theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
Welcome to the Private memorabilia collection of 'theyflysohigh'
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email: theyflysohigh@btinternet.com
The four-team tournament organised by the home club was spread over three days. The semi-finals paired us with Real Mallorca; the other tie was between Real Betis and J.K.S. (champions of Algeria). Nearly 10,000 watched our first match, and this attendance was doubled for the Final. Our opening game was against the home club, and after leading 1-0 at half-time through Alan Curbishley's goal we went to 4-0 at the finish. A free-kick was knocked down by Frank Lampard for Alan Devonshire to centre; John Radford's volley made it 2-0. Then Bill Green started a move in his own half, and following upfield to hit the ball on the run he gave the 'keeper no chance. Majorca fell victims of an upfield foray when Kevin Lock intercepted a pass to put Alan Taylor away for a solo counter. Unfortunately we sustained two injuries. John McDowell went off with an ankle knock after half-an-hour's play (Paul Brush taking over). Then a thigh knock put Mick Mc-Given out for the remainder of the tour; Kevin Lock went on, and he and Brush played in the Final.
The Final was against the Seville club Real Betis.the game ended in a goalless draw. Both sides netted its first five penalties of the decider, but after Betis had converted the first of the "second series" their 'keeper made a great save, to win the trophy for his side after a fine game. John Radford had a painful ear infection prior to the Final. He decided to play, but had to come off. after an hour; Anton Otulakowski replaced him.
West Ham United and Santos Futebol Clube (Brazil) were invited to play an exhibition match in a bid to help the development of soccer in the United States. Pele opened the scoring for the Brazilian side on 19 minutes before Clyde Best levelled matters five minutes later before putting West Ham ahead on 26 minutes. The great Pele was not to be denied, however, scoring Santos’ second two minutes later to complete the scoring.
1970 - 1975 Trophy Cabinet ...
Washington International Youth Football Festival
Most Entertaining Team
WEST HAM UNITED
The Sun Football Award 1975
Geoff Hurst Testimonial
Geoff Hurst Testimonal
The Sun Newspaper Award
West Ham United v. European XI
Upton Park
23 November 1971
Washington International Youth Football Festival
One of the more unusual mementoes to arrive in the Upton Park trophy cabinet is this miners safety lamp. On closer inspection the inscription reads “Youth International Tournament 1972 Sunderland AFC”.
On further investigation it was given to the Club for participating in The Washington International Youth Soccer Festival organised by the Washington Development Corporation, the festival final taking place at Roker Park former home of the Weirside club.
Long before the revision of Local Authority boundaries, no-one had contemplated that this new area would include both Sunderland and Washington. Sunderland Football Club with commendable prescience had to built its gymnasium and established the clubs practice pitches in the New Town which soon became a centre for football in the North of England.
The young Hammers kick-off the tournament on 12 May 1972 with a 0-0 draw against The Black Cats, followed by 5-0 back-to-back victories over Rotterdam AVS (Holland) and Dunkirk (France). Despite not losing a group match the Hammers faced Offenbach Kickers (West Germany) for a 3rd / 4th Play-off place, with the score locked at 0-0 after 90 minutes, West Ham brought the Miners Lamp back to Upton Park winning 5-4 on penalties.
Historically part of County Durham, Washington New Town was made up of ancient mining villages scattered over the north-east of England (hence the miners lamp) the area was designated a New Town in 1964, by 1974 the Town would be incorporated into a new County with the creation of Tyne and Wear.
A managerial change in August 1974 led to Ron Greenwood moving upstairs to become the club's general manager with long-standing coach and former player John Lyall as team manager with responsibility for player selection.
The top-level arrangement brought instance rewards as new signings Billy Jennings and Keith Robson secured from Watford and Newcastle United respectively, both scored on their league debuts. November '74 brought a surprise signing when relatively unknown centre-forward Alan Taylor joined from Fourth Division Rochdale.
By the turn of the year the new signings had helped the Hammers into sixth place in the First Division table and the club picked-up 'The Sun Football Award, 1975' for the 'Most Entertaining Team'.
Exhibition Match
Santos Exhibition Match
Santos v. West Ham United
Downing Stadium, Randalls Island, New York
22 September 1970
Grotier (Ferguson), Bonds, Lampard,
Bennett (Eustace),Stephenson, Moore, Best, Brooking, Hurst, Greaves (Redknapp), Howe
IX TROFEO INTERNATIONAL DE FUTBOL
Ciudad de Palma de Mallorca
August 1977
Ciudad de Palma de Mallorca
European Cup Winners' Cup Pennant
European Cup Winners' Cup
First Round ~ 2nd Leg
West Ham United v. Lahden Reipas (Finland)
Upton Park
1 October 1975
At the end of the First Round - 1st Leg the huge electric scoreboard in Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium blazed out an indictment of West Ham’s first uncertain step in this season’s Cup Winners’ Cup. It showed that they trailed twice to the unranked amateurs of Lahden and were saved from what would have been one of the biggest European upsets of all time by a Billy Bonds equaliser 14 minutes from the end to salvage a 2-2 draw.
The 2nd Leg took place at Upton Park two-weeks later, West Ham scored three second-half goals – two in the last minute – to end a European night of missed chances and frustration at Upton Park.
Keith Robson broke the deadlock with a lucky first goal just when it seemed that the amateurs from Finland were going to survive a one-way onslaught. Pat Holland added a scrambled second a minute from time. And with the last kick substitute Billy Jennings scored a spectacular third denying the Finns their moral victory and sent West Ham fumbling into the second round.
West Ham United presented Lahden Reipas with this souvenir pennant as a memento of their visit to the Boleyn Ground.
Image courtesy of
Olli Tynkkynen
Executive Director of
Lahden Reipas
1970-71
1971-72
1974-75
1971-72