1980–81 West Ham United F.C. season

In one of the most notable seasons in the club's history, West Ham United won the Second Division in the 1980–81 season to return to the top flight of English football after an absence of three years.

West Ham United
1980–81 season
ChairmanLen Cearns
ManagerJohn Lyall
StadiumBoleyn Ground
Second Division1st
FA CupThird round
League CupFinal
European Cup Winners' CupQuarter-finals
Top goalscorerLeague:
David Cross (22)

All:
Cross (33)
Highest home attendance36,551 (v Coventry City F.C, League cup Semi final 2nd leg 10 February 1981)
Lowest home attendance0 (v Castilla, 1 October 1980)
Average home league attendance27,140

Season summary

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West Ham lost just four League matches all season, were unbeaten in the League after Boxing Day, and finished 13 points clear of second-placed Notts County, accumulating a record points total for the Second Division.[1]

The Hammers also reached the League Cup final for the second time, after a run in which they knocked out First Division Tottenham Hotspur and Coventry City. In the final, they forced a replay against Liverpool after Ray Stewart scored an equalising penalty in the last minute of extra-time, but lost 2–1 at Villa Park.

West Ham failed to retain the FA Cup, which they had won the previous season, when they lost to Wrexham in a second replay in the third round. However, they reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup in a run that included a 5–1 victory over Real Madrid's reserve side Castilla played behind closed doors because of crowd trouble.[2] They were eliminated 4–2 on aggregate by the eventual winners, Dinamo Tbilisi.

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 West Ham United (C, P) 42 28 10 4 79 29 +50 66 Promotion to the First Division
2 Notts County (P) 42 18 17 7 49 38 +11 53
3 Swansea City (P) 42 18 14 10 64 44 +20 50 Cup Winners' Cup first round and promotion to the First Division
4 Blackburn Rovers 42 16 18 8 42 29 +13 50
5 Luton Town 42 18 12 12 61 46 +15 48
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Results

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West Ham United's score comes first

Football League Second Division

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Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
16 August 1980 Luton Town H 1–2 27,933 Stewart (pen)
19 August 1980 Bristol City A 1–1 13,554 Cross
23 August 1980 Preston North End A 0–0 9,063
30 August 1980 Notts County H 4–0 21,769 Cross, Goddard (2), Stewart (pen)
6 September 1980 Chelsea A 1–0 32,669 Wilkins (o.g.)
13 September 1980 Shrewsbury Town H 3–0 22,339 King (o.g.), Goddard, Cross
20 September 1980 Watford H 3–2 24,288 Cross, Barnes, Brooking
27 September 1980 Cambridge United A 2–1 8,591 Goddard, Cross
4 October 1980 Newcastle United A 0–0 24,848
7 October 1980 Cardiff City H 1–0 20,402 Neighbour
11 October 1980 Blackburn Rovers H 2–0 32,402 Cross (2)
18 October 1980 Oldham Athletic A 0–0 8,344
25 October 1980 Bolton Wanderers H 2–1 25,257 Walsh (o.g.), Pike
1 November 1980 Bristol Rovers A 1–0 6,328 Goddard
8 November 1980 Grimsby Town H 2–1 25,468 Cross (2)
11 November 1980 Bristol City H 5–0 25,210 Goddard (2), Martin, Brooking, Cross
15 November 1980 Luton Town A 2–3 17,031 Brooking (2)
22 November 1980 Swansea City H 2–0 25,210 Cross, Goddard
26 November 1980 Derby County A 0–2 18,446
29 November 1980 Wrexham A 2–2 8,941 Devonshire, Goddard
6 December 1980 Sheffield Wednesday H 2–1 30,746 Brooking, Holland
13 December 1980 Blackburn Rovers A 0–0 13,279
20 December 1980 Derby County H 3–1 24,071 Cross, Goddard, Brooking
26 December 1980 Queens Park Rangers A 0–3 23,811
27 December 1980 Orient H 2–1 34,408 Holland, Allen
1 January 1981 Swansea City A 3–1 34,408 Brooking, Pike, Cross
17 January 1981 Notts County A 1–1 13,718 Holland
31 January 1981 Preston North End H 5–0 26,413 Goddard, Pike, Lampard, Devonshire (2)
7 February 1981 Shrewsbury Town A 2–0 9,201 Devonshire, Cross
14 February 1981 Chelsea H 4–0 35,164 Brooking (2), Cross, Devonshire
21 February 1981 Cambridge United H 4–2 36,002 Devonshire, Stewart (2; 1 pen), Goddard
28 February 1981 Watford A 2–1 20,786 Cross (2)
7 March 1981 Newcastle United H 1–0 26,274 Cross
21 March 1981 Oldham Athletic H 1–1 24,394 Goddard
28 March 1981 Bolton Wanderers A 1–1 13,271 Brooking
4 April 1981 Bristol Rovers H 2–0 23,544 Pike, Goddard
11 April 1981 Grimsby Town A 5–1 17,924 Cross (4), Pike
18 April 1981 Orient A 2–0 14,592 Neighbour, Pike
21 April 1981 Queens Park Rangers H 3–0 24,599 Goddard (3)
2 May 1981 Wrexham H 1–0 30,515 Stewart (pen)
6 May 1981 Cardiff City A 0–0 10,558
8 May 1981 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–0 21,087 Morgan

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 3 January 1981 Wrexham H 1–1 30,137 Stewart (pen)
R3 replay 6 January 1981 Wrexham A 0–0 (aet) 13,643
R3 2nd replay 19 January 1981 Wrexham A 0–1 (aet) 14,615

League Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 1st leg 26 August 1980 Burnley A 2–0 6,818 Goddard, Cross
R2 2nd leg 2 September 1980 Burnley H 4–0 (6–0 on agg) 15,216 Stewart (pen), Goddard, Wood (o.g.), Pike
R3 23 September 1980 Charlton Athletic A 2–1 17,884 Cross (2)
R4 28 October 1980 Barnsley H 2–1 21,548 Martin, Cross
QF 2 December 1980 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–0 26,003 Cross
SF 1st leg 27 January 1981 Coventry City A 2–3 35,468 Bonds, Thompson (o.g.)
SF 2nd leg 10 February 1981 Coventry City H 2–0 (4–3 on agg) 36,551 Goddard, Neighbour
F 14 March 1981 Liverpool N 1–1 (aet) 100,000 Stewart (pen)
F replay 1 April 1981 Liverpool N 1–2 26,693 Goddard

European Cup Winners' Cup

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Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st leg 17 September 1980 Castilla A 1–3 40,000 Cross
R1 2nd leg 1 October 1980 Castilla H 5–1 (aet; 6–4 on agg) 0 Pike, Cross (3), Goddard, Bernal
R2 1st leg 22 October 1980 Poli Timișoara H 4–0 27,257 Bonds, Goddard, Stewart (pen), Cross
R2 2nd leg 5 November 1980 Poli Timișoara A 0–1 (4–1 on agg) 25,000 Păltinișanu
R3 1st leg 4 March 1981 Dinamo Tbilisi H 1–4 34,957 Cross
R3 2nd leg 18 March 1981 Dinamo Tbilisi A 1–0 (2–4 on agg) 80,000 Pearson

Charity Shield

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Date Opponent Result Attendance Goalscorers
9 August 1980 Liverpool 0–1 90,000 McDermott

Squad

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No. Player Pos. Eur Apps Eur Gls Lge Apps Lge Gls FAC Apps FAC Gls LC Apps LC Gls CS Apps Date Signed Previous Club
West Ham United 1980-81 First XI
1   Phil Parkes (Hammer of the Year) GK 6 42 3 9 1 1979 Q.P.R.
2   Ray Stewart RB 6 1 41 5 3 1 9 2 1 August 1979 Dundee United
3   Frank Lampard LB 6 38(1) 1 2 8 1964 Academy
4   Billy Bonds (Captain) CD 6 1 41 3 8 1 1 May 1967 Charlton Athletic
5   Alvin Martin CD 6 41 1 3 9 1 1 August 1974 Academy
6   Alan Devonshire LM 4 39 6 3 9 1 September 1976 Southall
7   Pat Holland RM 3 25 3 2 4 1 April 1969 Academy
8   Paul Goddard CF 6 2 37 17 3 9 4 1980 Q.P.R.
9   David Cross CF 6 5 41 22 3 9 5 1 December 1977 West Brom
10   Trevor Brooking CM 4 (1) 36 10 3 7 1 July 1965 Academy
11   Geoff Pike CM 6 1 42 6 3 9 1 1 July 1973 Academy
Important Players
7   Jimmy Neighbour W 4 22(2) 2 0 (1) 4 1 September 1979 Norwich City
3   Paul Brush LB 1 (3) 8 (3) 1 3 1 1977 Academy
Other Players
11   Nicky Morgan F 1 (2) 5 (1) 1 1 0 (1) 1978 Academy
7   Paul Allen RM 1 (1) 1 (2) 1 1 1 (2) 1 1979 Academy
12   Stuart Pearson F 0 (1) 1 2 (3) 0 (2) August 1979 Manchester United
12   Bobby Barnes F 0 (1) 1 (5) 1 1 1980 Academy

See also

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References

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  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. ^ Chris Bevan. "Croatia v England: A 'ghost game' - what is it like to play behind closed doors?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 November 2018.