1977–78 West Ham United F.C. season

In the 1977–78 season West Ham United were relegated from the First Division after twenty years in the top flight since their promotion in 1958.

West Ham United
1977–78 season
ChairmanReg Pratt
ManagerJohn Lyall
StadiumBoleyn Ground
First Division20th (relegated)
FA CupFourth round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Derek Hales (10)
All: Pop Robson (11)
Highest home attendance37,448 (vs Liverpool, 29 April 1978)
Lowest home attendance19,260 (vs Coventry City, 1 April 1978)
Average home league attendance25,655

Season summary

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Despite winning six of their last nine League matches, they paid the price for a terrible start to the season that had seen them win just one of their first twelve games, and were relegated when they lost their last match to Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Aston Villa.[1] They finished one point behind Queens Park Rangers and went down to the Second Division alongside Newcastle United and Leicester City.[2] They also suffered a heavy 6–1 defeat to QPR in the FA Cup, equalling their record margin of defeat in the competition at that time.[3]

A season of few highlights saw the introduction to the first team of Alvin Martin and David Cross, both of whom went on to play significant parts in the club's revival in subsequent seasons.[2]

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
18 Ipswich Town 42 11 13 18 47 61 −14 35 Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round[a]
19 Queens Park Rangers 42 9 15 18 47 64 −17 33
20 West Ham United (R) 42 12 8 22 52 69 −17 32 Relegation to the Second Division
21 Newcastle United (R) 42 6 10 26 42 78 −36 22
22 Leicester City (R) 42 5 12 25 26 70 −44 22
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Ipswich Town qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as the 1977–78 FA Cup winners.

Results

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Football League First Division

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
20 August 1977 Norwich City H 1–3 28,178 Robson (pen)
24 August 1977 Leicester City A 0–1 18,310
27 August 1977 Manchester City H 0–1 25,278
3 September 1977 Newcastle United A 3–2 26,983 Jennings, A Taylor, Robson
10 September 1977 Queens Park Rangers H 2–2 26,922 Holland, Lock
17 September 1977 Bristol City A 2–3 21,180 Robson, Pike
24 September 1977 Everton H 1–1 25,296 Dobson (o.g.)
1 October 1977 Arsenal A 0–3 41,245
3 October 1977 Middlesbrough H 0–2 26,508 Jennings
8 October 1977 Nottingham Forest H 0–0 26,126
15 October 1977 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 2–2 19,366 Pike, Robson
22 October 1977 Aston Villa H 2–2 26,599 T Taylor, Hales
29 October 1977 Ipswich Town A 2–0 27,308 Hales (2)
5 November 1977 Coventry City A 0–1 23,276
12 November 1977 West Bromwich Albion H 3–3 23,601 Robson (pen), Devonshire (2)
19 November 1977 Derby County A 1–2 23,273 Bonds
26 November 1977 Leeds United H 0–1 26,883
3 December 1977 Liverpool A 0–2 39,659
10 December 1977 Manchester United H 2–1 20,759 Hales, Brooking
17 December 1977 West Bromwich Albion A 0–1 18,868
26 December 1977 Birmingham City H 1–0 25,572 Curbishley
27 December 1977 Chelsea A 1–2 44,083 Robson
31 December 1977 Leicester City H 3–2 16,201 McDowell, Hales, Cross
2 January 1978 Norwich City A 2–2 29,480 Devonshire, Hales
14 January 1978 Manchester City A 2–3 43,627 Brooking, Cross
21 January 1978 Newcastle United H 1–0 25,461 Hales
11 February 1978 Bristol City H 1–2 19,934 Robson
18 February 1978 Everton A 1–2 33,862 Hales
25 February 1978 Arsenal H 2–2 31,675 A Taylor, Cross
4 March 1978 Nottingham Forest A 0–2 33,924
11 March 1978 Wolverhampton Wanderers H 1–2 23,525 Hales
14 March 1978 Queens Park Rangers A 0–1 20,394
18 March 1978 Aston Villa A 1–4 28,275 Brooking
24 March 1978 Ipswich Town H 3–0 23,867 Cross (3)
25 March 1978 Chelsea H 3–1 24,987 Brooking, Green, Holland
28 March 1978 Birmingham City A 0–3 23,554
1 April 1978 Coventry City H 2–1 19,260 T Taylor, Holland
8 April 1978 Leeds United A 2–1 22,953 Martin, Hales
15 April 1978 Derby County H 3–0 25,424 Robson (2), Cross
22 April 1978 Manchester United A 0–3 54,089
25 April 1978 Middlesbrough A 2–1 13,247 Cross (2)
29 April 1978 Liverpool H 0–2 37,448

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 7 January 1978 Watford H 1–0 36,745 Robson
R4 28 January 1978 Queens Park Rangers H 1–1 35,566 Bonds
R4 replay 31 January 1978 Queens Park Rangers A 1–6 24,057 Robson

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 30 August 1977 Nottingham Forest A 0–5 18,224

Players

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Player Pos Lge Apps Lge Gls FAC Apps FAC Gls LC Apps LC Gls Date Signed Previous Club
First Team
  Mervyn Day GK 23 1 1973 Academy
  Frank Lampard LB 40 3 1 1967 Academy
  Paul Brush RB 23 (1) 1 1977 Academy
  Billy Bonds (Capt) CM 29 1 3 1 1967 Charlton Athletic
  Tommy Taylor D 42 2 3 1970 Leyton Orient
  Alan Curbishley M 31 (1) 1 3 1 1974 Academy
  Alan Devonshire LM 32 (2) 3 3 1 1976 Southall
  Geoff Pike M 25 (3) 2 0 (1) 1 1975 Academy
  Trevor Brooking CM 37 4 2 1967 Academy
  Derek Hales CF 23 (1) 10 3 1977 Derby County
  Pop Robson CF 37 9 3 2 1 1976 Sunderland
Other Players
  David Cross RW 21 9 3 1977 West Bromwich Albion
  Bobby Ferguson GK 19 3 1967 Kilmarnock
  Bill Green CH 13 1 1 1976 Carlisle United
  Pat Holland M 18 (3) 3 1 1969 Academy
  Billy Jennings F 2 1 1974 Watford
  Kevin Lock CH 6 1 1 1971 Academy
  Alvin Martin CH 5 (2) 1 1976 Academy
  John McDowell D 12 (2) 1 3 1969 Academy
  Mick McGiven CH 4 1973 Sunderland
  Anton Otulakowski M 0 (5) 1976 Barnsley
  John Radford M 10 1 1976 Arsenal
  Alan Taylor CF 10 (1) 2 0 (1) 1 1974 Rochdale

References

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  1. ^ Gerald Richmond (3 May 1978). "Wolves rediscover fire and purpose". The Times. No. 60291. London. p. 12.
  2. ^ a b Helliar, John (2009). West Ham United: The Elite Era (4th ed.). Bodmin & King's Lynn: MPG Books Group. ISBN 978-1-905328-68-0.
  3. ^ Collett, Mike (1993). The Guinness Record of the FA Cup. Enfield: Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-538-7.