As an official E-Wallet partner of West Ham United it’s time for our customers to learn something more about the Hammers. Here are some interesting facts about the club you may or may not have heard of.
1. West Ham United are one of only eight clubs in existence never to have fallen below the second tier of English football, along with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
2. West Ham United were the first ever winners of the Football League War Cup. The competition was in place of the FA Cup that was cancelled during the Second World War. The Hammers beat Blackburn Rovers in the final.
3. Former striker Brian Dear holds the joint-record for the quickest time to score five goals in an English game. Dear scored all five in 20 minutes either side of half-time in a game against West Brom in 1965.
4. West Ham United are the last team to have won the FA Cup from outside the top division. They beat Arsenal in the final in 1980.
5. West Ham United are also the last side to win the FA Cup with an all-English side. They beat Fulham 2-0 in the 1975 final.
6. The Hammers have scored 10 goals in a match on three occasions: Chelsea away 10-3 in a League South match in March 1940, Clapton Orient at home again 10-3 in the League South in January 1943 and finally Bury at home 10-0 in a League Cup tie in October 1983.
7. Playing in the 1964 FA Cup Final side were seven players whose surname began with the letter “B” They were: Ken Brown, John Bond, Jack Burkett, Eddie Bovington, Peter Brabrook, Ronnie Boyce and Johnny Byrne. In fact around that era there were also Peter Bennett, Dave Bickles, Jimmy Bloomfield, Martin Britt and Dennis Burnett.
8. The 1st Hammer Of The Year was Andy Malcolm in 1958. Trevor Brooking won the award three times in a row (76/77 & 78). Brooking has won the award on most occasions (5 times) with Moore, Bonds and Dicks winning the award on four occasions.
9. The 1st ever Captain was a Scot – Bob Stevenson in 1895. In 1957, Noel Cantwell was the first captain not from the UK. In 2001, Paolo Di Canio was the first captain from outside of the British Isles and Lucas Neill was the first captain in 2007 who was born outside of Europe.
10. The club was originally formed in 1895 as Thames Ironworks, but after disbanding in June 1900 they were almost immediately reformed as West Ham United in July 1900.
