theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
email: theyflysohigh@btinternet.com
West Ham United Club Historian : Welcome to the Private memorabilia collection of 'theyflysohigh'
1950 -1959
Trophy Cabinet
1950-51
Pelly Cup Final
Team group and medal images courtesy
of family member Marco Figueira
West Ham Juniors
Winners medal
Presented to
Alfred D. Cox
Alfred D. Cox front row centre with ball at feet
1950-51 Pelly Cup
1950-51
GERRY GAZZARD
Essex Professional Cup Final
7 May 1951
The Essex Professional Cup competition was instituted in 1949 by the Essex County Football Association, and was open to entry from all professional clubs in the county of Essex. The inaugural final was won by Southend United. West Ham United reached the 1950-51 final by beating Colchester United in the first round, then overcoming Leyton Orient in a semi-final replay 6-1 at Upton Park after the two sides played out a 0-0 draw at Brisbane Road.
Gerry Gazzard Gazzard was a member of the Hammers' side that beat holders Southend United 2-0 with goals from Tommy Moroney and Bill Robindon to win the 1951 Essex Professional Cup. Gazzard was also in the losing final side the following season to Colchester United at Layer Road.
West Ham United v. Southend United
Upton Park, London
(2-0)
Taylor, Devlin, Forde, Moroney, Allison, O'Farrell, Hooper, Barrett, Robinson, Gazzard, Woodgate
Medal image courtesy
of Rog and Sarah Gazzard
1950-51 Essex Professional Cup
1951-52
Essex Professional Cup Final (Runners-up)
5 May 1952
The Hammers reached the final by beating the current holders Southend United 2-1 in the First round and Chelmsford City 3-0 in the semi-final. Both games taking place at the Boleyn Ground.
Colchester United v. West Ham United
Layer Road
(1-3)
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Gregory, Wright, Kinsell, Parker, Allison, McGowan, Woodgate, Barrett, Moroney, Gazzard, Andrews
1951-52 Essex Professional Cup
1952-53
London Football Association Challenge Cup Final
8 December 1952
West Ham United Reserves reached the final by defeating Leyton Orient in the First round replay 3-2 after drawing 1-1 at Osborne Road. Tottenham Hotspurs were beaten 2-1 in the Second round followed by a 5-1 thumping of Chelsea at Upton Park in the Semi-Final. The Final against Brentford was played at neutral Stamford Bridge, with goals from Malcolm Allison and Jim Barrett.
Brentford v. West Ham United
Stamford Bridge, London
(2-1)
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Taylor, Devlin, Cantwell, Moroney, Allison, O'Farrell, Southren, Barrett, Kearns, Andrews, Tucker
1952-53 London FA Challenge Cup
1953-54
SERVETTE
(Switzerland)
Chiswick, Wright, Kinsell, Parker, Allison, Bing
Hooper, Barrett, Arnott, Dick, Andrews
West Ham United had a proud boast back in 1954 as the English club to have made the most appearances against teams from other countries.
Most of these matches were played over the course of several Continental tours. Servette FC from Geneva is one of the oldest Swiss football clubs, being founded in 1890, this was the first time we had welcomed a Swiss football club to the Boleyn Ground.
On this occasion the Hammers ran out comfortable winners, a John Arnott debut hat-trick and goals from John Dick and Jim Barrett sealed a 5-1 victory.
Servette (Switzerland)
HARRY HOOPER
Football League v. Irish League
Anfield, Liverpool
Football League:
Ray Wood, Roger Byrne, Billy Wright, Duncan Edwards, Harry Hooper, Billy Elliott, Jimmy Meadows, Nat Lofthouse, Harold Hassall, Len Phillips, Eddie Baily
4 - 2
Lofthouse, Hassall, Elliott, Hooper
Representative Medal
1954-55
ERNIE GREGORY
Evening Standard 5-A-Side Championship (Runners-up)
13 April 1955
Information on the 1955 Evening Standard London 5-a-side tournament held at the Harringay Arena is sparse. A Fleet Street strike at the time suspended all newspaper publications; as a result, the news blackout ran from March 14 to April 20 1955 which unfortunately straddled the 13 April 1955 tournament. Following the end of the maintenance workers’ strike on Thursday April 21, a week after the competition, London’s Evening Standard ran a summary of their championships. This summary covered the semi-final and final but did not disclose the results of the earlier rounds.
West Ham would have gained some satisfaction from beating Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 at the semi-final stage after losing to them in the first round the previous year. The Hammers met their match in the final with Fulham running out winners by a three goal margin, inside-right Jimmy Hill scored an early goal, Derek Parker equalised for West Ham. Bobby Robson then scored two goals in quick succession with inside-forward Johnny Haynes wrapping things up for the west London side by adding a fourth to take the trophy home to Craven Cottage.
West Ham United: Ernie Gregory, Derek Parker, Albert Foan, Harry Hooper, Malcolm Musgrove, Reserve: Billy Dare
This runners-up medal was presented to West Ham United goalkeeper Ernie Gregory.
Evening Standard London 5-A-Side Championship
1956-57
ERNIE GREGORY
Evening Standard 5-A-Side Championship (Runners-up)
3 April 1957
Two-years after their first appearance in the Harringay Arena final, the Hammers progressed to their second final, and once again they faced their west London rivals Fulham. Though this time the final result was much closer, the Hammers losing 3-2. West Ham's goals scordd by Noel Cantwell and John Smith
In reaching the tournament climax, West Ham first overcame Leyton Orient 2-1 courtesy of two strikes from Noel Cantwell. Ex-Hammer Jimmy Andrews replied for Leyton Orient. In the semi-final West Ham repeated the 2-1 score line in their victory over Crystal Palace. Again Cantwell was on the score sheet.
In the other semi-final Fulham thrashed Chelsea 6-0. The Craven Cottage side fielded a very strong quintet with goals coming from Johnny Haynes 3, Jimmy Hill 2 and a single from Roy Bentley. Future Hammer, Jimmy Greaves failed to find the net for Chelsea.
West Ham United: Ernie Gregory, John Smith, Noel Cantwell, Malcolm Allison, Billy Dare, Reserve: Malcolm Musgrove
This runners-up medal was presented to West Ham United goalkeeper Ernie Gregory.
Evening Standard London 5-A-Side Championship
1956-57
Manchester United v. West Ham United
FA Youth Cup Final ~ 2nd leg
Old Trafford
7 May 1957
Medal awarded to referee Arthur Holland who officiated the 1956-57 FA Youth Cup Final 2nd leg between Manchester United Youth and West Ham United Youth. The ‘Red Devils’ retained the FA Youth Cup for the 5th season in succession defeating the Hammers’ over two legs 8-2! winning 3-2 at Upton Park and 5-0 at Old Trafford.
ARTHUR HOLLAND
(Referee's medal)
Goymer, Kirkup, Howe, Lewis C., Walker R., Lyall, Rowlands,
Smith J., Fenn, Cartwright, McDonald
FA Youth Cup Final
1957-58
EDDIE BOVINGTON
Southern Junior Floodlight Cup Final
22 April 1958
West Ham United v. Arsenal
Upton Park, London
(5-1)
Our Colts brought off a very good win in the Final of the Southern Junior Floodlit Cup at Upton Park, their 5-1 victory enabling them to retain their hold on the trophy.
Bobby Moore opened our scoring, and two tallies by Andy Smillie put us three up at the interval. Arsenal reduced the margin after half-time, but firstly Tony Scott made it 4-1 and then Smillie completed his hat-trick to round off an excellent personal display.
Eddie Bovington was twelfth man on the night.
Earl, Kirkup, Cripps, Moore, Keetch, Hurst,
Woodley, Smillie, Keeble R., Cartwright, Scott
Southern Junior Floodlight Cup Final
1957-58
Second Division Promotion
Fellow promotion candidates Charlton Athletic and Liverpool both drew at Upton Park before the final day brought a trip to Ayresome Park to face Middlesbrough. Dick, Keeble and Musgrove were the scorers in a 3–1 win and West Ham’s 26-year wait for promotion was complete as they were crowned Second Division champions, scoring a record breaking 101 goals along the way. Their success was built on a consistent team performance, supported by able reserves who effectively stepped in when called upon, and not least of all, great supporters with their renditions of “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles”.
WILLIAM MOORE
(Trainer)
William Moore
Second Division Promotion
1958-59
NOEL CANTWELL
Eire International cap
Noel Cantwell
Noel Cantwell's Eire International cap represents his three appearances between
5 October 1958 and 10 May 1959
11th Cap:
International Friendly
POLAND 2 - 2
Dalymount Park, Dublin
5 October 1958
12th Cap:
European Championship Qualifier
CZECHOSLOVAKIA 2 - 0
Dalymount Park, Dublin
5 April 1959
13th Cap:
European Championship Qualifier
CZECHOSLOVAKIA 0 - 4
Tehelne Pole, Bratislava
10 May 1959
Eire International Cap
Southern Junior Floodlight Cup Final
14 October 1959
Chelsea v. West Ham United
Stamford Bridge, London
(1-0)
West Ham United and Chelsea battled their way to the final of the 1958-59 Southern Junior Floodlight Cup. The Blues’ overcoming Queens Park Rangers, Bexleyheath and Southampton, while the Hammers enjoyed victories over Millwall, Fulham and Reading. However, due to fixture congestion at the end of the campaign, the tie was delayed to the following season.
Chelsea won the right to host the final on home soil on Wednesday 14 October 1959, and only those players eligible from the previous season could play on this occasion.
Both sides fielded an array of ‘stars of the future’ the Blues’ with Terry Venables, Barry Bridges and Bobby Tambling and the Hammers’ parading Eddie Bovington, Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore.
A single goal decided the contest, West Ham’s Andy Smillie converting a penalty for hands in the 15th minute, to win the Cup for the third successive season, having defeated Chelsea and Arsenal in the two previous finals with the greater experience of the Hammers the decisive factor on this occasion.
A triple triumph for the Youth Section, which bears testimony to the excellent work done at the time by Bill Robinson and Wally St. Pier.
Winners plaque awarded to Geoff Hurst
Southern Junior Floodlight Cup Final
Reader, Cripps, Burkett, Bovington, Moore,
Hurst, Woodley, Cartwright, Beesley, Smillie
1959-60
Locomotive Plaque 61672
March 1960
In 1927 the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) commissioned Sir Nigel Gresley to design a steam locomotive for hauling passenger services on the Great Eastern Main Line. In a ten year period a total 73 of the Class B17 were built.
In July 1937 Locomotive 61672 was built and served the railway lines between London and Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich for 13 years. By September 1950 most of the surviving member classes were rebuilt with boilers that had increased pressure and were designated class B17/6, 25 such locomotives were also named after football clubs including West Ham United.
By March 1960 none of the class had survived into preservation, a few football clubs were presented with the name plates after the locomotives were scrapped. The locomotive name plate used to reside on the wall outside the old West Stand and was on display up until 2001 when the ground was redeveloped, at which time it was relocated to the Directors boardroom. The iconic plate was subsequently sold at auctionin a bid to raise funds for the youth academy before the club vacated the Boleyn Ground for their new venue the London Stadium.
Engine Plaque 61672
1959-60
MARTIN PETERS
A white metal trophy, formed as a swivelling medallion, the obverse cast with a football, on black bakelite plinth and inscribed
'From the Directors of West Ham United FC in appreciation of your efforts towards the winning of The Youth Tournament in Enschede, Holland, May 1960, M. Peters'
The Youth Tournament was held at the Sportclub Enschede arena between 27 and 29 May 1960.
The Hammers youngsters' were competing in 'Group A' and beat Dutch sides Heracles 2-1, Blauw Wit 4-1 and Williem II 2-1 to reach the final against the 'Group B' winners.
West Ham secured the winners trophy 2-1 against Aarhus Gymnastikforening from Denmark
Enschede, Holland : Youth Tournment
May 1960
Enschede, Holland : Youth Tournament
Malcolm Pyke
