theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh
email: theyflysohigh@btinternet.com
West Ham United Club Historian : Welcome to the Private memorabilia collection of 'theyflysohigh'
Malcolm Pyke Trophy Cabinet
MALCOLM PYKE
Born in Eltham south London, Pyke had gained a reputation as a goalscorer with Woolwich, Kent and London at schoolboy level in the early 1950s, but the goals soon dried up and he found himself occupying the right-half birth. Joined local side United Glass Bottle football club for the 1953-54 season. The Blackheath base club were better known as U.G.B Pantiles who were affiliated to both the Kent County and London Minor Football Associations. The 15-year-old had trials with Wolverhampton Wanderers and was courted by Arsenal before West Ham manager Ted Fenton signed him to the ground staff at the Boleyn in 1953. Pyke progressed through the junior ranks and signed professional forms on his 17th birthday in March 1955. A steady, constructive defender who provided vital cover for the wing-half berths during the 1957-58 promotion season. to make his initial Second Division appearance against Bristol City in a 3-1 victory at Upton Park on the 22 April 1957. Won a Second Division Championship medal the following year, but didn't have any First Division outings when Hammers returned to the top-flight in 1958-59. He subsequently transferred to Crystal Palace in the exchange deal which brought Ron Brett to the Boleyn. Played only two League games at Selhurst Park.
Born: 6 March 1938, Eltham, London, England
West Ham United Career: 1956-1959
Appearances: 24, Goals: 0
Individual honours: Football League Second Division Champions (1958)
Died: 13 February 2020 (aged 81)
1956-57
London Challenge Cup Final
1 April 1957
West Ham United v. Millwall
Upton Park
3-1
Wyllie, Wright, Cooper, Pyke, Brown, Johnstone, Wragg, Stroud, Dare, Lewis, Musgrove
London Challenge Cup Final
Pearson Charity Cup
Colchester United v. West Ham United
Layer Road
1 May 1957
4-3
Gregory, Bond, Cantwell, Pyke, Brown, Allison, Grice, Smith, Lewis, Dick, Musgrove
Pearson Charity Cup
Czechoslovakian End of Season Tour
Favourable performances in the season’s two Football League games persuaded Ted Fenton to keep Malcolm Pyke in the first team for the end of season Pearson Charity Cup tie against Colchester United and in the first team squad for May’s four game tour of Czechoslovakia.
As a result of Sparta Prague's visit to Upton Park in March 1957, The Hammers' were invited to visit the Continent at the end of the season to play this famous Czecho-Slovakian club and three other teams in the course of an eleven-day tour. Pyke played in the tour’s first two matches, a win over a combined Spartak Prague / Dukla Prague side (May 22, 1957) and a defeat to Brno (May 25, 1957).
Tour of Czecho-Slovakia
Second Division Champions
The Hammers finished their Division Two title-winning campaign in style with a 3-1 win at Middlesbrough on the last day of the season. Having hit the front in early February, West Ham ensured their grip on top spot would never be released with a strong run of form which saw them lose only twice in the final 19 games. Mid-table Middlesbrough could not stand in the way of Ted Fenton's men, who clinched the title from Blackburn by a solitary point with this victory as the Hammers clinched a return to the top tier.
Second Division Champions