player-debuts | My Site 29145

theyflysohigh : Steve Marsh

Welcome to the Private memorabilia collection of 'theyflysohigh'

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Player Debuts ...

Patrice Evra 933rd player to wear the Claret and Blue

A TALE OF TWO TAYLORS (1906-07 & 1907-1909)

3 months after compiling this definitive list of our Claret n' Blue heroes I came across a couple of Southern League photographs, clearly depicting two different players but with the same surname "TAYLOR" and equally confusing they came from the same period 1906-1907 this immediately aroused my curiosity. The current "Who's Who of West Ham United" records both these players Archie Taylor and William Taylor. On closer inspection they are recorded as making their debuts in the same match and playing the same number of games for the Hammers, clearly both these players records have somehow been merged together down the years. After extensive research I can now confirm that WILLIAM TAYLOR made his debut against Bristol Rovers at Upton Park 15th October 1906 having played just 4 games that campaign, he subsequently left to join Clapham Common FC. ARCHIE TAYLOR joined the Hammers the following season after William had left the club and made his debut against Swindon Town also at the Boleyn 1st September 1907 and went on to record 59 League appearances and 7 Cup games.

The Essex Pro Cup and the Southern Floodlit Cup games are another bone of contention, looking through the programmes circa 1950, the matchday programme clearly states on more than one occasion that these games were First Team Fixtures. Tommy Southern, Vic Niblett, Frank O'Farrell and Bill Nelson all made a debut appearance in the inaugural Essex Pro Cup game against Colchester United on the 28th September 1950. The record books show such games but the players are not recorded as making a First Team appearances, although messers Southern, O'Farrell and Nelson went on to play future League games for the Hammers Vic Niblett didn't.

I have recorded other such players within the Managerial links above, but alas have stopped short at not giving them a sequential number.

I now believe this to be the definitive list of Hammers who have played in the Southern League, Football League and Premiership for West Ham United. Thames Iron Works players are being complied and will be listed elsewhere when complete. If you do spot something that's incorrect, please email me.

Special thanks to Stuart Allen for his continued support with helping me compile endless lists and pointing me in the right direction with Redward & Redwood and for spending hour upon hour trawling library records for information about the two Taylor's. Thanks also to Tony Hogg & Tony McDonald for producing such an excellent publication "Who's Who of West Ham United" and John Northcutt for his help with double checking my entries.

Please choose a Manager link to see which players made debuts under their tenure ...

The Early Years

1900 - 1902

Syd King

1902 - 1932

Charlie Paynter

1932 - 1950

Ted Fenton

1950 - 1961

Ron Greenwood

1961 - 1974

John Lyall

1974 - 1989

Lou Macari

1989 - 1990

Billy Bonds

1990 - 1994

Harry Redknapp

1994 - 2001

Glenn Roeder

2001 - 2003

Trevor Brooking

2003

Alan Pardew

2003 - 2006

Alan Curbishley

2006 - 2008

Avram Grant

2010 - 2011

Sam Allardyce

2011 - 2015

Gianfranco Zola

2008 - 2010

You would have thought that compiling a list of players to have pulled on the Claret 'n Blue for the Hammers since the formation of the club as West Ham United in 1900 was an easy one, just sit down and start copying from the numerous record books.

But when you start to get down to the nitty gritty of comparing such publications that's when the anomalies bubble to the surface, and even then it's not clear-cut. Take the year 1911 for instance, two players with the same sounding surname, "REDWARD" and "REDWOOD". George Redwood gets a paragraph or two, but the descendents of F.E. Redward probably don't even realise their great Granddad played a small part in West Ham's history he's simply not mentioned.

Slaven Bilic

2015 -