1971–72 West Ham United F.C. season

In the 1971–72 season West Ham United played in the First Division of English football, finishing 14th.

Season summary The highlight of West Ham's season came in reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup. After beating title challengers Leeds United and Liverpool, they faced Stoke City in the last four. West Ham won the first leg 2–1 away, but were beaten 1–0 at Upton Park, with Geoff Hurst having a late penalty saved by his England international team-mate Gordon Banks three minutes from the end. The teams then drew 0–0 after extra time in a replay at Hillsborough, and the tie was eventually decided when Stoke won a dramatic second replay 3–2 at Old Trafford, seven weeks after the sides had first met. The game was memorable for Bobby Moore having a stint in goal after West Ham's goalkeeper Bobby Ferguson went off injured, and saving a penalty from Stoke's Mike Bernard, only for Bernard to score from the rebound.

West Ham's form suffered after the League Cup defeat, and they won just four more League matches before the end of the season. In the FA Cup, they struggled past non-League Hereford United in a replay, but were then eliminated by relegation-threatened Huddersfield Town in the fifth round.

This season was the last as West Ham players for club stalwarts Hurst and Harry Redknapp.

League table

Results Football League First Division

+DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers14 August 1971 West Bromwich AlbionH0–127,42018 August 1971 Derby CountyA0–230,58321 August 1971 Nottingham ForestA0–117,18523 August 1971 Ipswich TownH0–025,71428 August 1971 EvertonH1–026,878Best30 August 1971 Coventry CityH4–028,176Best (2), Hurst, Robson4 September 1971 Newcastle UnitedA2–231,910Hurst, Robson11 September 1971 ChelseaH2–136,866Best (2)18 September 1971 Manchester UnitedA2–453,334Best, Brooking25 September 1971 Stoke CityH2–129,193Best, Moore2 October 1971 Leeds UnitedA0–030,9429 October 1971 Leicester CityH1–131,060Hurst16 October 1971 West Bromwich AlbionA0–020,74023 October 1971 Wolverhampton WanderersH1–033,883Best30 October 1971 Crystal PalaceA3–041,540Coker, Bonds, Best6 November 1971 Sheffield UnitedH1–236,595Robson13 November 1971 Huddersfield TownA0–114,17720 November 1971 Manchester CityH0–233,69427 November 1971 LiverpoolA0–143,3994 December 1971 ArsenalH0–035,15511 December 1971 SouthamptonA3–320,506Bonds, Best, Brooking18 December 1971 Newcastle UnitedH0–121,99127 December 1971 Tottenham HotspurA1–053,868Best1 January 1972 Manchester UnitedH3–041,892Robson, Best, Hurst (pen)8 January 1972 EvertonA1–238,482Hurst (pen)22 January 1972 Derby CountyH3–331,045Lampard, Robson, Brooking29 January 1972 Ipswich TownA0–122,76612 February 1972 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–126,85219 February 1972 Crystal PalaceH1–128,209Best29 February 1972 Sheffield UnitedA0–324,0344 March 1972 Huddersfield TownH3–018,521Best (2), Robson11 March 1972 Leicester CityA0–223,34518 March 1972 Nottingham ForestH4–220,960Robson (2), Hurst, Brooking21 March 1972 Coventry CityA1–118,640Best25 March 1972 ChelseaA1–345,137Best31 March 1972 Leeds UnitedH2–241,003Bonds, Hurst1 April 1972 Tottenham HotspurH2–030,763Brooking, Coker4 April 1972 Stoke CityA0–024,6888 April 1972 Manchester CityA1–338,491Hurst15 April 1972 LiverpoolH0–232,66022 April 1972 ArsenalA1–242,251Brooking1 May 1972 SouthamptonH1–018,479Robson

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR315 January 1972 Luton TownH2–132,099Hurst, BestR49 February 1972 Hereford UnitedA0–015,000R4 replay14 February 1972 Hereford UnitedH3–142,271Hurst (3)R526 February 1972 Huddersfield TownA2–427,080Robson, Best

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR28 September 1971 Cardiff CityH1–124,432BondsR2 replay22 September 1971 Cardiff CityA2–130,100Hurst (2)R36 October 1971 Leeds UnitedH0–035,890R3 replay20 October 1971 Leeds UnitedA1–0 (aet)26,504BestR427 October 1971 LiverpoolH2–140,878Hurst, RobsonR517 November 1971 Sheffield UnitedH5–036,834Robson (3), Best (2)SF 1st leg8 December 1971 Stoke CityA2–136,400Hurst (pen), BestSF 2nd leg15 December 1971 Stoke CityH0–1 (aet; 2–2 on agg)38,771SF replay5 January 1972 Stoke CityN0–0 (aet)46,916SF 2nd replay26 January 1972 Stoke CityN2–349,427Bonds, Brooking

Players

NationPlayerPosLge AppsLge GlsFAC AppsFAC GlsLC AppsLC GlsDate signedPrevious clubBobby FergusonGK364101967KilmarnockPeter GrotierGK61969AcademyClive CharlesDF41970AcademyPaul HefferDF0 (1)0 (1)1966AcademyFrank LampardDF3914101967AcademyKevin LockDF1 (2)1971AcademyJohn McDowellDF404101969AcademyBobby MooreDF4014101958AcademyAlan StephensonDF3 (1)1968Crystal PalaceTommy TaylorDF424101970OrientBilly BondsMF42341021967Charlton AthleticRonnie BoyceMF0 (1)1959AcademyTrevor BrookingMF40641011967AcademyPeter EustaceMF20 (1)0 (1)1970Sheffield WednesdayPat HollandMF41969AcademyBobby HoweMF1 (4)0 (2)1966AcademyDave LlewellynMF1 (1)1969AcademyHarry RedknappMF22491965AcademyJohnny AyrisFW11 (1)11970AcademyClyde BestFW4217421041969AcademyAde CokerFW521971AcademyJoe DurrellFW5 (1)1970AcademyGeoff HurstFW348441041959AcademyPop RobsonFW429411041971Newcastle United

References