It is time to select your West Ham United Cult Heroes XI! Who will you pick and why?
Loyalty? Flamboyance? Character? Determination? Outrageous talent? Unpredictabilty? Versatilty? Longevity?
What is it that makes a player a West Ham United cult hero? One or more of the aforementioned traits? Or a combination of them all?
Throughout the long and eventful history of this famous Club, the Claret and Blue Army have always had their cult heroes.
In the early days, Harry Stapley was a goal-hungry forward who helped Great Britain win the Olympic football tournament in London in 1908, while local lad made good Danny Shea and the prolific Syd Puddefoot were also favourites in the Boleyn Ground stands.
Following the First World War, the likes of goalkeeper Ted Hufton and free-scoring Vic Watson were among the first cult heroes to pull on a West Ham shirt.
Hufton was not only an outstanding stopper who saved eleven out of 18 penalties he faced, but he also played his part as West Ham were elected to the Football League, promoted to Division One and reached the famous ‘White Horse’ FA Cup final at Wembley in 1923.
Watson’s popularity should come as no surprise, seeing as he broke all records by scoring an incomparable 326 goals in 505 appearances for the Club.
The inter-war period saw ‘Big’ Jim Barrett catch the imagination of West Ham supporters by spending 15 years in the first team and making 467 appearances covering every position on the field of play!
What is it that makes a player a West Ham United cult hero? One or more of the aforementioned traits? Or a combination of them all?
Throughout the long and eventful history of this famous Club, the Claret and Blue Army have always had their cult heroes.
In the early days, Harry Stapley was a goal-hungry forward who helped Great Britain win the Olympic football tournament in London in 1908, while local lad made good Danny Shea and the prolific Syd Puddefoot were also favourites in the Boleyn Ground stands.
Following the First World War, the likes of goalkeeper Ted Hufton and free-scoring Vic Watson were among the first cult heroes to pull on a West Ham shirt.
Hufton was not only an outstanding stopper who saved eleven out of 18 penalties he faced, but he also played his part as West Ham were elected to the Football League, promoted to Division One and reached the famous ‘White Horse’ FA Cup final at Wembley in 1923.
Watson’s popularity should come as no surprise, seeing as he broke all records by scoring an incomparable 326 goals in 505 appearances for the Club.
The inter-war period saw ‘Big’ Jim Barrett catch the imagination of West Ham supporters by spending 15 years in the first team and making 467 appearances covering every position on the field of play!
Post-war, West Ham were desperately trying to win promotion from Division Two, but this did not stop a number of players earning cult hero status, including hard-shooting right-back John ‘Muffin’ Bond and Irish national-team captain Noel Cantwell.
The 1960s began with the Hammers’ line led by lethal England centre forward John ‘Budgie’ Byrne, while home grown midfielders Ronnie ‘Ticker’ Boyce and Eddie Bovington earned hero status for their tireless work-rate and no-nonsense tackling respectively.
A young shaggy-haired, all-action player named Billy Bonds quickly became a cult hero following his arrival from Charlton at the end of the same decade, emerging alongside one-club man and true Hammers legend Trevor Brooking and one of the Club’s true trailblazers – Bermuda-born centre forward Clyde Best.
Another loyal servant who would definitely fit into the ‘Cult Hero’ category is Frank Lampard Sr, who charged up and down the wing nearly 700 times from his full-back position, and lifted two FA Cups during 19 seasons in Claret and Blue.
The 1970s also saw the arrival of centre forward Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson from Newcastle United. The striker was lethal in front of goal, while his follicly challenged appearance undoubtedly added to his popular appeal.
In the 1980s, Belgian World Cup striker Francois Van der Elst, hard-working, long-serving defender Steve Potts, versatile Academy graduate George Parris and hard-hitting left-back Julian ‘The Terminator’ Dicks all became popular figures on the terraces.
The 1960s began with the Hammers’ line led by lethal England centre forward John ‘Budgie’ Byrne, while home grown midfielders Ronnie ‘Ticker’ Boyce and Eddie Bovington earned hero status for their tireless work-rate and no-nonsense tackling respectively.
A young shaggy-haired, all-action player named Billy Bonds quickly became a cult hero following his arrival from Charlton at the end of the same decade, emerging alongside one-club man and true Hammers legend Trevor Brooking and one of the Club’s true trailblazers – Bermuda-born centre forward Clyde Best.
Another loyal servant who would definitely fit into the ‘Cult Hero’ category is Frank Lampard Sr, who charged up and down the wing nearly 700 times from his full-back position, and lifted two FA Cups during 19 seasons in Claret and Blue.
The 1970s also saw the arrival of centre forward Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson from Newcastle United. The striker was lethal in front of goal, while his follicly challenged appearance undoubtedly added to his popular appeal.
In the 1980s, Belgian World Cup striker Francois Van der Elst, hard-working, long-serving defender Steve Potts, versatile Academy graduate George Parris and hard-hitting left-back Julian ‘The Terminator’ Dicks all became popular figures on the terraces.
The 1990s saw a succession of true cult heroes walk in through the Boleyn Ground gates.
Long-serving goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko came ‘from near Moscow’, while Czech hard man Tomas Repka, uncompromising midfielder Martin ‘Mad Dog’ Allen, long-haired playmaker Ian Bishop, the enigmatic John Moncur, even more enigmatic Paolo Di Canio and rock star Slaven Bilic all became cult heroes, as did the less-heralded Samassi Abou and Marco Boogers.
Into the new millennium and the flow of cult heroes did not stop, with Scotland international Christian Dailly winning plaudits for his ‘curly hair’, midfielder Mark Noble impressing all with his loyalty and consistency and creative talents like Yossi Benayoun, Matty Etherington and Alessandro Diamanti feeding fan favourite Carlton Cole in attack.
Your own cult hero may be named above, or he may not! Now is the time to select your very own West Ham United Cult Heroes XI, with the winning team being named in the Official Programme for the visit of West Bromwich Albion on Saturday 29 November.
To submit your Cult Hero now, Tweet us @whufc_official using the hashtag #HammersCultHeroes and if you have a photo of yourself with him, all the better!
The best entries submitted will win a shirt signed by the Cult Heroes in attendance at the West Brom match, which is being themed in their honour!
Long-serving goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko came ‘from near Moscow’, while Czech hard man Tomas Repka, uncompromising midfielder Martin ‘Mad Dog’ Allen, long-haired playmaker Ian Bishop, the enigmatic John Moncur, even more enigmatic Paolo Di Canio and rock star Slaven Bilic all became cult heroes, as did the less-heralded Samassi Abou and Marco Boogers.
Into the new millennium and the flow of cult heroes did not stop, with Scotland international Christian Dailly winning plaudits for his ‘curly hair’, midfielder Mark Noble impressing all with his loyalty and consistency and creative talents like Yossi Benayoun, Matty Etherington and Alessandro Diamanti feeding fan favourite Carlton Cole in attack.
Your own cult hero may be named above, or he may not! Now is the time to select your very own West Ham United Cult Heroes XI, with the winning team being named in the Official Programme for the visit of West Bromwich Albion on Saturday 29 November.
To submit your Cult Hero now, Tweet us @whufc_official using the hashtag #HammersCultHeroes and if you have a photo of yourself with him, all the better!
The best entries submitted will win a shirt signed by the Cult Heroes in attendance at the West Brom match, which is being themed in their honour!