Peter Brabrook, who played at Anfield in 1963 when West Ham last
won there, says with determination - and luck - the side can get a
good result on the opening day of the season.
But he has advised Glenn Roeder to count the Liverpool players at the start of the match!
"It is absolutely daunting," he says, recalling his trips to Anfield, "and there were times when you couldn't get out of the eighteen yard box.
"I remember one game up there when the ball went out of play and I went to Johnny Byrne and said 'have they definitely got eleven on the field?'
"So I stood there like an idiot and started counting their players!
"I was sure they had more than eleven; we just couldn't get the ball.
"It was unbelievable, and hasn't altered from the sixties to the new era."
As well as the win at Anfield, he helped West Ham manage the rare feat of 'winning' a trophy on Liverpool's own patch.
"I played there in the Charity Shield in 1964 and we drew 2-2.
"We tossed a coin after the game and won, so we got to keep it for the first six months."
Of the encounter 38 years later, he says:
"To come back with something would be like winning the cup final.
"Surely we deserve a bit of luck because Glenn hasn't had any at all, and maybe our luck will change on Saturday.
"I spoke to Trevor Sinclair in the week and said 'are you looking forward to the start of the season?'
"He said he was but that it was going to be hard.
"He said what we have to do is stick together, and that will be true at Anfield.
"If they can work together maybe they can come away with something.
"That is the spirit that I'm sure Glenn will want."
Peter is delighted that one of his proteges, centre half Glen Johnson, was included in the first team party that flew north on Friday afternoon, and he says:
"Full marks to Glenn for that; it is just for the experience of travelling but if they didn't think highly of him they wouldn't have taken him anyway.
"It is nice to see him get that recognition at the age of 16."
* West Ham did face 12 players for four minutes of a preseason friendly against Dagenham and Redbridge this summer.
But he has advised Glenn Roeder to count the Liverpool players at the start of the match!
"It is absolutely daunting," he says, recalling his trips to Anfield, "and there were times when you couldn't get out of the eighteen yard box.
"I remember one game up there when the ball went out of play and I went to Johnny Byrne and said 'have they definitely got eleven on the field?'
"So I stood there like an idiot and started counting their players!
"I was sure they had more than eleven; we just couldn't get the ball.
"It was unbelievable, and hasn't altered from the sixties to the new era."
As well as the win at Anfield, he helped West Ham manage the rare feat of 'winning' a trophy on Liverpool's own patch.
"I played there in the Charity Shield in 1964 and we drew 2-2.
"We tossed a coin after the game and won, so we got to keep it for the first six months."
Of the encounter 38 years later, he says:
"To come back with something would be like winning the cup final.
"Surely we deserve a bit of luck because Glenn hasn't had any at all, and maybe our luck will change on Saturday.
"I spoke to Trevor Sinclair in the week and said 'are you looking forward to the start of the season?'
"He said he was but that it was going to be hard.
"He said what we have to do is stick together, and that will be true at Anfield.
"If they can work together maybe they can come away with something.
"That is the spirit that I'm sure Glenn will want."
Peter is delighted that one of his proteges, centre half Glen Johnson, was included in the first team party that flew north on Friday afternoon, and he says:
"Full marks to Glenn for that; it is just for the experience of travelling but if they didn't think highly of him they wouldn't have taken him anyway.
"It is nice to see him get that recognition at the age of 16."
* West Ham did face 12 players for four minutes of a preseason friendly against Dagenham and Redbridge this summer.