theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
email: theyflysohigh@btinternet.com
West Ham United Club Historian : Welcome to the Private memorabilia collection of 'theyflysohigh'
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CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN : To View previous days, Click picture link above
I BELIEVE
Christmas Countdown : Day 6
The sixth door opened, and Steve felt the roar of a crowd swell around him. Wembley rose from the haze - vast, proud, and still unfinished. Built in just 300 days, the stadium was a marvel of ambition: its twin towers standing sentinel over terraces that stretched endlessly, though the paint was barely dry and the concrete still raw. It was meant to hold 125,000, yet on this day over 200,000 surged through its gates, drawn by the promise of history.
The fans arrived in waves - men in flat caps, women in Sunday best, children clutching rattles and flags. Trains and trams had carried them from every corner of the country, and soon the sheer weight of humanity spilled onto the pitch itself. Restless, eager, they pressed forward until mounted police advanced to restore order. Among them Billie the White Horse nudged the throng gently back, her pale figure etched forever into football folklore.
Through the mist of history, Steve saw the claret and blue stride out for their first FA Cup Final. The date was 28 April 1923, and West Ham United faced Bolton Wanderers in the inaugural Wembley showpiece. The noise was deafening, the occasion monumental. Bolton struck early, David Jack scoring within two minutes, and though West Ham fought bravely, the Wanderers’ superiority told. Jack Smith added a second, sealing a 2–0 victory. Yet the match was almost secondary - the spectacle itself was unforgettable. Wembley had announced itself as football’s cathedral, and the Cup Final as the nation’s grandest ritual.
Back in the boardroom, the day’s compartment revealed a curious treasure: a Colman’s Mustard vesta case. Small, silver-plated, and practical, it gleamed with blue and gold enamel, its inscription proudly declaring:
“ENGLISH CUP FINAL / BOLTON WANDERERS 2 / WEST HAM UNITED 0 / WEMBLEY PARK 1923.”
For the supporter who carried it, striking a match became more than a habit - it was a ritual bound to football’s greatest stage, a flicker of flame tied to Wembley’s opening chapter, now remembered less for smoke than the spark of history it carried.
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Memorabilia
Colman’s Mustard Vesta Case
Among the curiosities of football memorabilia, few items capture the romance of the 1923 FA Cup Final quite like this. Colman’s, already a household name, understood the power of promotion. By producing a keepsake tied to the nation’s game, they ensured their brand lived not only on the dinner table but in the pockets of fans.
The vesta case fused national pride with everyday life, its enamel shining as a reminder of Bolton’s victory and West Ham’s brave debut. Today, surviving examples are scarce, treasured not only as advertising novelties but as tangible relics of Wembley’s first great occasion - a mustard-tinted memory of football history.
The roar of the crowd faded, and Steve found himself once more in the quiet boardroom. Six doors opened, six stories told. The advent calendar glowed faintly, whispering that more treasures awaited - each one a step deeper into the Hammers’ past.
A HISTORY of WEST HAM UNITED : The Upton Park Years 1904-2016
Tim Crane
"I’m proud to have played a small part in supplying some team group photographs from my memorabilia collection and supporting Tim's research by identifying many of the lesser-known players featured in those squads. It’s been a privilege to contribute to a project that shines new light on the club’s history."
To Order your copy
email Tim at
tcrane183@gmail.com
West Ham United’s legacy is inseparable from the hallowed grounds of Upton Park, where over 112 years of football history unfurled in front of generations of passionate supporters. “A History of West Ham United – The Upton Park Years 1904-2016” by Tim Crane is an essential read for any true Hammers fan, revisiting every pivotal match, player profile, and unforgettable moment at the heart of East London. With meticulously curated photographs and detailed statistics spanning over a century, this book captures the indomitable spirit and culture that defined West Ham’s golden era at the Boleyn Ground.
From the roaring crowds urging on club legends like Bobby Moore, Trevor Brooking, and Billy Bonds, to the emergence of new icons through the famed academy, Upton Park stands as a symbol of tradition and community. Crane’s narrative honours each generation of heroes – the legendary squad of the 1964 FA Cup triumph, the resilience during post-war years, and the electric nights under floodlights that saw future stars rise. With profiles of over 1,000 players and evocative team photographs, this history breathes life into the club’s storied past.
Quick Links to 2025-26 Season
PUDDY
The Life and Times of Syd Puddefoot : By Peter Morris
"I was honoured to contribute research work to this definitive account of one of football’s most remarkable figures. From West Ham heroics to a world-record transfer, FA Cup triumphs, and even a stint in cricket - Puddefoot’s story is finally told in full.
A must-read for anyone who loves football history."
Sydney Charles Puddefoot, “Puddy” to his admiring fans, was a household name amongst football supporters between the two world wars, a time generally regarded as the golden age of British football. In this first-ever full-length biography, Peter Morris charts Puddefoot’s rise to stardom: from his East London upbringing to hero status at his beloved West Ham United whilst still a teenager; his sensational world-record transfer to Falkirk; his return to England with Blackburn Rovers, where he won an FA Cup winners’ medal; his brief and unsuccessful return to Upton Park; his venture into football management, firstly with Galatasaray of Istanbul and then Northampton Town; and his 5 England caps and brief second career as a first-class cricketer with Essex are all comprehensively covered in these pages. Largely forgotten by all but a few football aficionados, “Puddy” brings back to life the man as well as the tumultuous times that he lived through.
To Order your copy from the Publishers click the link below
UPDATE -
If your viewing this website for the first time
Please bear with me, I'm trying to combine my Memorabilia website (this one) with my Programme website (whu-programmes.co.uk) into one huge site.
Latest Additions:
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
Odd Competitions added
Odd Competitions added
COMPLETE
Complete to 1944/45
Odd Competitions added
Odd Competitions added
COMPLETE
Odd Competitions added
Odd Competitions added
Odd Competitions added
Odd Competitions added
This site is dedicated to all collectors of
West Ham United Memorabilia
It all began at the start of the 1968-69 season, the acquisition of my first matchday programme 17th August 1968 West Ham United v. Nottingham Forest. A game which saw Geoff Hurst scoring the only goal of the match, even a 1-4 home reverse against Everton two days later didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for my new found passion West Ham United and memorabilia associated with the Claret and Blue. By then it was too late, I was hooked.
Happy collecting and remember...
Today's throw away is Tomorrow's Collectable
Thanks also to:
Barbara Shrimpton, Robert Banks, Stephen Bell, Steve Blowers, Michael Clifford, Andrew Conway,
Tim Crane, Alan Deadman, John Farley, Jon Farrelly, Paul Ford, John Helliar, Alan Jenkins, Richard Johnson, Thomas Kern,
Dennis Lamb, Vic Lindsell, John Northcutt, Tim Parish, Errick Peterson, Richard Quirk, Mark Waight, Steve Wheeler