausanne were not finished, Hertig robbed Kirkup and blasted high into the net within minutes of the break and Standen somehow saved a Kerkoffs shot with his legs. But Hammers again applied extra-pace to outrun slow-it-down Lausanne, Peters surged them ahead from Sealey’s corner kick – and set the scene for a fantastic finale. Hosp smashed a shot against the bar and minutes later the ground erupted at Eschmann’s brilliant over head kick made it 3-3.
Then came Dear’s winner – as near full time as his first had been near half time. And Lausanne, proud, vainly protesting were irretrievably out and West Ham on the verge of greater glory.

REAL ZARAGOZA CLUB DEPORTIVO (Spain)

Semi~Final - 1st Leg: Upton Park 2-1
7th April 1965

Dear, Byrne
Att: 35,000

Standen
Kirkup
Burkett
Peters
Brown
Moore
Boyce
Dear
Byrne
Hurst
Sissons

Pirate Programme

ONE-UP – BUT HOPING

West Ham’s great record in away-from-home European Cup soccer this season and a rekindling of courage and conviction can put them into the Cup Winners Cup Final at Wembley in May. They go to Spain for the second leg of this semi-final with a pencil-slim one goal lead instead of the two they had planned and hoped for. Is it enough against these underrated Spaniards who came to Upton Park desperately hoping to keep the margin to a one goal – and succeeded? For in the steamy cauldron that will be the Zaragoza Bowl for the return, Hammers must restore the faith of their fans – a faith they destroyed in a frustrating second half display at Upton Park. Zaragoza, riddled and rattled by West Ham’s glorious first half football, bounced back under the Boleyn lights to turn a decisive two goal margin into a victory chance 2-1 score. They were just as Hammers manager Ron Greenwood said they would be: Tough and uncompromising in defence, quicksilver, lethal destroyers in attack. Hammers played badly after the break. But credit these soccer senors for a fine comeback. At half time it looked all over. Hammers had sprung the trap brilliantly with two superb goals. Battling Brian Dear gloriously headed the first from an accurate Sissons cross in the 9th minute. Deft Johnny Byrne – the only Hammers forward to match the ball control of the Spanish attackers – rifled the second in the 24th. It was a great goal started by Moore with a pass to Ken Brown, forsaking the magnificent Marcelino to lurk on the right wing. His pass to Sissons was flicked on to Byrne and the England forwards smashed a great first time drive past the prancing Yarza. Before and after Dear and Sissons flashed wicked-looking shots inches over… and the Spaniards gave a hint of what was to come when Marcelino shot wide and Canario almost scored. And it was the brilliant Canario who inspired the fighting Spaniards. In 53rd minute he hit the post from the right. In 54th he shattered Hammers confidence and complacency with a goal, jinking past the at fault Moore and shooting for Standen to scoop the ball back into his own net. The Spanish defence which had booted with the thunder

Bienvenida del Club Real Zaragoza

of a Fourth Division team in the first half grew more confident as Hammers, desperately needing goals, faltered and slid inexplicably back on defence. The giant Santamaria inspired some superb defensive play which Hammers’ two and never more than three pronged attacks could not break down. Boyce had a magnificent chance to make it 3-1 and slashed wide. Canario had a better chance to lay on the equaliser and shot high into the silent crowd. Ken Brown has never played better for West Ham. He always matched the masterly Macelino in the air. And the 35,000 fans who paid a record £13,000 gate receipts to cheer Hammers rose like a man to applaud the Spaniards at the close. For Hammers there were only boos… and hope. West Ham manager Ron Greenwood: “Disappointing after getting two early goals. The Spaniards played better as the game went on and were as good as I thought they would be. “It was the toughest game we have played since I have been manager here.”
Zaragoza manager Rogue Olsen: “I am very pleased. But West Ham are a good side and we do not expect an easy game on our ground.”

REAL ZARAGOZA CLUB DEPORTIVO (Spain)

Semi~Final - 2nd Leg: Estadio de la Romareda 1-1
28th April 1965 (agg: 3-2)

No programme was issued for the game in Spain

Flag and Pennant Souvenir from John Northcutt's European travels

Standen
Kirkup
Burkett
Peyers
Brown
Moore
Boyce
Sealey
Hurst
Dear
Sissons

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SISSONS MAKES THOSE SENORS SO SAD

Boleyn wall holds firm

West Ham will be back in the tough, money-spinning European Cup Winners’ Cup next season. That’s my prediction after watching these courageous Boleyn boys smash the challenge of Spanish aces Zaragoza into their own lush turf in a great semi-final. Hammers, primed in planning, fashioned in sheer courage, won their way back to Wembley for the second time in a year. But they won’t know their rivals for May 19th until Wednesday when Torino and Munich – drawing 3-3 after two games play off in Lausanne. And 10 of the guts-and-glory Hammers brigade will almost certainly be there to weigh up the opposition. Delighted manager Ron Greenwood said minutes after the victory. “I cannot go myself but it will be a wonderful opportunity for the lads to see the opposition at first hand.” Missing players will be skipper Bobby Moore who leads England against Hungary that day.
This was Moore’s match. He was brilliant in the air and a human dynamo on the ground, inspiring and fortifying the magnificent rear-guard action which dented and finally destroyed what’s probably Europe’s best club forward line. As vital minutes ticked away Zaragoza’s Magnificent Five in attack were reduced to frustration and dejection by the Glorious Six of West Ham’s defence which never lacked help from Geoff Hurst and non-stop Ron Boyce, wearing a No.7 shirt. Hammers built a barricade across their goal. It was blitzed but besieged but never broken in a fantastic first half.
Zaragoza unbeaten at home and needing a quick goal to cut back West Ham’s 2-1 lead were allowed only three clear chances despite all their brilliant attacking and the magnificent inspiration of inside-left Villa. They swarmed like white ghosts time and again to the edge of the penalty box. Then they foundered like the great Armada on the West Ham wall. They were forced to hit long-range shots which nearly always cleared the bar. Standen made a magnificent diving save from Marcelino but it was left winger Lapetra who made 30,000 Zaragoza fans roar as un-lucky Standen pushed out a Marcelino header in the 23rd minute and he was on spot to score from close range. Lepetra should have scored again before half-time, but the massacre forecast by Zaragoza fans and officials never came. And it was the brilliant Spaniards who were tiring at half-time as their efforts to build a lead were dented time and again. With nine minutes of the second half gone, a faster-looking West Ham were back in the game. They scored a gem of a goal – a typical counter attack from defence. Peters deflected a pass to Dear who slid a wonderful through ball to John Sissons. And the man Boleyn fans were jeering a week ago again became the hero as he raced brilliantly down the middle and placed a right foot shot past Yarza. West Ham still had to play it safe. Marcelino curled a shot inches wide and strong centre-half Ken Brown headed a Canario shot off the line. But Zaragoza, dejected and frustrated, had run out of speed and brilliance. There was nothing left to stop Hammers marching on to the final place their courage and skill deserve.

EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP FINAL 1965

TSV MUNCHEN 1860 (West Germany)

Wembley Stadium 2-0
19th May 1965

Sealey 2
Att: 100,000

Standen
Kirkup
Burkett
Peters
Brown
Moore
Sealey
Boyce
Hurst
Dear
Sissons

Jim Standen's
European Cup Winners Cup Medal

Autographed Wembley Programme

Prime Minister Mr. Harold Wilson sent a telegram of congratulations to Hammers and First Secretary of State Mr. George Brown – a keen Hammers fan – was guest of honour at the banquet held after the game. West German Chancellor Dr. Ludwig Erhard had a TV set specially installed in his chauffeur-driven car so he could follow the Eurovision transmission.

BOLEYN BOYS BLITZ BAVARIANS

West Ham lifted the roof off super Wembley when they won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in probably the greatest night of soccer splendour England has ever known. They amazed, bewitched, delighted and finally sent 100,000 Wembley fans delirious with joy as they ended their conquest of Europe with a great victory on British soil. Above all they poured their superbly slick soccer talents, great courage and unequalled technical planning into the homes of millions of soccer fans. A hundred thousand watched them at Wembley. Millions more from Austria to Ireland shared this great night as Eurovision put on their greatest moment of triumph on the TV screens of Europe. A year ago, they trooped off the Wembley turf with the FA Cup saying: “We can do better.” They repeated that message, “This is not ultimate success. We still have to win the European Cup – then we will be a great team,” said manager Ron Greenwood. He’s the Boleyn “brain” who masterminded Hammers through nine games against Europe’s best. I cannot see anyone stopping them doing even that if they continue the progress they made since their previous Wembley victory. In 90 glorious minutes they proved they are a far better team than a year ago. They showed, in Greenwood’s planning, Bobby Moore’s wonderful inspiration and every player’s ability to accept the challenge and beat it, that they can be an even greater side. Big occasions make big heroes – and if Hammers had 11 here the final memory will be of Alan Sealey – married on Saturday, match-winner on Wednesday – doing first a cartwheel of delight, then a jig of joy as he thundered in the two goals in two minutes which finally smashed Munich.

Yet only minutes before, Hammers hung on the slender thread of defeat as the Bavarian side twice slammed their armoured divisions into Hammers defence. Somehow goalkeeper Jim Standen hurled himself across to deflect a shot from Grosser. Unbelievably, Standen was out again seconds later to save brilliantly from blond Kuppers. It was the inspiration Hammers needed. And the turn of Radenkovic – clown off the field; goalkeeper supreme on it – to face a fusillade as Hurst, non-stop Dear and versatile Peters hammered shots at him. Then the great wall of Munich, pierced so often but with so little luck by West Ham’s wonderful method, broke in the 69th minute. Ron Boyce intercepted a ball on the half-way line, ran forward, drew two men and sent it forward to Sealey who smashed it high into the net to prove that Radenkovic “the King” could be beaten. Two minutes later, Radenkovic found Dear and from Boyce’s free kick Moore floated the ball over for Sealey and Peters to smuggle it past Munich’s last defence line and Sealey crashed it home. It was all over.

The Germans, so hard to beat, had been beaten Hammers, confidence soaring, might have snatched three more goals in that spell of complete control. Sissons, who earlier hit a post did it again with a wonderful right-foot shot. Dear, always probing forward, twice had Radenkovic deflecting shots wide.
Hammers, who should have been two up in the first 12 minutes when Dear and Sissons missed golden goal chances, had won the reward for which they had fought so hard – for 810 minutes through four different countries. But this was more than a triumph for Hammers. It was a triumph for the image of British soccer. The sport, bigger than both teams, still owes them a tremendous debt.

TSV Munich 1860 presented each member of the Hammers Squad with a Bier Stein as a sovenir of the match

West Ham United Football Club

The club presented a watch to commemorate the winning of the European Cup Winners' Cup

Captain's exchange

Brunnenmeier and Moore exchange pennants while referee Istvan Zsolt from Hungary looks on

Referee: Istvan Zsolt's medal

Oliver Buch - TSV 1860 Munich Memorabilia collector

Informs me that after TSV 1860 Munich went bankrupt in 1982 with the sale of the clubs Gymnastic Centre the new owners emptied the cellar and threw away everything............ Over 120 years of history which had survived, including the total bombing of the club in 1944 and 1945, gone in one day.
He also said that the 72 year old son of a former 1860 Munich president send him photos from his fathers collection. And on one of these photos he found the original penannt West Ham United gave to TSV 1860 in the 1965 final. It´s just a small picture with other penannts on a wall in a room in his house, but it shows that the pennant survived and is not thrown away like nearly all history material of TSV 1860

Eddie Bovington's stick pin, these were given to the players as a souvenir of the match.

Image courtesy of Alan Jacobs

EDDIE BOVINGTON'S MATCH PINS

Presented to me... (Alan Jacobs)
Feb 23rd 1993 by Eddie Bovington

LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM
CIVIC RECEPTION

His match pins presented to the players by their European & Brazilian opponents.
TSV Munich 1860, Dukla Prague, Austria Vienna, Olympiakos, Burrusia D. Sparta Praha, Zamauer (UAR), Fluminense, Portuguesa (Brazil)

A big thank-you to ardent Hammers fan LES PARKS for donating this original signed copy to the West Ham United Memorabilia Collection

ECWC Final Memorabilia

Commemorative Beer Glass

Used in the Bavarian Bier Kellers of Munich - Extremely Rare

EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS' CUP 1965

Ken Brown, Martin Peters, Joe Kirkup, Jim Standen, Brian Dear, Bobby Moore
Alan Sealey, Ron Boyce, Geoff Hurst, Jack Burkett, John Sissons

European Cup Winners' Cup 1965-66

Aufbau Magdeburg (East Germany), Sporta (Luxembourg), Reykjavik (Iceland), Rosenborg (Norway), Omonia (Cyprus), Olypiakos (Greece), Athletico Madrid (Spain), Dynamo zagreb (Yugoslavia), Dynamo Kiev (Russia), Coleraine (Northern Ireland), Dukla Prague (Czechoslovakia), Stade Rennais (France), Borussia Dortmund (West Germany), Floriana Valetta (Malta), Sion (Switzerland), Galatasaray (Turkey), Juventus (Italy), Liverpool (England), Wiener Neustadt (Austria), Stinta Cluj (Rumania), Aarhus 1880 (Denmark), Vitoria Setubal (Portugal), Cardiff City (Wales), Standard Liege (Belgium), Reipas Lahti (Finland), Honved (Hungary), Limerick (Eire), Red Banner (Bulgaria), Go Ahead Deventer (Holland), Glasgow Celtic (Scotland), West Ham United - Holders (England).

West Ham United received a Bye in the Preliminary Round as Cup holders

OLYMPIAKOS (Greece)

First Round - 1st Leg: Upton Park 4-0
24th November 1965

Hurst 2, Byrne, Brabrook
Att: 27,250

Standen
Kirkup
Charles
Bovington
Brown
Moore
Brabrook
Peters
Byrne
Hurst
Sissons

Sorry, It's all Greek to me...

BOLEYN BOYS MAKE IT A GREEK TRAGEDY

West Ham can expect more than a traditional firecracker welcome from 45,000 passionate Greeks in Athens for the second leg, before their passage into the last eight of the Cup Winners Cup is assured. The four goals by which they whipped and goaded the gallant but graceless Greeks to defeat under the Boleyn lights should be enough to make their place a certainty. But they will have to keep their heads and their tempers in what could be a cauldron of soccer hate. No rivals are popular in the Athens arena. Cup-holders West Ham by the contemptuous case with which they banished these Greek soccer gods will be a target for hate and derision in the hottest soccer city of them all. Long before the end of the walloping Olympiakos were backing and tripping out a warning for the second leg. They did not accept defeat gracefully. They will not show even this mercy before their own eager-to-riot supporters. They have their excuse to take home today. They were down to 10 men from the 25th minute when star forward Sideris limped off, on and off again. And left-back Pavlidis hobbled to the touchline 10 minutes from the end. Neither was a victim of any West Ham bludgeonry – but that’s not what they will tell their patriotic fans. In 90 minutes, they stacked up 14 fouls against West Ham. And they were lucky not to concede two penalties from referee Karl Kellel who otherwise kept a tight Swiss watch on their tantrums. In that time too, their impotent attack raised just one shot to test Jim Standen – a fine drive by Botinos which Standen tipped over. The rest was a continuous log of West Ham missed chances, wasted shots, hard luck and massacre in the mist. Fast, skilful and always inventive, Hammers played and won as they liked. Their initial shot-happy blitz dented the Greek defence and left it an open invitation to goals. In the end, it was all a little too easy. Casualness replaced determination, and the scoreline which could have mounted to 10 hung on a paltry four goals. After great shots by Moore and Brabrook and brilliant saves from Fronimidis in goal, Geoff Hurst began the fall of this particular Greek empire in the 23rd minute. A Sissons – Moore move paved the way and Hurst turned beautifully on Moore’s pass and hammered it in. The Acropolis was made of sterner stuff than this so-lucky Olympiakos defence. Fronimidis, with more great saves, kept Hammers frustrated. Then Byrne and Brabrook carved out a 44th minute second goal for Hurst and it was virtually all over. The fabulous Fronimidis made his only mistake of the night when he let in Byrne’s semi-powered shot in the 57th minute and Brabrook ran in behind a stunned defence to head a sweet fourth cross in the 72nd. Sissons – no Greek could match his speed and power here – hit the post, elegant Martin Peters powered a Moore free-kick against the bar. Byrne sent a glorious last-minute header on to the woodwork. It was Byrne – recalled after his five-goal reserve spree – who gave Hammers the biggest scare of the night when he rolled in agony after a tackle. He hobbled off but returned with his foot bandaged after treatment. Not a great game for Byrne but as always, Hurst prospered by his presence to make the gamble of playing Byrne pay off. But there was a fine return by Joe Kirkup who will stake a serious place claim in the second leg. An all-attacking impressive Moore spent more time up front than in defence. And who can blame him? Against these gawky Greeks Ken Brown, Eddie Bovington and John Charles all played well but were never tested. The 27,250 crowd was getting bored by the case of it all at the end. Boredom, I fancy, is the last thing to expect in angry Athens next Wednesday. But Hammers have only to play as well to stride through.

OLYMPIAKOS (Greece)

First Round - 2nd Leg: Karaiskaki Stadium 2-2
1st December 1965 (agg 6-2)

Peters 2
Att: 40,000

Standen
Kirkup
Charles
Bovington
Brown
Moore
Brabrook
Peters
Byrne
Hurst
Sissons

West Ham Supporters’ Club made history by taking their own programmes with them. “We have always had so much trouble getting programmes aboard we thought we would have our own printed”, said secretary Syd Russell.

Eddie Bovington's lapel badge, these were given to the players as a souvenir of the match.

Image courtesy of Adam Summers

HAMMES GET SUCH A ‘CRACKING’ GREEK WELCOME

West Ham can go into the hat for the last eight of the Cup Winners’ Cup on December 15th knowing they need fear no-one from Kiev to Liverpool after surviving the most frightening reception committee ever seen on the European soccer circuit. The crowd of Spain’s Zaragoza and Czechoslovakia’s Prague had nothing on the firecracker welcome 45,000 passionate Greeks handed Hammers on the night. And after this second leg furore, the Boleyn boys enter the 3rd round, richer in confidence, and with an outstanding chance of retaining the cup they lifted so proudly at Wembley last May. And after this second leg furore, the Boleyn boys enter the 3rd round, richer in confidence, and with an outstanding chance of retaining the cup they lifted so proudly at Wembley in May. As I stepped onto the rich turf of the huge Olympiakos soccer bowl 40 minutes before the start, a firecracker exploded inches from my feet. More were hurled at the West Ham team as they inspected the pitch. And a thunder flash burned for several seconds in Jim Standen’s net before the game started. Add to this the fantastic chant of “Olympiakos, Olympiakos” from the capacity crowd. What a contrast the calm blue of the Aegean sea looked in the background!
It was a terrifying ordeal for young Hammers like John Charles in his first, fiery baptism of European soccer abroad. Like all these brave Hammers, he survived it with credit. It must have sounded like a thunder roar to my man of the match, Jim Standen. His display in the vital minutes when the Greeks plundered Hammers defence four the four-goal leeway they gave away at Upton Park in the first leg was brilliant. Only after the game did Standen reveal how near he came to missing this tie. “Geoff Hurst and I were taken ill on Tuesday and confined to bed. Trainer Bill Jenkins worked wonders to get us better.” For plucky Jim came this glittering after-match praise from manager Ron Greenwood: “Two saves in that first spell were wonderful, Jim had a great game.” And Ron added this vote of thanks to the whole Boleyn outfit. “I’m proud of them: They have never met an atmosphere or crowd like this before. It needed nerve to face it and conquer it. But shrewd Ron also produced an ace. He sent his team out in plainclothes an hour before the kick-off to overcome this battle of nerves. This plus Hammers’ great ability to strike from the tightest corner finally smashed the Greeks’ challenge. Despite two late goals after hobbling Martin Peters had put West Ham two up against all the play inside 53 minutes the Greeks were beaten and there wasn’t an Athenian who didn’t know it. The stunned silence which greeted both Hammers goals was matched only by the almost funeral finish as the fans watched their Greek soccer gods troop off in silence. This may not go down in Hammers’ books as a great performance. They might have won but for an 81st-minute penalty decision which had “offender” Ken Brown staring in disbelief at Russian referee Bahramhov. “I was amazed and questioned the decision with the referee” added manager Greenwood. Pushing looking the most likely reason and Greece’s World Cup skipper Polyghoniou saved 11 red faces when he slotted home the penalty kick. But in this incident, as in so many others against this rough uncompromising Greek team. Hammers can hold their heads high today. They never once retaliated. Two-goal hero Peters brought home a legacy he won’t forget quickly a 6inch gash across his right shin after a kick by Polychroniou left him limping for the next 69 minutes. How Peters found the energy to blaze West Ham into an impregnable six-goal lead on aggregate will be one of the season’s biggest acts of courage. If there was an element of luck about the first in the 20th minute when Stefanakos missed a Sissons chip forward and Peters ran on to score with an acute-angled shot deflected past the surprised Fronimidis by a defender there was nothing fortunate about his second “killer” goal. It was a gem. “I meant my first goal as a pass for Johnny Byrne.” Confessed Martin “It was great to see it go in.” His second came in Hammers’ greatest moment Byrne sent Sissons away. Johnny jinked his way past two defenders, flighted a perfect cross and Peters headed it through. West Ham had just two first-half shots. Peters sent one inches wide before his goal, and only dominated as attackers for ten purple minutes after the restart. In that time they added their second and might have had two more. But for all the hard work of defensive-styled Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore mastery and Eddie Bovington and Ken Brown’s stubbiness, too many passes out of defence went astray. Hammers took some rough justice from referee Bahramhov. In fact, the only justice for Hammers on this sunny afternoon was five miles away at Athens airport. It was the British Eagle Britannia which flew out Hammers 126-strong band of supporters on the 3,000-mile round trip. It’s name: “Justice”

1 F.C. MAGDEBURG (East Germany)

Second Round - 1st leg: Upton Park 1-0
2nd March 1966

Standen
Burnett
Burkett
Peters
Brown
Moore
Brabrook
Boyce
Byrne
Hurst
Sissons

Willkommen Magdeburg

SLENDER – but one goal can still be enough!

West Ham go to Magdeburg for the second leg of this European Cup Winners’ Cup tie on March 16 with a slender one goal lead as their passport to soccer success. But Magdeburg team manager Ernst Kuemmel warns: “It won’t be enough. Success means too much to us financially and we will be out for goals at home.” So Hammers after looking incapable of beating their own shadow in the first 45 minutes, face a fight to stay in Europe. Yet I doubt if these under-rated East Germans can halt Hammers victory march into the last four. West Ham took a stern grip on the game in the second-half, slammed a soul-destroying goal 60 seconds after the restart and might have had four more had in not been for the lone heroics of goalkeeper Wolfgang Blochwitz. The goal was beautifully timed and perfectly executed by these battling Boleyn boys. Brabrook slipped the ball to Peters on the right wing and Martin placed a first time cross on Geoff ~Hurst’s head. Striker Geoff nodded the ball backwards for Johnny Byrne to crack into the roof of the net and send 36,000 fans wild with ecstasy.
From that glorious minute West Ham were the masters. They carved gaping holes in the creaky Magdeburg defence, but still couldn’t boost their goal aggregate. Johnny Sissons, Upton Park’s blond bombshell outside-left, dazzled these Germans with fantastic body-weaving runs down the wing and through the middle. But like the rest of his front-line colleagues in the first-half his finishing was too weak to worry Magdeburg. The Germans rarely threatened when they broke out of defence. Their finishing was appalling and even when centre-forward Segger was presented with a “gift” goal three yards out in the 78th minute he blasted it high over the bar. Four minutes after that welcome goal Geoff Hurst raced through the middle and saw his pile driver hit goalkeeper Blochwitz on the chest. Then Johnny Byrne out-jumped the Magdeburg defence to send in a scorching header that was blasted into touch by left-back Fronzeck. Five minutes from time a Moore free-kick was sent whistling goalwards by Peters and Blochwitz just saw the ball in time to palm clear. Magdeburg must feel confident of pulling back that deflect in two weeks time. But they haven’t seen Hammers at their best. Playing as well as they did in the last 45 minutes AND regaining their shooting power then Hammers can send the struggling Germans down and out to clinch a place in the semi-final.

1 F.C. MAGDEBURG (East Germany)

Second Round - 2nd leg: Ernst - Grube Stadion 1-1
16th March 1966 (agg 2-1)

Standen
Burnett
Burkett
Bovington
Brown
Moore
Brabrook
Boyce
Hurst
Peters
Sissons

Commemorative Paperknife

Front - Inscription reads:
West Ham United - 1 F.C. Magdeburg

The East German club started the season called Aufbau Magdeburg but during Germany's mid-season break, and from the turn of the year they changed their name to 1st F.C. Magdeburg

Reverse - Inscription reads:
Europapokalspiel Marz 1966

Given to the West Ham United Squad before the game in East Germany:
Alan Dickie (Reserve Goalkeeper) kindly gave me his souvenir from the game

See Alan Dickie's other Matchday Medals and Souvenir's

West Ham’s fans had to have an armed police escort into the war shattered city of Magdeburg. High ranking police officials worried in case any West Germans had hidden in one of the five coaches following the coaches down the autobahn and into the city.
Every car, lorry and coach was checked and a traffic jam began building up as police officials, armed with Lugar pistols searched luggage racks, seats and boots for any defecting Germans.
The fans were delayed for nearly 4 hours at the East-West German frontier while heavily armed German police checked and counter checked passports.

Special Edition - Match Programme

Once again this limited edition of 200 copies of the "Away" match programme was commissioned by the supporters club and given to those fans that travelled to East Germany

Interhotel INTERNATIONAL Magdeburg

Hotel Brochure where the Hammers stayed while they prepared for their match with 1 F.C. Magdeburg in East Germany

SISSONS LIFTS SIEGE OF MAGDEBURG

West Ham stepped up their bid for a double entry into Europe next season after holding Magdeburg’s fighting soccer army to a 1-1 draw in the open-air Ernst Grube Stadium.
Today they bear the cruel scars of this European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final – a sad reminder of Magdeburg’s 90 minute battering. Praise Hammers for their brilliant defensive display that halted an East German march deeper into Europe and kept Cockney cup hopes alive. Praise too these German giants for their non-stop attacking performance that so nearly upset the brave Boleyn boys. Magdeburg proved to be a side that never knew defeat, a side that wanted to make this a game to remember and a side that can hold its head proudly on the European soccer circuit.
Despite their incessant goal pounding Magdeburg couldn’t break down Hammers great defensive wall. They were forced to shoot at long range – and showed up their lack of target practice. The 200 loyal Hammers fans braved biting winds and a tiring 1,500 mile round trip to cheer their cup heroes. But the cheers were lost in the frenzied white hot heat of 35,000 fanatical firework throwing East Germans. This massive stadium erupted when centre-forward Walter erased Hammers one goal, first-leg lead with a 78th minute scrambled goal. Inside-right Sparsmasser had obviously handled before Walter hit his goal. But protests were waved aside and the banner-waving German supporters stood ready to acclaim their new giants. But within 30 seconds the mad, cheering mob of fans were shocked into deadly silence as Johnny Sissons crashed home the equaliser. Hurst moved the ball to Brabrook, who crossed for Sissons to slip the ball home. All that could be heard in this massive bowl was the faint, but faithful hoarse and happy cries of victory from those 200 Cockneys. It was all over. Magdeburg needed three goals to earn a place in the semi-finals, for under the new Cup Winners’ Cup ruling the team that scores most goals away from home is awarded another goal. Magdeburg could not match Hammers for skill. Yet they refused to be beaten and launched a final goal-pounding attempt to win the match in the last 10 nerve-tingling minutes. Standen was forced full length to save from inside-left Seguin then turned a magnificent shot from left-half Hirschmann round his post for a corner. The seconds began ticking away and Magdeburg’s chances of soccer glory with it. The rain began to pour down, but East London’s own fans still stood and applauded every move until the referee’s whistle signalled the end. The misery was over for Magdeburg. Hammers are just two matches away from becoming the first team to win two successive European Cup Winners’ Cup finals.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND (West Germany)

Semi~Final - 1st leg: Upton Park 1-2
5th April 1966

Standen
Brown
Charles
Peters
Boyce
Moore
Brabrook
Bloomfield
Byrne
Hurst
Dear

BEATEN – BUT PROUD AGAIN!

Pirate Programme

86 minutes of Boleyn glory, then two-goal burst dents hopes

West Ham fly to Germany for the second leg of this tingling European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final needing two clear goals to keep them in Europe.
And Hammers boss Ron Greenwood will order his back-in-form squad to go all out for those crucial goals in a mammoth bid to join Celtic in next month’s final at Hampden Park. It’s an almost impossible task against these giants of Dortmund, who have failed to concede a goal in their last five home matches. But if West Ham play as well next week as they did before their docklands fans at Upton Park on Tuesday they can at least bow out in style. For this was the return to form of the side that once wowed all Europe, the side that rocketed into the history books with a classic Cup Winners’ Cup win last year. Since then Hammers have been drained of confidence; had their pride dented and their place in Europe hanging on a slender lifeline. On Tuesday we saw the Hammers of old, overflowing with all that old footballing flair, bursting with renewed confidence and looking at last like the trophy holders they are. For 86 minutes they produced the brand of soccer that has captured the hearts if fans all over the world. It was Hammers who chased and chased after every ball. It was Hammers who produced the picture book football. And it was Hammers who grabbed the all-important first goal. Martin Peters dummied his way past Kurrat and Paul, steadied himself on the edge of the penalty area and calmly, but brilliantly steered the ball home after 53 minutes. Then the Germans declared war in just 60 nerve-tingling, confidence-crushing seconds. Borussia Dortmund had hauled themselves two goals up. The first came in the 86th minute. Libude slipped the ball into the centre and there was danger man Lothar Emmerick to place his shot into the corner of the net. The roar of the jubilant German fans had hardly died when Held raced past Ken Brown on the left wing, slid the ball across the face of the goal and there was Emmerick again to slip the ball home. In just 60 seconds these German aces had snatched possible European glory from under West Ham’s nose. But no-one will deny that on-this night of guts and glory Hammers won back their pride and the faith of their loyal fans. This was showpiece soccer at it’s best and who better to inspire it than want-away blond bomber Bobby Moore. Moore went into this game determined to play his heart out and silence the critics who said he hadn’t been trying. He did just that. Jimmy Bloomfield making his debut in European soccer for West Ham, was an inspiring sorcerer in attack probing, plotting and piloting his front line through this magnificent German wall. No one player really deserved to be singled out for praise. This was a team effort accomplished in true Hammers style. We saw Martin Peters throw everything he had at safe and sure goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski. We saw him beaten only once. We saw skipper Johnny Byrne weave his way into goal-scoring positions only to be robbed by last-minute desperation tackles. Hammers were beaten, yes. But until 4:40 on Wednesday night they are still in Europe, still grasping that slender lifeline that can lead them to a unique Cup Winners’ Cup double.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND (West Germany)

Semi~Final - 2nd leg: Rote Erde Stadium 1-3
13th April 1966 (agg 2-5)

Standen
Bovington
Charles
Peters
Brown
Moore
Brabrook
Boyce
Byrne
Hurst
Bloomfield

Image courtesy of Stuart Allen

Images courtesy of Simon Lord

Eddie Bovington's stick pin, these were given to the players as a souvenir of the match.

Three programmes were issused for the game in Germany

25-SEC. KNOCK-OUT!

West Ham, the side that once promised and gave so much towards British soccer prestige, surrendered their European Cup Winners’ Cup crown to the giants of Borussia Dortmund. They surrendered in just 25 fantastic seconds to Lothar Emmerick, idol of Dortmund and new toast of all Germany. This beefy garage mechanic with the film star profile blasted one of the quickest and cheekiest goals seen on foreign soil this season. Siegfried Held sparked off this crazy move with a dazzling run down the left wing before cutting the ball back to goal hero “Emmo” His thunderball thump crashed and rebounded off the bar. And while West Ham were still trying to sort themselves out electric Emmerich had headed home the rebound. Hammers hadn’t touched the ball and now the task that threatened to be tough after being 2-1 down in the first leg was impossible. West Ham’s poise had gone altogether. This crushing 25-second blast had made 11 champions into just 11 has-beens. Now manager Ron Greenwood must ponder on his team’s future and start all over again in a desperate bid to buy and build success in the European market. Geoff Hurst showed none of the goal flair that made him such an England favourite in fact Hurst was the biggest offender in front of goal. No team could have recovered from this shock. And as Hammers, destroyed and defeated in so short space of time, were shaking off the nerve-shattering effects “Emmo the Magnificent” struck again. This time it was from a 22nd minute free-kick on the edge of the area that somehow curled round the claret and blue shirted defenders and into the corner of the net. After this Emmerick and Held cut the West Ham defence to pieces – especially Held, who pulled off every trick in the soccer rule book to dazzle and demoralise shock choice right-back Eddie Bovington. Hammers second-half revival nearly brought them the glory they badly wanted – but only nearly. Peter Brabrook darted between two orange shirted Dortmund defenders in the 43rd minute and chipped the ball across for Johnny Byrne to head home. No one cheered, not a solitary soul. They had realised that West Ham were still incapable of pulling back the deficit. Peters flighted a great volley on to the top of the bar, then he headed just over the bar with goalkeeper Tilkowski beaten. Hurst blasted one over the bar when well placed late in the game, but by then it was too late – Dortmund had already booked their place at Hampden. Minutes from time right back Cyliax broke down field and took a shot. The ball cannoned off Ken Brown’s foot and over the head of Jim Standen for the third and final goal. It was all over – just as everyone had expected.

Special Edition -
Match Programme

Once again this limited edition of 200 copies of the "Away" match programme was commissioned by the supporters club and given to those fans that travelled to West Germany

After beating Fulham in the 1975 F.A. Cup Final the Hammers not only qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup the following season, but were also England's representatives in a two-legged Final against A.C. Fiorentina for the Anglo-Italian Cup Winners Cup

ANGLO-ITALIAN CUP WINNERS CUP 1975-76

The Anglo-Italian Cup Winners Cup competition commenced in 1969. The trophy was also played for in 1970 and 1971. The tournament lapsed for three years until it was revived in 1975. The competition was originally known as the League Cup Winners Cup, and the English representatives were selected on the basis of being the winners of the Football League Cup.
The rules now stipulate that the Cup shall be played for between the winners of the Football Association Cup and the Italian League Cup. It is organised under the auspices of the F.A. and the Italian League.

A.C. FIORENTINA (Italy)

Final - 1st leg: The Stadio Communale 0-1
3rd September 1975

2nd leg to be played at Upton Park 10th December 1975

No programme was issued for the game in Italy

Day
McDowell
Lampard
Bonds
Taylor T.
Lock
Taylor A.
Paddon
Holland (Jennings)
Brooking
Robson

Can you help with an image?

Billy Bonds and Claudio Merlo exchange club pennants before the first leg in Florence

WEST HAM FALL TO KEEPER’S BLUNDER

Mervyn Day found that life can be as difficult abroad as it is at home. The young keeper dropped a king-sized clanger as West Ham lost the first leg of the Anglo-Italian Cup Winners’ Cup in the breathtakingly beautiful city of Florence.
It has been a bad month for the Chelmsford boy with all the qualities to be one of the game’s greats. His twentieth minute mistake against Fiorentina followed admitted errors on the home front in League matches with Burnley and Queens Park Rangers. Fiorentina’s Vincenzo Guerini hit a low and not particularly hard shot from fully 20 yards. Day went to his right to make what seemed the simplest of saves, then unaccountably let the ball go through his hands. It trickled over the line, with Day’s desperate dive backwards too late to prevent the inevitable. But as Day said before the game: “If I am going to make mistakes it is better they come this early in the season rather than later.” And he certainly softened some of the anger he must have felt with a superb save from a much more thunderous Guerini 20-yarder later in the game. West Ham came to the city of a thousand priceless paintings as part of their soccer education in preparing for the more important European Cup Winners’ Cup campaign to come. They learned that a patient and deliberate build-up against sides who funnel back in depth the way Fiorentina do gets you nowhere – and not very quickly. But there was still plenty to encourage West Ham in the belief that they can make their mark in European competition this season after an absence of a decade. Certainly the reaction of a 35,.000 crowd at the end suggests they know that a lone goal will not be enough to see Fiorentina to eventual victory when the second leg is played at Upton Park in November.
Billy Bonds is back. Under-standably after his recent injury problems, he looked a lot less than the commanding captain of the past. But he came through without reaction. West Ham had difficulty containing Domenico Caso, one of Fiorentina’s up-and-coming Italian internationals. But West Ham got better the longer the game went on, with Frank Lampard, Kevin Lock and Trevor Brooking all showing they will be a danger to the very best European sides. West Ham’s best chance came when Brooking crossed and Keith Robson put a tame header straight into keeper Superchi’s hands. And just before the end Billy Jennings, who came on as a second-half substitute for Pat Holland, saw another header brilliantly saved. The Italians showed they can be clever footballers – but they reverted to their more customary tactics of falling down and squealing for the referee’s attention. These tactics caused the bookings of Billy Jennings and Alan Taylor – but only for brief flashes of ill-feeling in a match that was played in the best possible spirit.

European Cup Winners' Cup 1975-76

Ararat Erevan (U.S.S.R.), Anorthosis (Cyprus), Basle (Switzerland), Athletico Madrid (Spain), Besiktas Istanbul (Turkey), Fiorentina (Italy), Borac Banja Luka (Yugoslavia), Ruemelingen (Luxembourg), Eintracht Frankfurt (West Germany), Colraine (Northern Ireland), Haladus Vasutas (Hungary), La Valetta (Malta), Home-Fram (Eire), R.C. Lens (France), Panathinaikos (Greece), Sachsenring Zwickau (East Germany), Rapid Bucharest (Rumania), Anderlecht (Belgium), Reipas Lahden (Finland), West Ham United (England), Skeid Oslo (Norway), Stal Rzeszow (Poland), Spartak Trnava (Czechoslovakia), Boavista Porto (Portugal), Sturm Graz (Austria), Slavia Sofia (Bulgaria), Vejle Boldklub (Denmark), Den Haag (Holland), Valur Reykjavik (Iceland), Celtic (Scotland), Wrexham (Wales), Djurgarden (Sweden)

REIPAS LAHDEN (Finland)

First Round - 1st leg: Olympia Stadion - Helsinki 2-2
17th September 1975

Brooking, Bonds
Att: 6,000

Day
McDowell
Lampard
Bonds
Taylor T.
Lock
Holland
Paddon
Taylor A.
Brooking
Robson (Jennings)

Image courtesy of Simon Lord

FINNS ROCK CARELESS HAMMERS

Bonds saves West Ham

The huge electric scoreboard in Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium blazing out an indictment of West Ham’s first uncertain step in this year’s Cup Winners’ Cup. It showed that they trailed twice to the unranked amateurs of Lahden and were saved from what would have been one of the biggest European upsets of all time by a Billy Bonds equaliser 14 minutes from the finish. I have no doubt West Ham will crush the Finns at Upton Park in the second leg of this first-round tie. It is better, too, that they get performances like this out of their system before the class sides have to be faced in the later stages of the competition. But you had to shake your head before believing this was the same West Ham who have blazed a breathtaking unbeaten path through the First Division this season. The West Ham who made Lahden coach Keijo Voutilainen say, after watching them beat Manchester City: “I went away petrified.” It could be argued that both Lahden goals were the result of bad defensive mistakes. That Alan Taylor – the little man who has made Cup goals his speciality – had enough chances to finish this extraordinary evening a scorer six times over. But there you have the major weaknesses in West Ham’s performance. They made mistakes and paid for them. They created countless chances and couldn’t take them. The game was only four minutes old when West Ham knew this would be no walkabout. Jantunen was allowed to break through on the right, to cross low, across the face of goal. There was no West Ham challenge, and Tolvanen got in a shot that rebounded off Mervyn Day’s body. The ball broke for schoolboy Harri Lindholm, 17, to beat Day.
Perhaps if West Ham had scored first, it might have ended very differently. As it was, Finnish football, which has caused barely a ripple in the European ocean, was able to make an impressive splash. Taylor had missed two clear chances and seen a header spectacularly turned over the bar by Harri Holli, before the twenty-ninth minute brought a crazy equaliser. Trevor Brooking, out on the left, curled the ball right-footed towards goal. As Taylor and Pat Holland moved in to challenge, it squeezed in at the far post. Early in the second half, Taylor had a goal disallowed for offside, and Lahden immediately swept through to regain the lead. A cross from the right was headed down by Tolvanen, West Ham failed to get the ball away, and Arl Tupasela drove it past Day from just inside the penalty box. Keith Robson had a shot cleared off the line before he was replaced by Billy Jennings in the 71st minute, as West Ham mounted a final and furious onslaught. The game was in it’s 76th minute when skipper Bonds played a “one-two” with Pat Holland before driving a low shot wide of Holli. Team manager John Lyall said afterwards: “It was disappointing. We didn’t play well. “But the players will have grown up after this. They will have learned a lot.”

REIPAS LAHDEN (Finland)

First Round - 2nd leg: Upton Park 3-0
1st October 1975 (agg 5-2)

Robson, Holland, Jennings
Att: 24,131

Day
McDowell
Lampard
Bonds
Taylor T.
Lock
Taylor A. (Jennings)
Paddon
Robson
Brooking
Holland

The Match Tickets has the Finnish team's name reversed

LUCKY RIDE, HAMMERS!

They miss chances but super-sub Jennings puts end to agony

West Ham scored three second-half goals – two in the last minute – to end a European night of missed chances and frustration at Upton Park. Keith Robson recalled after a three-match absence, broke the deadlock with a lucky first goal just when it seemed that Reipas Lahden’s bunch of amateurs were going to survive a one-way onslaught. Pat Holland added a scrambled second a minute from time. And with the last kick of this Cup Winners’ Cup tie substitute Jennings scored a spectacular third. The late two goals finally put the match in perspective, denied the Finns their moral victory and sent West Ham fumbling into the second round. But the 5-2 aggregate scoreline is a little lopsided, West Ham, as they feared, found European football in front of their own fans most frustrating. They were always superior but ran into trouble where it mattered, in the penalty area. When they did break through Robson and Alan Taylor were guilty of bad misses. They will undoubtedly have learned a lesson from their first European home tie in 10 years, but they missed too many chances to raise confidence of them going much further in the competition. Reipas, to their credit, did not come just to defend and could have made it 1-1 when Hamalainen missed two open goals late in the game. Reipas fullback Kosonen had already been booked for handball when west Ham skipper Billy Bonds thought he had headed an early goal, but the referee consulted a linesman before ruling it out. Robson put West Ham ahead after 59 minutes. He met Bonds’ cross perfectly and his shot hit Helli and the post before going in. With the last kick Jennings, who had come on for Taylor, scored. Hammers manager john Lyall said: “We never panicked and played the game at our pace. We missed some chances but that didn’t worry me. “We have learned from our European matches and we were far better tonight than in the first leg.” Robson said: “I thought the second goal was mime, but I don’t mind Pat Holland having it” Holland said: It was definitely my goal.”

ARARAT EREVAN (U.S.S.R.)

Second Round - 1st leg: Rasdan Stadium 1-1
22nd October 1975

Taylor A.
Att: 66,662

Day
McDowell
Lampard
Bonds
Taylor T.
Coleman
Taylor A.
Paddon
Gould
Holland
Robson

Image courtsy of Stuart Allen

Poster advertising the match in Armenia

CRAZY GOAL IS JOLT FOR HAMMERS

Keeper Day in drama as Russians snatch draw

A crazy, controversial goal when the ball was headed out of Mervyn Day’s hands robbed West Ham of a brave European victory in Russia. Alan Taylor had just put West Ham ahead in the Cup Winners’ Cup clash when Day, who had safely held a no-hope centre, allowed tiny forward Petrosian to head the ball out of his grip. They were the only two players in West Ham’s area and Day tried desperately to scramble back as the ball rolled gently into the net. It was a scrappy and heartbreaking goal to concede, and West Ham couldn’t believe it when West German referee Hans Weyland pointed to the centre spot. Day kicked the ball into the crowd in disgust. West Ham, of course can celebrate their vital away goal in the packed Razden Stadium, and it must surely be good enough to take them through to the third round.
West Ham had held Ararat’s punchless attack comfortably when they took the lead in the 56th minute and it was Taylor, the man Ararat feared, who scored the goal. Pat Holland, switching to midfield to take the place of Trevor Brooking, who was ill, started the move with a ball out to Robson on the left. Skipper Billy Bonds carried on the move and Taylor was left unmarked to gratefully accept the first European goal of his remarkable career.
The Russians had dominated the first half but with Tommy Taylor in commanding form their attacks petered out. West Ham had a narrow escape when Petrosian hit the bar and the ball rebounded to safety. Then Day made a brilliant diving save from skipper Andreasian. West Ham were soon back on the defence in the second half but they always had plenty of time to organise. It was a cool and efficient defensive performance and they will now be determined and confident of going on – as they did in 1965 – to win this competition.
There were screams for two penalties when Paddon and Bonds produced vital tackles, but the Ararat protests were waved aside and it would have been a terrible injustice if West Ham had lost after such a mature and confident performance.

ARARAT EREVAN (U.S.S.R.)

Second Round - 2nd leg: Upton Park 3-1
5th November 1975 (agg 4-2)

Paddon, Robson, Taylor A.
Att: 30,399

Day
McDowell
Lampard
Bonds
Taylor T.
Coleman
Taylor A.
Paddon
Holland
Brooking
Robson

Welcome to our guests from Armenia

HAMMERS ON GLORY TRAIL

Brooking leads Russians a merry dance

West Ham strode magnificently on in Europe with bursts of attacking football which can win them the Cup Winners’ Cup. Their attack, inspired by another England-class performance by Trevor Brooking, proved far too good for the Russians. West Ham are now in the quarter-finals and, on this form must have an outstanding chance of winning the competition for the second time. They cut the Russians to ribbons with attacking football which is one of the finest sights in English football at the moment. Only for a brief period after half-time, when Ararat scored a shock goal, did West Ham lose their stranglehold on a match which was a superb advert for European football.
Ararat will argue that the third and clinching goal by Alan Taylor should have been disallowed for offside against Keith Coleman. Their skipper, Andreasian, who spoiled a magnificent performance by being booked in the second half for a foul on Pat Holland, was still arguing with French referee Robert Helies when the teams left to a standing ovation. West Ham could and should have doubled their score. Billy Bonds hit the bar and went close on four other occasions, and Ararat goalkeeper Abramian made thrilling saves from Keith Robson and Taylor. West Ham were given a perfect start by Graham Paddon, who scored with a left-footed drive from the edge of the area. Ararat could not cope with Taylor’s speed and Brooking’s skill and a second goal was inevitable. It came when Taylor’s deep cross to the far post was headed in powerfully by Robson. West Ham were temporarily knocked out of their rhythm when Nazar Petrosian scored.
Then came the controversial third goal. Coleman was waved on as Ararat appealed for offside on the half-way line and he raced 40 yards before slipping the ball to Taylor, whose mis-hit shot lobbed into the net. The goal stood and so did the crowd as West Ham brought the Russian defence to its knees. Manager John Lyall said: “I am delighted. To play as we did against a side as strong as Ararat was excellent. The confidence in the team is sky-high now. “We gave Trevor Brooking a free role and it worked well. He was tremendous.” Ararat manager Viktor Maslov said: “I thought West Ham played well but should their third goal should not have been allowed. It was a psychological blow.”

ANGLO-ITALIAN CUP WINNERS CUP 1975-76

A.C. FIORENTINA (Italy)

Final - 2nd leg: Upton Park 0-1
10th December 1975 (agg 0-2)

Day
McDowell (Coleman)
Lampard
Holland
Taylor T.
Lock
Taylor A.
Paddon
Jennings
Brooking
Ayris (Curbishley)

CRASH GO HAMMERS

Italians keep it cool – and hand out a Euro lesson

West Ham suffered all the frustrations of Italian tactics as they discovered just how much more there is to learn about European football.
The Hammers, a shadow of the team which has done so well in the Cup Winners’ Cup this season, couldn’t turn their pressure into goals against a well-organised Fiorentina. The visitors’ time-wasting and constant appeals only added to West Ham’s anger as they lost this Anglo-Italian Cup Winners’ Cup Final. The Italians made an ideal start with a goal after 19 minutes and then held on easily to take the trophy. The skill and tactics of the Italians were a constant reminder to West Ham that there is a long way to go before they win the Cup Winners’ Cup. It must have also been very depressing for the watching Don Revie to see one of our best teams struggling to break down an ordinary Italian side. Revie was beginning his Italian dossier for England’s World Cup qualifying matches. But he only saw what he knew already. England international Trevor Brooking, vital to West Ham’s attacking rhythm, couldn’t find a way through and they never looked like getting the three goals needed to win after that early Italian goal. It came from £600,000 striker Walter Speggiorini, who raced through to beat Mervyn Day after Galdiolo’s through ball had beaten Tommy Taylor. West Ham manager John Lyall said: “We did what you must never do against an Italian team – let them score first. “Then they defended so well and it was frustrating to play against. But it has proved a tremendous experience. Ten minutes later, Speggiorini almost put through his own goal and that was the closest West Ham came to scoring. In the second half, West Ham replaced Johnny Ayris with teenager Alan Curbishley, who almost scored with his first touch. But West Ham couldn’t score and Fiorentina led by Giancarlo Antognoni, the new golden boy of Italian football, were happy to use their superb skill to keep West Ham out. They didn’t have another shot at goal and yet won comfortably. That is another lesson for West Ham.

DEN HAAG (Holland)

Third Round - 1st leg: Zuiderpark 2-4
3rd March 1976

Jennings 2
Att: 26,000

Day
McGiven (Coleman)
Lampard
Bonds
Taylor T.
Lock
Taylor A.
Paddon
Jennings
Curbishley
Robson

Hammers stunned by ref’s blunders

West Ham refused to let a series of astonishing decisions by East Germany’s 1970’s World Cup referee Rudi Glockner, at the Hague, push them to the brink of European oblivion.
They live on in the Cup Winners’ Cup thanks to two second-half goals by Billy Jennings and despite one of the poorest refereeing displays ever seen in Europe. Three of the four goals Den Haag scored in the first amazing half of this quarter-final were deeply questionable. Keith Robson and Kevin Lock were both booked for dissent in those first 45 minutes. And on each occasion it was difficult to understand why. Twice Glockner threatened to stop the game for crowd disturbances that were not immediately noticeable. A crazy night? Well, Den Haag’s Dutch international sweeper Aad Mansveld grabbed a hat-trick – and two of the goals were from penalties. Fireworks thrown on the pitch by fans delayed the start by two minutes. It was nothing to the explosions to come. In less than a quarter of an hour this incredible and bizarre match had blown up in West Ham’s shocked faces. Mansveld’s first dagger blow gave no indication of what was to follow. In the 12th minute a shot by Henk van Leeuwen rebounded from a forest of West Ham legs. The ball bobbed about before Mansveld pounced and hammered it in. Three minutes later, Mansveld scored again. Mick McGiven was judged to have handled a long ball by Mansveld. As West Ham stood utterly stunned, Mansveld moved up to score coolly from the spot. Police had moved into the crowd where the majority of West Ham’s 1,500 fans were congregated before West Ham were made to suffer again. In the 38th minute. Simon van Villet was pulled down by Lock a yard outside the penalty area – and fell a yard inside. Referee Glockner’s decision was another spot-kick – for Mansveld to complete his hat-trick. A minute from half-time Glockner let Rob Ouwehand play a drop-ball as West Ham’s players stood around in total confusion – and Lex Schoenmaker went on to beat the despairing Mervyn Day.
West Ham replaced McGiven with Keith Coleman at the start of the second half and immediately hit the revival road. It was very much the Jennings show – with Graham Paddon in a major supporting role. In the 52nd minute a long Paddon run and cross ended with Jennings scoring. Goalkeeper Ton Thie got to his shot but couldn’t hold it. Seven minutes later, another Paddon cross gave Jennings the chance to score with a firm header. Even so, it needed a spectacular goal-line clearance by Tommy Taylor in the dying seconds to leave West Ham with a result that gives them a nail-biting chance of progress in the second-leg at Upton Park.

DEN HAAG (Holland)

Third Round - 2nd leg: Upton Park 3-1
17th March 1976 (agg 5-5; won on the away goals rule)

Taylor A., Lampard, Bonds
Att: 29,829

Day
Coleman
Lampard
Bonds
Taylor T. (McGiven)
Lock
Taylor A.
Paddon (Curbishley)
Jennings
Brooking
Robson

Welkom F.C. Den Haa – ADO

Brooking plots rout of Dutch

West Ham rediscovered their goal flair last night to reach the semi-finals of the Cup Winners’ Cup. They needed just eight exciting minutes in the second leg of their quarter-final tie against Dutch side Den Haag to win a place in the last four on the away goals rule.
The path they trod seemed like a minefield after they had trailed 4-2 in the first leg. Commitment to attack needed to be tempered by a realisation that the Dutch were ready to exploit any openings left by West Ham’s need to meet the emotional demand of a 29,828 crowd. The Hammers had not won since January 24 and had not scored more than one goal in any game since December 20. but in Trevor Brooking West Ham produced an individual to inject life not only into his team but into everyone’s hopes for England’s international future. His subtle orchestration from midfield offset the more competitive element brought to the game by men like Frank Lampard and Keith Robson on a night when West Ham buried their reputation as the “soft touch” of English football.
Den Haag emerged after the interval as a side prepared to try and intimidate West Ham into submission. That they failed is a testimony to the Londoners’ growing awareness of the needs for success in Europe. Manager john Lyall said: “Everything was right for us tonight. I have never seen a team soak up so much pressure as Den Haag did in the first half. The breakthrough came, rather scrappily, in the 29th minute, Brooking produced a shot which goalkeeper Ton Thie could only partially stop and Alan Taylor managed to force home the loose ball. Five minutes later Brooking squared the ball to Frank Lampard, whose left foot shot from 30 yards produced a goal as thrilling as any you will see in Europe. And you would not have given a Dutch guilder against West Ham when, in the 37th minute, Alan Taylor was brought down by Joop Korvaar inside the box, leaving Bonds the opportunity to drive a penalty in. The Dutch pulled back a goal in the 58th minute. Mansveld drove a free kick high to Mervyn Day’s left and, as the West Ham’s keeper punched the ball clear, Lex Schoenmaker picked up the loose ball to make it 3-1. But West Ham survived to underline that even if they are out of the Championship race they are very much a live force in Europe.

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (West Germany)

Semi~Final 1st leg: Wald Stadium 1-2
31st March 1976

Eintracht Frankfurt publish an eight-page newspaper before each First Team match, in which appears the team line-ups plus general information about club affairs.
These are issued upon admission to the match only and were not available outside the ground. Travelling supporters who went with Camkins were given copies.

Day
Coleman
Lampard
Bonds
Taylor T.
McDowell
Holland
Paddon
Jennings
Brooking
Robson

HAMMERS MADE OF IRON

Euro hopes soar after Paddon rocket

West Ham tamed the shrew of West German football with a performance of steely dedication and gritty purpose more often seen in Europe from the likes of Leeds or Liverpool.
Now they stand a great chance of qualifying for the final of the Cup Winners’ Cup they won 11 years ago – particularly if they carry over to the second leg the massive confidence that appeared in their game, especially in the last half hour. For long spells, the Frankfurt side’s slick football looked like tearing the Hammers apart, but the East End lads battled with grim resolve and, on the hour, you could see the Germans losing heart. West Ham got off to a dream start – stunning the trumpet-blasting, flag-waving 45,000 crowd to silence with a sensational goal after only nine minutes. Pat Holland pounced to punish loose play by Eintracht defender Neuberger, and slipped the ball through to Trevor Brooking, who rolled it into the path of Graham Paddon. And, as Eintracht awoke to the danger, Paddon hit a left-foot drive from 30 yards that blurred past veteran goalkeeper Kunter. Within three minutes, Neuberger, out to redeem his error, hit a 20 yard shot past the West Ham defence against the foot of a post. The attack-minded Eintracht men began to pour forward relentlessly, marshalled by former World Cup star Grabowski. The West German pressure paid off in the 28th minute when Neuberger came up from the left, cut inside and fired a low ground shot past Mervyn Day. The Day was lucky not to concede a penalty and get sent off as well when he brutally elbowed Korbel in the face after a corner. But Russian referee Rudnev failed to spot it, and three minutes later, Day, who had an outstanding match, did well under pressure to turn a cross from Grabowski over the top. He then made a first-class save from Wenzel after another decisive pass from Grabowski. The second half was only two minutes old when Eintracht went ahead, Nickel starting the move when he danced past Lampard. A dummy run by Korbel dragged two West Ham defenders out of position and, when Wenzel feinted to play the ball, another gap was created for midfield man Kraus to crash it in. West Ham looked for a spell as though they were going to lose their cool. Holland was booked for failing to retreat 10 yards for a free-kick, and McDowell followed him when he dragged Nickel down by the shirt. As Eintracht, driven on by their fans, poured one relentless attacking wave after another against the West ham defence, only bad finishing, prevented them from taking a substantial lead. But when Paddon cleared off the line from Nickel, Eintracht flagged. West Ham then hit back with a series of counter-attacks, and, in the 70th minute, Brooking raced away after Grabowski lost the ball but saw his shot saved by Kunter. Six minutes after that, some fine work by Paddon set up a chance for Robson, but, although he hit his shot well. Kunter pulled off a tremendous save. But West Ham go into the second leg with just what they wanted. That away goal will count double should the aggregate score end level. They would have settled for that without even kicking a ball.

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (West Germany)

Semi~Final 2nd leg: Upton Park 3-1
31st March 1976 (agg 4-3)

Brooking 2, Robson
Att: 39,202

Day
Coleman
Lampard (Taylor A.)
Bonds
Taylor T.
McDowell
Holland
Paddon
Jennings
Brooking
Robson

Willkommen Eintracht Frankfurt

TERRIFIC TREVOR!

Brooking the master as Hammers zip to final

Trevor Brooking was a two-goal superstar as west Ham reached the final of the European Cup Winners’ Cup on a sea of mud and to a torrent of East London cheers.
A day that started with Brooking being named by Don Revie for England’s series of summer games ended with him destroying Eintracht in world-class style. So, a decade after Bobby Moore led West Ham to success in the FA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup in successive seasons, skipper Billy Bonds is on the brink of a repeat performance. But he will willingly concede that a magnificent match, fought out in atrocious conditions, belong very much to brilliant Brooking. Brooking twice played a part in the goal shot by Keith Robson, and gave a performance of such skill, strength and perception that his ability to do a job for England cannot be questioned. In what had to be supporting roles, bonds, Mervyn Day, Frank Lampard and John McDowell were outstanding. If West Ham refused to flag after a goal-less first half in which Eintracht competently defended their 2-1 lead from the first leg of this semi-final, the same has to be said for their fans. They ignored the rain to roar on West Ham to the May 5th final against Anderlecht in Brussels with a deafening barrage of sound. Eintracht’s counter-attacking ability meant that West Ham were unable to leave themselves without cover at the back as they went at breath-taking pace for an early goal. Lampard had a shot blocked by Relchel and flashed a drive over the bar as West Ham pressed forward. In the 15th minute, Robson got the ball in the net – only fro Swiss referee Walter Hungerbuhler to point firmly for a foul on goalkeeper Peter Kunter. The break-through that meant so much to west Ham came four minutes into the second half. Lampard crossed from the left and Brooking out jumped Beverungen to send a header dipping into the corner of the net. Suddenly, with the exit sign staring them in the face, we saw the best of Eintracht as an attacking side. Rudiger Wenzel forced Day to a brilliant save. Then he hit a post, and followed it with a shot that Robson appeared to handle off the line. West Ham gathered themselves and scored again in the 67th minute. Brooking’s pass from the left found Robson and he drove the ball past Kunter from fully twenty-five yards. Ten minutes later a roar of approval threatened to lift the roof of the Upton Park stand as Brooking scored again. Beverungen finally put the ball past Day two minutes from time. But it was too little, too late.

EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP FINAL 1976

R.S.C. ANDERLECHT (Belgium)

Heysel Stadium, Brussels 2-4
5th May 1976

Holland, Robson
Att: 58,000

Day
Coleman
Lampard (Taylor A.)
Bonds
Taylor T.
McDowell
Holland
Paddon
Jennings
Brooking
Robson

Commemorative shirt

Travel Ticket and Itinerary for the trip to Brussels

Frank Lampard, Alan Taylor and
Ron Greenwood

Keith Robson and Alan Curbishley

Kevin Lock and Trevor Brooking

Players arriving at the Heysel Stadium photos taken with my trusty Kodak camera

BEATEN!
THEN THE WAR OF WORDS

The man with the toughest job after Hammers’ European Cup Winners’ Cup final defeat at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels was team manager john Lyall.

For while his shattered team tried to regain composure in the dressing room Lyall had to face a barrage of searching questions from an army of pressmen. Lyall started to answer the first, obvious question: “Yes, we are disappointed, particularly after the way it went in the first-half and Pat Holland’s goal. “We could well have had the game won by half time, “But all credit to Anderlecht for coming back and attacking us as they did after the interval. “I hope and believe we have shown the world that an English team can be entertaining and skilful.”
Rapidly the gloves were off, A European journalist asked: “What is your opinion of Robbie Rensenbrink?” Lyall said simply: “He is a world-class player.” The follow-up was biting: “You had seen him before. Why then did you not take more steps to counter him?” Lyall countered: “That is why he is a world-class player. We knew the danger he could present and, in the first half, we did things to minimise it. “But because he is a world-class forward, Rensenbrink thought about what we had done during the interval and came back to provide his own counter and offer problems. “He began to drift away from defenders and to use the natural ability which makes him world-class – just as Van der Elst did.”
The logic was unanswerable. The Dutch star’s second-half contribution had been incalculable. Just how much that was the result of the equaliser Resenbrink had been gifted two minutes before half-time is one of the many imponderables of this swaying, incident-filled final. Anderlecht had appeared a completely demoralised outfit – until one tragic moment…
Frank Lampard, immaculate as ever, allowed the ball to pass over his head rather than risk giving away possession with a headed clearance. He turned to complete the tidying up with a back-pass to the already advancing Day. But the pass was horribly under-hit. Ressel was up on it in a flash and, Day hesitated and then tried to get back, the ball was switched into the middle for Rensenbrink to hammer home, despite Tommy Taylor’s despairing attempt to cover the line. When making the back-pass, Lampard felt his groin go and that made him hesitate slightly. The next tackled finished it.
The loss of Lampard for the second half was more vital than the goal he gave away. McDowell moved into the vacant spot, Holland into midfield, and substitute Alan Taylor into attack. Anderlecht boss Hans Croon did not regard that gift equaliser as the end of his team’s problems for the night.
He said: “I thought the game could still have gone either way after West Ham pulled back to 2-2 in the second half.
“But almost at once we got the penalty to go back in front. “After that, they had to attack us even more and gave us the chance to counter-attack into the space left – which Rensenbrink and Van der Elst did so well.”
It was the youthful Van der Elst, almost anonymous before, who staggered Hammers by racing on to his team-mate’s excellent long pass and putting Anderlecht ahead within three minutes of the restart.
West Ham had, in less than five minutes, gone from a dominant lead to 2-1 down. The equaliser arrived after 68 minutes, Brooking was behind it. Despite his injured back, he twisted his way around his man out on the left and crossed perfectly for Keith Robson to drop almost to his knees and glance a header wide of the stranded Ruiter and in off the far post. Five minutes later, Rensenbrik’s pace took him through on the left. Trojan Holland got back to cover, diving in to slide the ball for a corner. But the contact was enough for the Dutch forward to sprawl… and M. Wurtz to signal a penalty. Rensenbrink got up to blast the spot kick past Day and from then on despite commendable spirit, we know it was not going to be a West Ham glory night. Two minutes from time an exhausted, pain-racked Brooking lost possession as he tried to battle through the Belgians’ penalty area. The break-out caught Hammers with almost no one in defence. Taylor’s bid to play off-side failed and Van der Elst streaked away to apply the coup de grace. Seconds later it was over. The Hammers, weariness accentuated a million-fold by defeat, slumped to the turf. Several clearly battled to blink away the tears that Tommy Taylor did not trouble to disguise.

Piczo