History

The early years

1892–1895 – Pre-history, Castle Swifts F.C. and Old Lukes F.C.[edit] Main article: Old Castle Swifts F.C. Old Castle Swifts F.C. The colours were later re-used by Thames Ironworks for the 1897–98 season. They were inspired by his House Flag[2] The core of the initial Thames Ironworks, and thereby West Ham Utd, club originated in the remains of the bankrupt Old Castle Swifts F.C. in 1895.[3] Old Castle Swifts had formed in 1892 as simply "Castle Swifts" at the behest of Castle Shipping Line employer Donald Currie and played their football opposite what is now the West Ham Police station. The club was the first professional football team in Essex, with players drawn from Castle Shipping Line's predominantly Scottish work force paid extra in addition to their works wages each time they made appearances for the team.[4] The team won the 1892–1893 West Ham Charity Cup against Barking Woodville; “ "After the match the crowd made a rush to the Grand Stand where the Mayor presented the large silver cup to the captain of the Castle Swifts and Mr. Comerford of the Cup Committee announced that ‘the medals had not yet come to hand, but they would be forwarded to the winners as soon as possible’. With that the captain was lifted on to the shoulders of several of his followers and carried from the ground."[5] ” The team amalgamated with Old St Lukes in 1894, renaming themselves Old Castle Swifts, acquiring several players in the merger and also the tenancy of Hermit Road. In 1895, Currie was no longer interested in bankrolling the club, and allowed the team to lapse into bankruptcy.[6] With both the club, and their tenancy at Hermit Road now up for grabs, the philanthropic Arnold Hills (a local business owner, keen amateur sportsman, and well known enthusiast for sports, healthy living, tee-totalling, works and community orientated functions) stepped in to take up the lease and absorb some of the players into his new club including former Woolwich Arsenal player Robert Stevenson the club's first captain and player of note.[6][7][8] Further connections between these clubs include the continuing presence of Old St Lukes honorary secretary Mr A. C. Davis (who later served as a West Ham Utd director), whilst several Thames Ironworks players had also turned out on an amateur basis for Old St Lukes on several occasions (including against Castle Swifts prior to their merger).[9] The Castle Swifts colours were re-used on several occasions by the Thames Ironworks team as an alternative to their traditional Oxford Blue kit.[10] 1895–1900 – Thames Ironworks F.C. and the legacy of Arnold Hills[edit] Earliest club shot, during its founding year as Thames Ironworks in 1895. Arnold Hills pictured top left, with Francis Payne to his immediate right Main article: Thames Ironworks F.C. 1895–1896: First kit based upon Oxford University "Full Blues". The club was founded in 1895 as the works side Thames Ironworks F.C. by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd company chairman Arnold Hills and works foreman Dave Taylor (who also worked as a local league referee). It was announced in the Thames Ironworks Gazette in June 1895 under the heading "The importance of co-operation between workers and management" in an effort to "wipe away the bitterness left by the recent strike": “ "Mr. Taylor, who is working in the shipbuilding department, has undertaken to get up a football club for next winter and I learn that quoits and bowls will also be added to the attractions." ” Arnold Hills had joined the board of the company in 1880 at the age of twenty-three, and eventually progressed to the position of Managing Director. During this time the company had grown producing ironclads and steam ships (such as HMS Albion) and already had a fine history of working government contracts (producing HMS Warrior in 1860 for instance). Unfortunately they also suffered through a period of unionised dock strikes (1889, 1890, 1891) that stretched from the boilermakers to engineers, joiners and labourers on issues of pay, working hours and safety. The use of scab labour further lowered the workforce's opinion of Hills and in 1892 he faced considerable pressure from management and workforce alike to find some recourse.[11] In direct response to this he began a series of initiatives that (little to his knowledge) would have further reaching consequences than improving workplace morale. Hills already sponsored cricket, running, rowing and cycling teams and went on to add a full works brass band, operatic society, ambulance corps and even a debating society in an attempt to improve works relations after these several years of tense stand-offs and strike action. All this was undertaken as part of his "Good Fellowship system" and "Profit Sharing scheme" that also featured bonus pay on top of wages and reduced working hours.[8] After a serious strike in 1897 he took it upon himself to negotiate directly with his workers, circumventing the Unions and cutting their power and influence off at the root. The works still experienced strike action despite his best efforts in the years after but never to the same extent.[12] “ "Thank God this midsummer madness is passed and gone; inequities and anomalies have been done away with and now, under the Good Fellowship system and Profit Sharing Scheme, every worker knows that his individual and social rights are absolutely secured." ” — Arnold Hills, 29 June 1895, Ironworks Gazette Image of Arnold Hills Arnold Hills in The Vegetarian weekly newspaper (1889) Following the success of the 1895 FA Cup Final between West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa, the growth of local sides and the success of competitions such as the London League and the West Ham Cup he took more readily to the suggestion of a true works football team as a method of further improving morale. There had been for some years a Thames Ironworks Juniors side (formed in 1892) that had amassed 75 victories from 81 matches, providing a solid grounding of young talent, along with several former Castle Swift players such as David Furnell, Johnny Stewart, George Sage, John Woods, George Gresham and Walter Parks (some of whom were employees of the ironworks) to create a starting eleven.[13] Hills made enough funds available for the formation of the team, posting flyers and leaflet to the shop floor as well as the Ironworks Gazette, and saw a fine opportunity to take up the ground rent of the recently dissolved Old Castle Swifts at Hermit Road.[14] Not content with just that, Mr Hills, as a former Oxford Blue in cricket, association football (earning a Corinthians cap for England against Scotland) and running, also contributed the club's first kit, an all navy blue strip. Also as determined vegetarian, good Christian and member of the temperance movement, he regularly preached the evils of alcohol,[7][15] at least initially some players were "tee-totallers" and the team was reported as such in several journals (and pushed by Mr Hills in society as such a thing)[16] as a result Hills is also the origin of the club and players first "nickname."[17] Notably, some years later, Hills, after his influence had waned, was to offer to clear the club's debts if each player swore temperance.[15] Dave Taylor went back to refereeing prior to the start of the season after sorting out the initial round of friendlies, so for the first season the club's first coach was company employee A. T. (Ted) Harsent, with the Francis Payne (secretary of Thames Ironworks company) taking up the role of Chairman and Chief Director.[18][19] Tom Robinson took up the role of trainer and physio, a position he had held with Old Castle Swifts. Mr. Hills' initial concept was for a purely amateur team for the benefit of works employees.[8] Each who wished to take part paid an initial annual stipend of 2s/6d (12.5p) and attracted fifty would-be players for the first season alone. Such was the response that a dual schedule of games was arranged to cater for the number of players, with often entirely different line-ups taking to the field at the same time. Training took place on Tuesday and Thursday nights in a gas-lit schoolroom at Trinity Church School in Barking Road. Training mainly consisted of Army physical training exercises led by Tom Robinson. They also went for runs along the Turnpike Road now known as Beckton Road. The state of amateurism was to become a bone of contention between Arnold Hills and directors due to the growing professionalism of football as espoused by future manager Syd King in 1904: “ "In the summer of 1895, when the clanging of "hammers" was heard on the banks of Father Thames and the great warships were rearing their heads above the Victoria Dock Road, a few enthusiasts, with the love of football within them, were talking about the grand old game and the formation of a club for the workers of the Thames Iron Works Limited. There were platers and riveters in the Limited who had chased the big ball in the north country. There were men among them who had learned to give the subtle pass and to urge the leather goalwards. No thought of professionalism, I may say, was ever contemplated by the founders. They meant to run their club on amateur lines and their first principal was to choose their team from men in the works." The team played on a strictly amateur basis for 1895 at least, with a team featuring a number of works employees including Thomas Freeman (ships fireman), Walter Parks (clerk), Johnny Stewart, Walter Tranter and James Lindsay (all boilermakers), William Chapman, George Sage and William Chamberlain and apprentice riveter Charlie Dove, who was to have a massive influence on the club's future at a later date.

The best years

West Ham United under Gianfranco Zola[edit] 2008–2010[edit] Zola at Upton Park David Sullivan and David Gold Despite a very shaky start under Zola's reign, the Hammers were able to finish comfortably midtable in his first season with the club. Although from the outset, Zola had already got a number of factors going against him, unlike previous managers at the club. West Ham were in a poor financial state due to the crash of former sponsor XL.com and of the Icelandic banks. Transfer fees and player wages had been generous for injury prone players such as Kieron Dyer and Fredrik Ljungberg.[92] Zola faced many difficulties when it came to try and strengthen his already injury prone squad. Dean Ashton looked set to retire from the game, Craig Bellamy was not replaced and "new star" Savio Nsereko had several poor outings. This left Zola at the start of his first full season in charge with only Carlton Cole as his only experienced and tested option in attack. Help from sponsors SBOBET, however, allowed the club to fund the transfer of attacking option Alessandro Diamanti, whilst it was claimed Scott Duxbury funded himself, along with Footballing Gianluca Nani, the deal to bring in Guillermo Franco to ensure the Hammers had some strikers for the new season.[93] Despite a good start to the 2009–10 season against newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers with a 2–0 away win,[94] the club went on to struggle badly in the first 12 games, picking up just one more win and finding themselves in the relegation mix around November 2009. News of a possible takeover to save the Hammers was announced at the end of October, with an American group ready to launch a £120 million bid[95] whilst former Birmingham City co-owner David Gold, a West Ham fan and previous share holder of club, also announced he would to be interested in taking control of the East London outfit with a rumoured bid of around £40 million being offered.[96] By December 2009, no takeover had happened and the current owners held creditors meetings to try to get the banks to give them more time to raise vital funds. Results on the pitch improved slightly with November finishing with two wins, one draw and one defeat, but Zola's men were given a swift reminder of the up hill battle they faced to survive in the Premier League at the hands of Manchester United,[97] as they lost 4–0 at home. More bad luck followed with the loss of top goal scorer Carlton Cole for two months to injury along with young Zavon Hines with a knee injury, leaving Zola over the Christmas break with just Franco and Frank Nouble up front. West Ham also lost Valon Behrami for most of December along with facing a scare with goalkeeper Robert Green, who went off early during the Manchester United game. This since proved to be just down to illness rather than injury. In January 2010, David Gold and Birmingham City co-chairman David Sullivan took a 50 percent holding of the club valuing it at £105 million. this gave them the final say on all matters at the club.[98] West Ham won two games in February, against Birmingham[99] and Hull City[100] but then lost six games in a row. However, wins in April against Sunderland[101] and Wigan [102] and a poor run of results by relegation rivals Hull City and Burnley ensured another season of Premier League football; West Ham finishing in 17th place, five points above the relegation places.[103] West Ham's away record of only one away win all season equalled their lowest number of away wins for a season, last achieved in season 1960–61.[104] On 11 May 2010, two days after the end of the 2009–10 season, West Ham announced the termination of manager Gianfranco Zola's contract with immediate The end of the season saw the Hammers finish 13th with 40 points.[166] Kevin Nolan finished as the top scorer in the league with seven goals, followed by Carlton Cole, with six.[167] The last months of the season also saw protest s by some supporters against Allardyce and his perceived style of play. Banners calling for his dismissal were raised at an away game at The Hawthorns against West Brom and outside the home of club chairman, David Sullivan.[168][169] 2014–15[edit] Pre-season saw the purchase of Argentine player Mauro Zárate from Vélez Sarsfield;[170] Cheikhou Kouyaté from Belgian champions Anderlecht on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee;[171] left back Aaron Cresswell from Ipswich Town on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee;[172] midfielder Diego Poyet, Charlton Athletic's Player of the Season for 2013–14, on a four-year contract;[173] Ecuadorian Enner Valencia for an estimated £12 million fee from Mexican club Pachuca on a five-year contract;[174] Carl Jenkinson of Arsenal on a season-long loan;[175] Senegalese forward Diafra Sakho on a four-year contract from Metz for an undisclosed fee;[176] and Alex Song from Barcelona on a season -long loan.[177] The season began well for West Ham, and after 15 games they were in third place in the Premier League 178] Highlights in the early months had included victories against both the previous season's champions, Manchester Cit y, and runners-up, Liverpool.[179][180] In the second half of the season, however, the club's form deteriorated, with Allardyce receiving criticism for the team 's performances.[181] In February 2015, the side exited the FA Cup in the fifth round following a 4–0 away defeat to West Brom.[182] The season ended with West Ham in 12th position with 47 points.[178] The top scorer was Diafra Sakho, with 12 goals in all competitions.[183] Three minutes after the end of the final game of the season, a 2–0 away defeat to Newcastle , Allardyce announced his departure from the club with immediate effect.[184]