1975–76 West Ham United F.C. season

In the 1975–76 season, West Ham United finished in 18th position in the First Division and reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup.

West Ham United
1975–76 season
ChairmanReg Pratt
ManagerJohn Lyall & Ron Greenwood
StadiumBoleyn Ground
First Division18th
FA CupThird round
League CupFourth round
European Cup Winners' CupRunners-up
Top goalscorerLeague: Alan Taylor (13)
All: Alan Taylor (17)
Highest home attendance39,202 (vs Eintracht Frankfurt, 14 April 1976)
Lowest home attendance16,769 (vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, 3 April 1976)
Average home league attendance27,345

Season summary edit

West Ham United were unbeaten in their first nine League games of the 1975–76 season and occupied second place in the autumn of 1975. However, in an abrupt downturn in form they collected just eight points and won only one League match after Christmas, leaving them in 18th, only six points away from the relegation places. Their FA Cup defence ended in the third round, when they lost at home to Liverpool.[1]

West Ham saved their best form for their third foray into European competition. Despite failing to win any of their away fixtures, they reached the final of the Cup Winners' Cup, losing 4–2 to Anderlecht.[2]

League table edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Qualification or relegation
16 Aston Villa 42 11 17 14 51 59 0.864 39
17 Arsenal 42 13 10 19 47 53 0.887 36
18 West Ham United 42 13 10 19 48 71 0.676 36
19 Birmingham City 42 13 7 22 57 75 0.760 33
20 Wolverhampton Wanderers (R) 42 10 10 22 51 68 0.750 30 Relegation to the Second Division
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated

Results edit

Football League First Division edit

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
16 August 1975 Stoke City A 2–1 23,744 Gould, A Taylor
19 August 1975 Liverpool A 2–2 40,564 A Taylor (2)
23 August 1975 Burnley H 3–2 28,048 A Taylor (2), Paddon
25 August 1975 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–0 36,567 Robson
30 August 1975 Queens Park Rangers A 1–1 28,408 Jennings
6 September 1975 Manchester City H 1–0 29,752 Lampard
13 September 1975 Leicester City A 3–3 21,413 Bonds, Lampard, Holland
20 September 1975 Sheffield United H 2–0 28,744 T Taylor, Best
27 September 1975 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 1–0 18,455 Paddon
4 October 1975 Everton H 0–1 31,005
11 October 1975 Newcastle United H 2–1 30,400 Curbishley, A Taylor
18 October 1975 Middlesbrough A 0–3 25,831
25 October 1975 Manchester United H 2–1 38,528 A Taylor, Gould
1 November 1975 Birmingham City A 5–1 28,474 Brooking, Pendrey (o.g.), Lampard, A Taylor (2)
8 November 1975 Coventry City H 1–1 29,501 Robson
15 November 1975 Derby County A 1–2 31,172 Brooking
22 November 1975 Middlesbrough H 2–1 26,914 Jennings, Holland
29 November 1975 Arsenal H 1–0 31,012 A Taylor
6 December 1975 Norwich City A 0–1 27,020
13 December 1975 Burnley A 0–2 14,907
20 December 1975 Stoke City H 3–1 21,135 Jennings (3)
26 December 1975 Aston Villa A 1–4 51,300 Jennings
27 December 1975 Ipswich Town H 1–2 32,741 T Taylor (pen)
10 January 1976 Leicester City H 1–1 24,615 A Taylor
17 January 1976 Manchester City A 0–3 32,147
24 January 1976 Queens Park Rangers H 1–0 26,677 A Taylor
31 January 1976 Liverpool H 0–4 26,741
7 February 1976 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–1 32,832 Brooking
14 February 1976 Coventry City A 0–2 16,173
21 February 1976 Derby County H 1–2 24,941 Brooking
23 February 1976 Leeds United H 1–1 28,025 A Taylor
28 February 1976 Manchester United A 0–4 57,240
6 March 1976 Birmingham City H 1–2 19,868 Curbishley
9 March 1976 Leeds United A 1–1 28,453 Jennings
13 March 1976 Newcastle United A 1–2 32,842 Jennings
20 March 1976 Arsenal A 1–6 34,011 Jennings
27 March 1976 Norwich City H 0–1 20,628
3 April 1976 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 0–0 16,769
10 April 1976 Sheffield United A 2–3 18,797 Jennings (2)
17 April 1976 Aston Villa H 2–2 21,642 Robson, Brooking
19 April 1976 Ipswich Town A 0–4 28,217
24 April 1976 Everton A 0–2 26,101

Charity Shield edit

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
9 August 1975 Derby County N 0–2 59,000

FA Cup edit

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 3 January 1976 Liverpool H 0–2 32,363

League Cup edit

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 9 September 1975 Bristol City H 0–0 19,837
R2 replay 24 September 1975 Bristol City A 3–1 19,643 Brooking, Best, A Taylor
R3 8 October 1975 Darlington H 3–0 19,844 Paddon, Robson, Bonds (pen)
R4 12 November 1975 Tottenham Hotspur A 0–0 49,126
R4 replay 24 November 1975 Tottenham Hotspur H 0–2 38,443

European Cup Winners' Cup edit

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st leg 17 September 1975 Reipas Lahti A 2–2 4,587 Brooking, Bonds
R1 2nd leg 1 October 1975 Reipas Lahti H 3–0 (5–2 agg.) 24,131 Robson, Holland, Jennings
R2 1st leg 22 October 1975 Ararat Yerevan A 1–1 66,662 A Taylor
R2 2nd leg 5 November 1975 Ararat Yerevan H 3–1 (4–2 agg.) 30,399 Paddon, Robson, A Taylor
QF 1st leg 3 March 1976 Den Haag A 2–4 26,000 Jennings (2)
QF 2nd leg 17 March 1976 Den Haag H 3–1 (5–5 agg.) 29,829 A Taylor, Lampard, Bonds
SF 1st leg 31 March 1976 Eintracht Frankfurt A 1–2 45,000 Paddon
SF 1st leg 14 April 1976 Eintracht Frankfurt H 3–1 (4–3 agg.) 39,202 Brooking (2), Robson
F 5 May 1976 Anderlecht N 2–4 58,000 Holland, Robson

Anglo-Italian League Cup edit

Date Opponent Venue Result
3 September 1975 Fiorentina A 0–1
10 December 1975 Fiorentina H 0-1 (0–2 agg.)

Players edit

Number Player Pos Eur Apps Eur Gls Lge Apps Lge Gls FAC Apps FAC Gls LC Apps LC Gls CS Apps CS Gls Date Signed Previous Club
Cup Winners Cup Final Team
1   Mervyn Day GK 9 41 1 5 1 1973 Academy
2   Keith Coleman RB 6 (1) 26 1 1 0 (1) 1973 Sunderland
3   Frank Lampard LB 9 1 37 3 1 4 1 1967 Academy
4   Billy Bonds (Capt) CM 9 2 17(1) 1 5 1 1967 Charlton Athletic
5   Tommy Taylor D 9 42 2 5 1 1970 Leyton Orient
6   John McDowell D 7 36(1) 5 1 1970 Academy
7   Pat Holland M 7 2 35 2 1 5 1 1969 Academy
8   Graham Paddon M 9 2 39 2 1 5 1 1 1973 Norwich City
9   Billy Jennings F 5 (2) 3 26(4) 11 1 1 (2) 1 1974 Watford
10   Trevor Brooking

(Hammer of the Year)

CM 7 3 34 5 1 4 1 1 1967 Academy
11   Keith Robson W 9 4 33 3 4 1 0 (1) 1974 Newcastle United
Substitute
12   Alan Taylor CF 6 (1) 3 33(2) 13 1 4 1 1 1974 Rochdale
Important Players
6   Kevin Lock CH 4 26 1 5 1 1971 Academy
10   Alan Curbishley M 1 (1) 12(2) 1 1 1974 Academy
6   Mick McGiven CH 1 (1) 6 (1) 1 1973 Sunderland
9   Bobby Gould F 1 4 (1) 2 1 1973 Bristol City
Other Players
9   Clyde Best F 5 (2) 1 2 1 1969 Academy
12   Johnny Ayris RW 3 (6) 1 0 (1) 1 1970 Academy
11   Yılmaz Orhan F 5 1975 Aveley
1   Bobby Ferguson GK 1 1967 Kilmarnock
6   Alan Wooler M 1 1973 Reading
12   Geoff Pike M 0 (3) 1975 Academy

References edit

  1. ^ Helliar, John (2009). West Ham United: The Elite Era (4th ed.). Bodmin & King's Lynn: MPG Books Group. ISBN 978-1-905328-68-0.
  2. ^ Carney, Sam. "In praise of the Cup Winners' Cup, the competition that was never retained". Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2019.