The new millennium brought disaster as the Hammers lost their Worthington Cup re-match 3-1 to Villa. In November, the Club accepted an £18million bid from Leeds United for star defender Rio Ferdinand. The 21-year-old England international made his record-breaking move to Elland Road just days after playing his final match for Hammers…against Leeds. Ferdinand is the world's costliest defender and represents the Club's biggest-ever sale.
2001:
January 28: A day to remember as the Hammers overcame the odds to beat runaway Premiership leaders Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round. Paolo Di Canio's 76th minute winner secured a famous 1-0 victory - the club's first win at Old Trafford since August 1986.
May 9: Just days after the Hammers have secured Premiership safety with a 3-0 win over Southampton in their final home game of the season, Harry Redknapp sensationally steps down as manager after almost seven years in the hotseat. Assistant manager Frank Lampard also leaves the club and Reserve Team coach Glenn Roeder is placed in temporary charge for the final match of the season, a 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on May 19.
June 14: After more than a month of speculation linking the likes of Alan Curbishley and Steve McClaren to the vacant post, West Ham United surprisingly appoint Roeder as the new boss after being impressed by his ideas and views on the way forward for the club. The former boyhood Hammers fan becomes only the ninth manager in the history of the club.
June 14: After admitting that he would find it hard to continue playing for the club following the departure of his father, Frank Lampard Jr completes an £11million move to London rivals Chelsea.
2002:
Glenn Roeder's first season at the helm ended in success with West Ham finishing seventh in the Premiership, their third best top flight finish ever. The year also saw the emergence of Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe as first team regulars at Upton Park. The Hammers signed England goalkeeper David James and he, along with Cole and Trevor Sinclair were included in England's 2002 World Cup squad on May 9.
That same day the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the new Dr Martens West Stand.
The new season didn't begin in quite the same way as the old one had ended for West Ham, as they struggled to pick up points at Upton Park. The first victory of the campaign came in a spectacular 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge but come Christmas the Hammers were bottom of the league without a home win.