West Ham United narrowly escaped relegation by finishing 17th in the First Division in the 1976–77 season.

Season summary Although West Ham ended their run of seven months without a League victory in August 1976 by beating Queens Park Rangers, they dropped to the bottom of the table after failing to win any of their other first twelve League games. At the start of April 1977, they still occupied last place, but after a succession of draws they beat Manchester United 4–2 at Upton Park in their last fixture to avoid relegation by two points, having lost just one of their last thirteen matches. Perversely, many of their better performances came against teams towards the top of the table: as well as doing a League double over Manchester United, they took three points off the champions Liverpool and also beat Arsenal at Highbury and Manchester City at home. Pop Robson, who had re-signed for the club from Sunderland, was their top scorer with 14 goals.

West Ham also struggled in the cups, and they were convincingly beaten by Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

League table

Results

Football League First Division

+DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers21 August 1976 Aston VillaA0–439,01223 August 1976 Queens Park RangersH1–031,668Paddon28 August 1976 Leicester CityH0–024,9604 September 1976 Stoke CityH1–219,131A Taylor11 September 1976 ArsenalH0–231,96518 September 1976 Bristol CityA1–128,932A Taylor25 September 1976 SunderlandH1–124,319Jennings2 October 1976 Manchester CityA2–437,795A Taylor, Doyle (o.g.)6 October 1976 Leeds UnitedH1–321,909Jennings16 October 1976 Ipswich TownH0–224,53423 October 1976 EvertonA2–323,163McNaught (o.g.), Bonds30 October 1976 West Bromwich AlbionA0–319,8566 November 1976 Tottenham HotspurH5–328,997P Robson, Bonds, Jennings, Brooking, Curbishley10 November 1976 Norwich CityA0–124,76220 November 1976 Newcastle UnitedA1–221,324P Robson27 November 1976 Manchester UnitedA2–055,366Brooking, Jennings4 December 1976 MiddlesbroughH0–120,18418 December 1976 LiverpoolH2–024,175Brooking, Jennings27 December 1976 Birmingham CityA0–039,9781 January 1977 Tottenham HotspurA1–244,972Brooking3 January 1977 West Bromwich AlbionH0–025,23622 January 1977 Aston VillaH0–127,5775 February 1977 Leicester CityA0–216,20112 February 1977 Stoke CityH1–020,160P Robson19 February 1977 ArsenalA3–238,221A Taylor (2), Jennings26 February 1977 Bristol CityH2–029,713Bonds (pen), Jennings5 March 1977 SunderlandA0–635,35712 March 1977 Manchester CityH1–024,974P Robson22 March 1977 Ipswich TownA1–427,315P Robson (pen)2 April 1977 EvertonH2–222,518P Robson (2)4 April 1977 Queens Park RangersA1–124,930P Robson8 April 1977 Birmingham CityH2–228,167Jennings, Pike9 April 1977 Coventry CityA1–115,816P Robson11 April 1977 Norwich CityH1–027,084Pike16 April 1977 Newcastle UnitedA0–330,96720 April 1977 Derby CountyA1–121,380Pike (pen)26 April 1977 Leeds UnitedA1–116,891P Robson29 April 1977 MiddlesbroughA1–116,500P Robson4 May 1977 Coventry CityH2–025,461P Robson, Pike (pen)7 May 1977 Derby CountyH2–232,079Pike, Jennings14 May 1977 LiverpoolA0–055,67516 May 1977 Manchester UnitedH4–229,311Lampard, Pike, P Robson (2)

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR38 January 1977 Bolton WanderersH2–124,147Jennings, PikeR429 January 1977 Aston VillaA0–346,954

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR21 September 1976 BarnsleyH3–017,889Holland (2), PaddonR321 September 1976 Charlton AthleticA1–032,898A TaylorR427 October 1976 Queens Park RangersH0–224,565

Players

NationPlayerPosLge AppsLge GlsFAC AppsFAC GlsLC AppsLC GlsDate signedPrevious clubFirst TeamMervyn DayGK42231973AcademyFrank LampardLB361211967AcademyBilly Bonds (Capt)CM413231967Charlton AthleticBill GreenCH22221976Carlisle UnitedTommy TaylorD36231970Leyton OrientKevin LockCH25 (1)221971AcademyAlan DevonshireLM27 (1)311976SouthallBilly JenningsF27 (4)92121974WatfordTrevor BrookingCM424231967AcademyPop RobsonCF301421976SunderlandAlan TaylorCF24 (1)51211974RochdaleOther PlayersJohnny AyrisRW1 (2)1970AcademyKeith ColemanRB12 (1)21973SunderlandAlan CurbishleyM8 (2)1111974AcademyPat HollandM6121969AcademyMick McGivenCH15 (1)21973SunderlandYılmaz OrhanF1 (2)11975AveleyAnton OtulakowskiM10 (2)1976BarnsleyGraham PaddonM121311973Norwich CityGeoff PikeM206111975AcademyJohn RadfordM1811976ArsenalKeith RobsonW7 (2)11974Newcastle United

References