We delve into the UK Newspaper Archive to return to August 1967, when manager Ron Greenwood turned to a teenager to combat the Clarets...
Ron Greenwood’s West Ham United side of the 1960s were true entertainers.
In Greenwood’s first seven full seasons in charge between 1961/62 and 1967/68, the Hammers played 294 First Division matches.
In those games, an incredible 1,045 goals were scored at an average of 3.55 goals per game, with West Ham scoring 523 and conceding 532.
Despite scoring nearly two goals every time they took to the pitch, Greenwood’s Hammers’ inability to keep the ball out of their own net meant they never finished higher than eighth in the First Division table.
While such inconsistency was not a recipe for success in the league, the Irons’ ability to raise their game on any given day was better suited to the knockout competitions, where the east Londoners won the FA Cup in 1964, European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965 and reached the Football League Cup final in 1966.
Influential throughout were West Ham’s outstanding England internationals - captain and centre-half Bobby Moore, visionary midfielder Martin Peters and prolific strikers Geoff Hurst and Johnny Byrne.
Byrne departed in February 1967, but the Club’s trio of 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning heroes remained part of Greenwood’s squad at the start of the 1967/68 season, which kicked-off in typically unpredictable, goal-filled style.
Hurst and Peters scored in a 3-2 First Division defeat by Sheffield Wednesday at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 19 August 1967, where new goalkeeper Bobby Ferguson and defenders Billy Bonds and John Cushley all made their West Ham debuts.
Two days later, on Bank Holiday Monday 21 August, Burnley visited Upton Park and the goals continued to fly in.
‘Same old crazy West Ham’ screamed the headline on the back page of the Daily Express the following morning.
“West Ham were up to their old tricks last night - thrilling and chilling their fans with football that was recklessly entertaining,” wrote reporter Norman Giller as his introduction.
In the Daily Mirror, the headline was more positive: ‘Four-goal blast by Hammers - Are the great days on way back again?’.
Northern Ireland striker Willie Irvine had put the Clarets a goal up at half-time before, reporter Ken Jones enthused, ‘Suddenly, out of nothing, West Ham hit electrifying form’.
Peters levelled with a ‘tremendous long-range shot’ on 53 minutes, then Hurst converted Harry Redknapp’s cross seconds later to put the Hammers in front. Frank Casper levelled for Burnley on the hour, but ‘there was almost an inevitability about West Ham’s reply’, according to Jones.
John Sissons crossed for Hurst to score his second and ‘any hopes Burnley had of recovery disappeared in the 78th minute when another Sissons centre swept through the penalty area for Redknapp to meet it with a fierce low shot’.
Two games played, six goals scored and five conceded.
The rollercoaster rolled to White Hart Lane on Saturday 26 August, where Tottenham Hotspur thumped Greenwood’s side 5-1, suggesting the ‘great days’ were still some way off returning!
Three games played, seven goals scored and ten conceded.
The return fixture against Burnley came next on Tuesday 29 August, where Greenwood made one change from the defeat in north London.
London Evening News reporter Victor Railton got wind of a youngster named Trevor Brooking’s debut, writing ahead of kick-off: “Despite a £130,000 outlay on three new defenders, Hammers have only one win from three games and may now turn to local boy Brooking to liven their attack.
“Fast and powerful, Brooking is a current England Youth international with outstanding ability. He could link up well with Geoff Hurst and prove as big a find as Everton’s Joe Royle.”
Brooking, of course, did turn out to be as big a find as fellow 18-year-old Royle, with both players going on to represent England and return to manage the clubs which gave them their senior debuts in 1967.
The Academy of Football product was indeed handed his debut by Greenwood at Turf Moor, wearing the No8 shirt as he replaced striker Brian Dear, but it was a more familiar name who took centre-stage.
‘Moore turns on a great show to save West Ham’ exalted the Daily Mirror on Wednesday 30 August.
“England captain Bobby Moore scored a goal and saved two by clearing from the line as he turned on one of his truly great displays at Turf Moor last night,” wrote reporter Derek Wallis. “It was a magnificent answer to the crowd’s obvious dislike for him.”
Moore had drawn the ire of the home supporters first by scoring West Ham’s opening goal, then again when he complained to referee Norman Callender at the award of a penalty that Gordon Harris converted to put Burnley 3-2 up in the second half.
“Bobby Moore, captain of England and West Ham, was warned last night by Yorkshire referee Norman Callender. Moore, in magnificent form, had plenty of excuse - playing in this West Ham defence would test the tempers of the greatest of men,” observed Daily Express reporter Derek Hodgson.
However, the captain recovered his composure to set up Hurst to equalise with a header 12 minutes from full-time.
Four games played, ten goals scored and 13 conceded.
West Ham’s inconsistency continued for the remainder of the season - and Greenwood’s 13-year tenure - as the Londoners finished 12th in the 22-team First Division.
Forty-two games played, 73 goals scored and 69 conceded.
