1987–88 West Ham United F.C. season

West Ham United
1987–88 season
ChairmanLen Cearns
ManagerJohn Lyall
StadiumBoleyn Ground
First Division16th
FA CupFourth round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Tony Cottee (13)
All: Cottee (15)
Highest home attendance29,865 (vs Liverpool, 5 September 1987)
Lowest home attendance14,975 (vs Southampton, 5 December 1987)

For the 1987–88 West Ham United F.C. season in English football, West Ham United finished 16th in the league.

Season summary

Again John Lyall waited until three quarters of the season had passed before bringing any new signings to the club. Even so, the two players he did eventually bring in, Julian Dicks and Leroy Rosenior, would play a major part in helping the club to just avoid relegation for the second season running.

Alan Dickens had to play most of the season as a striker as Frank McAvennie had signed for Celtic without a replacement being found until Rosenior's arrival.

West Ham finally finished in 16th place in the First Division.

Stewart Robson, a midfielder, won the club player of the year award, although Tony Cottee continued to score the most goals, with 13 in the league and 15 in all competitions. However, Cottee would be sold to Everton for a national record £2.2 million by the start of the following season, leaving manager Lyall with a big gap to fill in the forward positions as he had lost his two highest goalscorers within a year of each other.[1]

League table

Main article: 1987–88 Football League § First Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
14 Norwich City 40 12 9 19 40 52 −12 45
15 Derby County 40 10 13 17 35 45 −10 43
16 West Ham United 40 9 15 16 40 52 −12 42
17 Charlton Athletic 40 9 15 16 38 52 −14 42
18 Chelsea (R) 40 9 15 16 50 68 −18 42 Qualified for Second Division play-offs
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated

Results

West Ham United's score comes first

Football League First Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
15 August 1987 Queens Park Rangers H 0–3 22,881
22 August 1987 Luton Town A 2–2 18,073 Brady, Stewart (pen)
29 August 1987 Norwich City H 2–0 16,394 Cottee (2)
31 August 1987 Portsmouth A 1–2 16,104 Strodder
5 September 1987 Liverpool H 1–1 29,865 Cottee
12 September 1987 Wimbledon A 1–1 8,507 Cottee
19 September 1987 Tottenham Hotspur H 0–1 27,750
26 September 1987 Arsenal A 0–1 40,127
3 October 1987 Derby County H 1–1 17,226 Brady
10 October 1987 Charlton Athletic H 1–1 15,757 Ince
17 October 1987 Oxford United A 2–1 9,092 Caton (o.g.), Cottee
25 October 1987 Manchester United H 1–1 19,863 Stewart (pen)
31 October 1987 Watford A 2–1 14,427 Dickens, Cottee
7 November 1987 Sheffield Wednesday H 0–1 16,277
14 November 1987 Everton A 1–3 29,405 Hilton
21 November 1987 Nottingham Forest H 3–2 17,216 Cottee (2), Stewart (pen)
28 November 1987 Coventry City A 0–0 16,740
5 December 1987 Southampton H 2–1 14,975 Keen, Dickens
12 December 1987 Chelsea A 1–1 22,850 Parris
19 December 1987 Newcastle United H 2–1 18,679 Robson, Ince
26 December 1987 Wimbledon H 1–2 18,605 Stewart (pen)
28 December 1987 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–2 39,456 Hilton
1 January 1988 Norwich City A 1–4 20,069 Cottee
2 January 1988 Luton Town H 1–1 16,716 Ince
16 January 1988 Queens Park Rangers A 1–0 14,509 Dickens
6 February 1988 Liverpool A 0–0 42,049
13 February 1988 Portsmouth H 1–1 18,639 Cottee
27 February 1988 Derby County A 0–1 16,301
5 March 1988 Oxford United H 1–1 14,980 Ward
12 March 1988 Charlton Athletic A 0–3 8,118
19 March 1988 Watford H 1–0 16,051 Rosenior
26 March 1988 Manchester United A 1–3 37,269 Rosenior
2 April 1988 Sheffield Wednesday A 1–2 18,435 Rosenior
4 April 1988 Everton H 0–0 21,195
12 April 1988 Arsenal H 0–1 26,746
20 April 1988 Nottingham Forest A 0–0 15,775
23 April 1988 Coventry City H 1–1 17,733 Cottee
30 April 1988 Southampton A 1–2 15,652 Cottee
7 May 1988 Chelsea H 4–1 28,521 Rosenior (2), Hilton, Cottee
14 May 1988 Newcastle United A 1–2 23,731 Robson

FA Cup

Main article: 1987–88 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R3 9 January 1988 Charlton Athletic H 2–0 22,043 Brady, Cottee
R4 30 January 1988 Queens Park Rangers A 1–3 23,651 Cottee

League Cup

Main article: 1987–88 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R2 1st leg 22 September 1987 Barnsley A 0–0 10,330
R2 2nd leg 6 October 1987 Barnsley H 2–5aet (lost 2–5 on agg) 12,403 Robson, Keen

Squad

Number Player Position Lge Apps Lge Gls FAC Apps FAC Gls LC Apps LC Gls Date Signed Previous Club
West Ham United 1987-88 First XI
1 Scotland Tom McAlister GK 39 2 2 1981 Bristol Rovers
2 Scotland Ray Stewart RB 33 4 2 September 1979 Dundee United
3 England George Parris LB 27(3) 1 2 1985 Academy
4 England Billy Bonds (Captain) CB 22 2 1967 Charlton Athletic
5 England Gary Strodder CB 27(3) 1 2 2 March 1987 Lincoln City
6 Republic of Ireland Liam Brady LM 21(1) 2 2 1 2 March 1987 Ascoli
7 England Mark Ward RM 37 1 2 2 August 1985 Oldham Athletic
8 England Alan Dickens F 25(3) 3 1 0 (1) 1982 Academy
9 England Paul Ince CM 26(2) 3 0 (1) 2 1986 Academy
10 England Tony Cottee CF 40 13 2 2 2 September 1982 Academy
11 England Stewart Robson (Hammer of the Year) CM 37 2 2 2 1 January 1987 Arsenal
Important Players
6 England Kevin Keen M 19(4) 1 1 1 1986 Academy
6 England Tony Gale CB 17(1) 2 August 1983 Fulham
5 England Alvin Martin CB 15 2 July 1976 Academy
3 Scotland Tommy McQueen LB 10(2) 1 1 (1) March 1987 Aberdeen
5 England Paul Hilton CB 9 (5) 3 1 (1) 0 (1) 1984 Bury
9 England Leroy Rosenior CF 9 5 March 1988 Fulham
Other Players
8 Scotland Frank McAvennie CF 8 1 June 1985 St Mirren
3 England Julian Dicks LB 8 March 1988 Birmingham City
2 England Steve Potts D 7 (1) 1 1 May 1984 Academy
12 Republic of Ireland Eamonn Dolan CF 1 (3) 1986 Academy
1 England Phil Parkes GK 1 February 1979 Queens Park Rangers
6 England Alan Devonshire LM 1 October 1976 Southall
4 Scotland Neil Orr CM 1 January 1982 Morton
12 England Stuart Slater M/F 0 (2) 1987 Academy

References

  1. ^ "Football photographic encyclopedia, footballer, world cup, champions league, football championship, olympic games & hero images by sporting-heroes.net". www.sporting-heroes.net.