We're taking a look at some of the best players to have worn a range of squad numbers for West Ham United, since they were introduced for the start of the 1993/94 campaign.
Vote for your favourite No23 from the four chosen nominees below!
All West Ham No23s since 1993/94 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
1993-1994 | 2000-2001 | 2009-2012 | 2017 |
1994-1996 | 2001-2002 | 2012 | 2017-2018 |
1996-1997 | 2002-2003 | 2012-2013 | 2018-2022 |
1997-1998 | 2004 | 2013-2014 | 2023-present |
1999-2000 | 2004-2009 | 2014-2015 | |
Jimmy Walker
DOB: 09.07.73 WHU: 2004-2009 Apps: 20 Clean Sheets: 8
It is almost 21 years to the day since Jimmy Walker signed for West Ham United from Walsall. The diminutive shot-stopper went on to help the Hammers reach the FA Cup final in 2006 and, despite making just 20 appearances in Claret and Blue, would become a cult hero for his off-the-wall Programme column and saving Frank Lampard's League Cup penalty at Stamford Bridge.
After eleven years and 475 appearances at Walsall, Walker swapped the West Midlands for east London in the summer of 2004. With Stephen Bywater initially established as West Ham’s No1 choice, Walker had to take his opportunities in the Carling Cup matches. His first chance at pulling on his new team’s kit came in the home cup match against Southend - the very same game that a future West Ham captain called Mark Noble also earned his bow in Claret and Blue.
But it was in the third-round Carling Cup match, away to Chelsea, that Walker really felt the power of the Claret and Blue Army for the first time, when he saved Lampard's spot-kick.
Meanwhile, the images of the now 51-year-old being carried by the legendary Luděk Mikloško around the pitch following the 2005 Championship Play-Off final victory against Preston North End still live on, as do the memories of his Premier League debut aged 32 in March 2006, when he started against Portsmouth and then was voted Man of the Match after keeping his first top-flight clean sheet in our 1-0 victory over Manchester City.
Walker returned to the Club as a Goalkeeping Consultant for our U18s in February 2022 and, later that year, was appointed as our women’s team Assistant Manager in the Women’s Super League.
Stewart Downing
DOB: 22.07.84 WHU: 2013-2015 Apps: 79 Goals: 7
While he may be more closely associated with boyhood club Middlesbrough, Stewart Downing enjoyed a fruitful two-year spell with the Hammers between 2013 and 2015.
A traditional winger capable of operating on either the right-hand side or his more natural left, Downing was brought in by Sam Allardyce to offer pace and creativity.
Having completed his move on 13 August 2013, he made his debut for the Club at home to Cardiff City just four days later on the opening day of the 2013/14 campaign.
He featured in a total of 37 fixtures throughout his maiden campaign with the Hammers, notching once - in a 2-0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur in May 2014.
But it was in his second season, then wearing No11, that the man from Middlesbrough was the Irons’ standout performer with countless effervescent displays after being deployed in a central role, scoring six goals and producing eight assists in 42 appearances as West Ham finished 12th in the Premier League.
Downing returned to Teesside with Boro for an undisclosed fee in July 2015, and, after four further years with the EFL Championship side and then three years with Blackburn Rovers, he brought to an end a 20-year professional career that saw him make more than 700 club appearances and play 35 times for England.
Issa Diop
DOB: 09.01.97 WHU: 2018-2022 Apps: 121 Goals: 8
Powerful centre-back Issa Diop gave four years of committed service in West Ham’s defence, making 121 appearances during his time in east London.
Frequently labelled an unsung hero, French defender Diop became a then Club-record signing from Ligue 1 side Toulouse FC in June 2018, having been part of their academy set-up since the age of nine.
He made his Hammers debut against Arsenal on 25 August 2018, only for it to shortly become a nightmare full Premier League bow, becoming the first West Ham player ever to score an own-goal on his first top-flight appearance for the Club.
But he managed to put that disappointment behind him, as just three days later, Diop scored his first goal for the Irons, in a Carabao Cup fixture at AFC Wimbledon.
Having settled in to life in London, the defender's name was soon on the teamsheet with greater regularity, and he contributed 38 appearances in his debut season. That impressive maiden campaign was followed by 36 appearances in his second season, which saw him net three goals as the Hammers finished 16th in the Premier League.
Following the arrivals of Craig Dawson and Kurt Zouma, Diop rallied to force his way back into David Moyes’ plans, racking up 47 more matches and three goals, including against KRC Genk on our way to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals in 2022, across the next two campaigns.
He joined West Ham on their summer pre-season trips in 2022, but a move to Fulham was confirmed in August of that year, with Diop featuring 78 times for the Cottagers since.
Alphonse Areola
DOB: 27.02.93 WHU: 2021-2022 (loan), 2022-present Apps: 100 Clean Sheets: 27
Current No23 Alphonse Areola hit a century of West Ham United appearances against Nottingham Forest in May, and he has kept 27 clean sheets in all competitions to date.
The five-time capped French international became a firm favourite during his season on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, playing a starring role in the team’s run to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals in 2021/22, keeping five clean sheets, conceding just eight goals and making numerous important saves in his eleven appearances.
Such saves included a vital, spectacular one-handed stop to deny Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri that paved the way for West Ham’s 2-0 round of 16 second-leg victory at London Stadium and earned him the Save of the Season award.
He returned on a permanent contract in June 2022, and duly helped West Ham to memorable Carabao Cup victories over Manchester United - on debut - and Manchester City, earning the Player of the Round award after making seven saves in the latter.
Areola went on to keep ten clean sheets in 23 2022/23 appearances in all competitions, and was ever-present between the sticks en route to the unforgettable UEFA Europa Conference League success, which subsequently saw him named in the tournament’s Team of the Season.
Another 33 appearances and four clean sheets followed during 2023/24, when he won the Premier League Save of the Month gong for October, while he featured 26 times throughout 2024/25, keeping five clean sheets.
