Anniversary
Iain Dowie
Date of birth: 9 January 1965
National team: Northern Ireland
Clubs: Cheshunt, St Albans City, Hendon, Luton Town, Fulham (loan), West Ham United, Southampton, Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Queens Park Rangers
A cult figure at the Boleyn Ground, boyhood Hammers fan Iain Dowie had two spells with West Ham United. Born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, the former Northern Ireland striker was a late developer football-wise. After being rejected by Southampton as a teenager, Dowie played for a trio of non-league sides while studying for a Masters degree in engineering at the University of Hertfordshire.
Having graduated, Dowie began work for British Aerospace but it would not be long before his talents were spotted by Luton Town. After making more than 50 appearances for the Hatters and enjoying a short loan spell at Fulham, Dowie joined West Ham for £480,000 in March 1991.
However, after making just 14 Division Two and Makita Tournament appearances, the old-fashioned striker was on his way again, joining Southampton for £500,000 in August 1991. Dowie would return to east London, where he had stood on the terraces as a child, from Crystal Palace in January 1998. Second time around, the forward would make 83 appearances in all competitons, scoring eleven goals.
Dowie would leave the Boleyn Ground for a second time as part of the deal that brought Trevor Sinclair to West Ham from Queens Park Rangers in January 1998. After his playing career had ended, he would go on to manage Oldham Athletic, Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Coventry City and Queens Park Rangers and also work as a television pundit.
Other anniversaries
Dale Gordon (1967), Ray Houghton (1962), Paul Kitson (1971)Classic match
West Ham United 4-2 Birmingham City
FA Cup third round
9 January 1965
Some 18 months before he would become a household name by firing England to World Cup glory, Geoff Hurst was scoring the goals that helped West Ham United through to the FA Cup fourth round.
Then just 23, the striker would help the Hammers begin their defence of the famous old trophy with a superb come-from-behind victory over Birmingham City at the Boleyn Ground. Dennis Thwaites and Alex Jackson - direct from a corner - put the visitors 2-0 up within 27 minutes and it appeared United were on their way out of the competition at the first attempt.
However, Johnny Byrne's goal just four minutes before half-time proved the game's turning point. Seven minutes after the break and Hurst had drawn the home side level. The striker put West Ham ahead 20 minutes from time before John Sissons, who had set up Byrne's opener, added a fourth a minute from time to send the majority of the 31,056 home happy.
West Ham would go out of the FA Cup at the next stage, losing 1-0 at home to Chelsea. The season would still end happily, however, as the Hammers went on to lift the European Cup Winners' Cup at Wembley the following May.