Continuing our series commemorating the 40th-anniversary of the Club’s highest-ever, top-flight finish, former Hammers midfielder Geoff Pike recalls the role he played in what proved to be a record-breaking 1985/86 season for West Ham United...
Wembley finals. European adventures. Promotion. Relegation. Captain’s armband. Hammer of the Year runner-up. A richly-deserved testimonial. Geoff Pike undoubtedly experienced it all during 368 appearances across a dozen seasons down West Ham way.
But one of his most remarkable campaigns in Claret & Blue came in 1985/86, when the record-breaking Hammers produced their highest-ever top-flight finish.
“What a strange year,” says the faithful, former midfielder, who originally started training with the Club as a nine-year-old schoolboy. “How can you only win one of your first seven games and then go 18 matches without defeat? I enjoyed some very proud moments at West Ham United and that was another big achievement for the team. From where I’m sitting right now, it’s hard to see the Club finishing third again, any time soon.”
Despite seeing his campaign book-ended by two ill-timed injuries, Pike still wrote his own personal chapter across 15 appearances and an historic headed goal in an FA Cup fifth-round victory at Manchester United (2-0).
“During pre-season, they found a 50-pence piece-sized hole in my stomach muscle,” confides Geoff, who is due to celebrate his 69th birthday on Sunday. “An operation meant missing the first-half of 1985/86, which was challenging because I’d been a regular starter in the side.
“At one point, John Lyall even told me I was the first name on his team-sheet which was lovely to hear. He’d also made me his captain at times and – confidence growing – I’d been thinking: ‘What’s the next stage of my West Ham career going to look like?’
“In my absence, Alan Dickens and Neil Orr struck up a really good partnership. Although Neil was signed from Morton as a centre-back, he did a decent job in midfield, making it hard to break back in.
“A couple of years earlier, Paul Allen got injured and, coming into the team, I hit it off with Trevor Brooking. Back then, I’d kept the shirt – football’s about timing and taking opportunities and now it was Neil who’d taken his chance.
“I was disappointed to be missing out but from a manager’s perspective, it was the right thing to do. John always picked the team that’d be best for him on the day.”
With some wicked weather restricting the Hammers to just three league matches between Boxing Day and mid-March, a winter wipe-out was also hampering Pike’s hopes of swimming with the big fish, once again.
But in early February, Lyall threw his ever-dependable midfielder back into the deep end for the visit of table-topping Manchester United.
Sidelined, Geoff had watched his team-mates string together a record-breaking, unbeaten top-flight run of 18 matches, including a red-hot, nine-game winning streak.
Now, with West Ham in fifth spot, it was time to play his part in our history-making season.
Despite having spent those weeks and months in the operating theatre and treatment room, he made a seamless return in front of a Sunday afternoon television audience.
Following our 2-1 victory, fate decreed the Hammers would again host Ron Atkinson’s side in the FA Cup fifth round, just three games later.
With the tie ending all-square at the Boleyn Ground (1-1), the Red Devils were short-priced favourites to win the replay in another live-TV encounter.
Instead, Lyall’s lads upset the odds with their first-ever FA Cup triumph at Old Trafford, where pint-sized Pike bizarrely netted an 18-yard header before Ray Stewart’s penalty secured a quarter-final spot.
“Mark Ward was meant to drive his corner into the near-post, where Tony Gale was supposed to nod it back across goal for Tony Cottee or Frank McAvennie to run in behind,” laughs the 1980 FA Cup winner. “Somehow, Wardie sliced his kick towards the edge of the penalty-box, where I sent a looping header over ‘keeper Chris Turner, who only stood at about 5’ 10, and Arthur Albiston – even shorter at about four-foot something (!) – on the goal-line. Later, I joined-up with Chris at Leyon Orient, where we often joked about my header.
“After our 2-0 win, ITV wanted to interview us. ‘Wardie, we can’t say it was a fluke,’ I said. Instead, we claimed we’d worked on corners all week in training at Chadwell Heath, smiling: ‘It’s good seeing all that practice pay off!’
“West Ham rarely won at Old Trafford and, although it’s nearly 40 years ago, I still get reminded of that header. I’m proud that my goal’s still remembered.”
The spring thaw arriving, Pike kept the No11 shirt warm during a 15-game run, while the Hammers continued to keep their title hopes bubbling with five wins in six matches.
Off the pitch, life was equally hectic with Geoff and wife Pauline celebrating the arrival of their third child, Richard, a brother for Anthony and Nicola.
“After Paul Goddard had got injured in our opening game at Birmingham City (0-1), Frank came in for ‘Sarge’ up front and, alongside Tony, hadn’t stopped scoring all season,” continues the grandfather of six. “I’d been very fortunate to play with some fantastic midfielders during my time at West Ham including, of course, Trevor and Billy Bonds.
“Over the years, Bonzo became my inspiration - never shouting or balling, he led by example and galvanised our team purely by his own actions, whether it was launching an opponent into the Chicken Run terracing (!) or charging around chasing seemingly lost causes. I only grew my beard because Billy Bonds had one!
“Now, I was in midfield with a fit-again Alan Devonshire plus ‘Dicko’ and ‘Wardie’ and we all complemented each other. We’d had horrendous winter weather while our FA Cup run caused a fixture pile-up, too,” observes Geoff recalling a demanding fixture list that forced the Hammers to play their final 13 matches inside a gruelling 38-day window. “At Stamford Bridge, we simply tore Chelsea apart and were outstanding that day. Beating them 4-0, we created so many chances.
“When you’re consistently winning games you’ve just got to keep doing what you’re doing and, as manager, John was very good at maintaining our level of play. He’d an ability to motivate people without ever raising his voice and could spot the tiniest details before giving us little snippets to help take advantage of opponents’ flaws.
“John was the first person I met upon arriving at the Club as a schoolboy. He was my ‘football dad’ and if he’d told me that running around the M25 stark naked would make me a better footballer, then I’d have done it!”
After that wonderful win at Stamford Bridge, the Boleyn Ground return against Chelsea in mid-April proved the cruel catalyst for a painful end to a stop-start season.
“Injuries happen and, as a professional footballer, you’ve got to take your highs and lows,” insists a philosophical Pike, recalling a night filled with the Blues that ended with nasty knee-ligament damage for him and a dismal defeat for the Hammers (1-2). “It was so disappointing to lose at home to Chelsea just a couple of weeks after beating them so comfortably at their place. Defeat cost us the title.”
A gutted Geoff could now only watch the final seven games of 1985/86 unfold from the touchline.
Despite the heartbroken Hammers – in second-spot – notching a sixth-straight win at West Bromwich Albion (3-2) in their penultimate match of the season, Liverpool’s victory at Chelsea secured the title for the Merseysiders.
Notwithstanding defeat at eventual runners-up Everton (1-3) just two days later, weary West Ham still recorded a best-ever third-place finish.
“If we’d gone to Goodison Park on that final Monday night needing three points to win the league, there would’ve undoubtedly been a different outcome,” argues Geoff, who now combines his duties as a Matchday Ambassador at London Stadium with his long-standing role as a coach developer, travelling the globe educating and mentoring the next generation of footballing tacticians.
“I’ve designed courses for UEFA B badges and the Pro Licence and having recently been to Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Hong Kong, I’m hopefully heading out to Japan in December, too. It’s a great boost knowing people have got confidence in my ability to deliver courses at those levels.
“Graham Potter was in one of my groups, when he was head coach at Östersunds. I told him: ‘You’re doing well, it won’t be long until a Premier League club comes for you.’ Graham replied: ‘Premier League? I’m not interested.’ Just look at him now! It’s really good to see people who you’ve worked with doing so well, and I’m very impressed with the culture Graham’s creating at the Football Club.”
Last year, the brave, battling midfielder shared his recent Parkinson’s disease diagnosis with the West Ham family and just like he did out there on the pitch – Pike who stands 22nd in the Club’s all-time appearance charts – continues to tackle things head-on.
“It can be frustrating, especially on the golf-course,” he contends with a steely stare that breaks into a wry smile. “I used to play off a handicap of three or four but now my co-ordination’s affected, I have good rounds and absolute shockers, too. Then again, I suppose that applies to all golfers!
“You’ve got to make the best you can of your limitations and try to lead the most normal, best and active life as you possibly can.”
Such profound positivity and dogged determination also epitomised the Boys of 86 during their unrivalled stellar season.
“We stuck together when things weren’t going well and we all shared the successes, too,” concludes Geoff. “Forty years on, we’re all still mates and that’s the legacy John Lyall wanted to leave. I’m grateful that West Ham United gave me the opportunity to make such good friends and it was a gift from God that we were all able to play the game of football together, too...”
