25 October 1983
League Cup second round second leg
Boleyn Ground
West Ham United 10-0 Bury (West Ham United win 12-1 on aggregate)
A four-goal blast by Tony Cottee set West Ham United on the way to their record win against fourth division Bury.
Ironically, the net-busting feast was witnessed by ¬an attendance of just 10,896, the lowest crowd for around 30 years. Having seen their team win the first leg at Gigg Lane 2-1 many observers correctly thought that the second leg was going to be a mere formality. That was to be the case as Cottee and co ran riot on a memorable night that saw Phil Parkes on the cover of the programme despite one of the quieter nights of his career.
Within just two minutes, the tie was all but over anyway when Steve Walford's cross was headed on by Dave Swindlehurst and Cottee netted from close range. Five minutes later, Bury were awarded a penalty following a Billy Bonds' foul but John Bramhall fired against the post and the rebound soared high and wide.
Alvin Martin then headed in Ray Stewart's free-kick on 18 minutes, and midway through the half Trevor Brooking capped a mazy run with a fine finish to make it 3-0 on the night. Bonds then headed on Brooking's cross enabling Cottee to force the ball over the line for his second of the game. Seven minutes before the break, Cottee claimed the match ball after nodding in Paul Allen's precision cross to make it 5-0.
Midway through the second period, United scored number six when Martin headed Alan Devonshire's cross into the path of Cottee who coolly slammed in his fourth of the game. Devonshire made it seven himself, three minutes later, with a fine solo run and within moments he was then hauled down in the penalty area attempting a carbon copy dribble.
Typically, Ray Stewart made no mistake with the spot kick to make it eight before Brooking's l8-yarder then took a deflection as Hammers struck nine goals for the first time in the club's history. They still were not finished and, five minutes from time, beleaguered Bury goalkeeper David Brown found himself picking the ball out of the net for the tenth time after Devonshire waltzed through a shaky Shakers' defence, containing future Hammer Paul Hilton, before inviting Brooking to tap-in from close range.
West Ham United: Parkes, Stewart, Walford, Bonds (Orr), Martin, Devonshire, Allen, Cottee, Swindlehurst, Brooking, Pike.