In one of the most notable seasons in the club's history, West Ham United won the Second Division in the 1980–81 season to return to the top flight of English football after an absence of three years.

Season summary West Ham lost just four League matches all season, were unbeaten in the League after Boxing Day, and finished 13 points clear of second-placed Notts County, accumulating a record points total for the Second Division.

The Hammers also reached the League Cup final for the second time, after a run in which they knocked out First Division Tottenham Hotspur and Coventry City. In the final, they forced a replay against Liverpool after Ray Stewart scored an equalising penalty in the last minute of extra-time, but lost 2–1 at Villa Park.

West Ham failed to retain the FA Cup, which they had won the previous season, when they lost to Wrexham in a second replay in the third round. However, they reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup in a run that included a 5–1 victory over Real Madrid's reserve side Castilla played behind closed doors because of crowd trouble. They were eliminated 4–2 on aggregate by the eventual winners, Dinamo Tbilisi.

League table

Results West Ham United's score comes first

Football League Second Division

+DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers16 August 1980 Luton TownH1–227,933Stewart (pen)19 August 1980 Bristol CityA1–113,554Cross23 August 1980 Preston North EndA0–09,06330 August 1980 Notts CountyH4–021,769Cross, Goddard (2), Stewart (pen)6 September 1980 ChelseaA1–032,669Wilkins (o.g.)13 September 1980 Shrewsbury TownH3–022,339King (o.g.), Goddard, Cross20 September 1980 WatfordH3–224,288Cross, Barnes, Brooking27 September 1980 Cambridge UnitedA2–18,591Goddard, Cross4 October 1980 Newcastle UnitedA0–024,8487 October 1980 Cardiff CityH1–020,402Neighbour11 October 1980 Blackburn RoversH2–032,402Cross (2)18 October 1980 Oldham AthleticA0–08,34425 October 1980 Bolton WanderersH2–125,257Walsh (o.g.), Pike1 November 1980 Bristol RoversA1–06,328Goddard8 November 1980 Grimsby TownH2–125,468Cross (2)11 November 1980 Bristol CityH5–025,210Goddard (2), Martin, Brooking, Cross15 November 1980 Luton TownA2–317,031Brooking (2)22 November 1980 Swansea CityH2–025,210Cross, Goddard26 November 1980 Derby CountyA0–218,44629 November 1980 WrexhamA2–28,941Devonshire, Goddard6 December 1980 Sheffield WednesdayH2–130,746Brooking, Holland13 December 1980 Blackburn RoversA0–013,27920 December 1980 Derby CountyH3–124,071Cross, Goddard, Brooking26 December 1980 Queens Park RangersA0–323,81127 December 1980 OrientH2–134,408Holland, Allen1 January 1981 Swansea CityA3–134,408Brooking, Pike, Cross17 January 1981 Notts CountyA1–113,718Holland31 January 1981 Preston North EndH5–026,413Goddard, Pike, Lampard, Devonshire (2)7 February 1981 Shrewsbury TownA2–09,201Devonshire, Cross14 February 1981 ChelseaH4–035,164Brooking (2), Cross, Devonshire21 February 1981 Cambridge UnitedH4–236,002Devonshire, Stewart (2; 1 pen), Goddard28 February 1981 WatfordA2–120,786Cross (2)7 March 1981 Newcastle UnitedH1–026,274Cross21 March 1981 Oldham AthleticH1–124,394Goddard28 March 1981 Bolton WanderersA1–113,271Brooking4 April 1981 Bristol RoversH2–023,544Pike, Goddard11 April 1981 Grimsby TownA5–117,924Cross (4), Pike18 April 1981 OrientA2–014,592Neighbour, Pike21 April 1981 Queens Park RangersH3–024,599Goddard (3)2 May 1981 WrexhamH1–030,515Stewart (pen)6 May 1981 Cardiff CityA0–010,5588 May 1981 Sheffield WednesdayA1–021,087Morgan

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR33 January 1981 WrexhamH1–130,137Stewart (pen)R3 replay6 January 1981 WrexhamA0–0 (aet)13,643R3 2nd replay19 January 1981 WrexhamA0–1 (aet)14,615

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st leg26 August 1980 BurnleyA2–06,818Goddard, CrossR2 2nd leg2 September 1980 BurnleyH4–0 (6–0 on agg)15,216Stewart (pen), Goddard, Wood (o.g.), PikeR323 September 1980 Charlton AthleticA2–117,884Cross (2)R428 October 1980 BarnsleyH2–121,548Martin, CrossQF2 December 1980 Tottenham HotspurH1–026,003CrossSF 1st leg27 January 1981 Coventry CityA2–335,468Bonds, Thompson (o.g.)SF 2nd leg10 February 1981 Coventry CityH2–0 (4–3 on agg)36,551Goddard, NeighbourF14 March 1981 LiverpoolN1–1 (aet)100,000Stewart (pen) 120'F replay1 April 1981 LiverpoolN1–226,693Goddard 5'

European Cup Winners' Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st leg17 September 1980 CastillaA1–340,000CrossR1 2nd leg1 October 1980 CastillaH5–1 (aet; 6–4 on agg)0Pike, Cross (3), Goddard, BernalR2 1st leg22 October 1980 Poli TimișoaraH4–027,257Bonds, Goddard, Stewart (pen), CrossR2 2nd leg5 November 1980 Poli TimișoaraA0–1 (4–1 on agg)25,000 PăltinișanuR3 1st leg4 March 1981 Dinamo TbilisiH1–434,957CrossR3 2nd leg18 March 1981 Dinamo TbilisiA1–0 (2–4 on agg)80,000Pearson

Charity Shield

+DateOpponentResultAttendanceGoalscorers9 August 1980 Liverpool0–190,000 McDermott

Squad No.PlayerPos.Eur AppsEur GlsLge AppsLge GlsFAC AppsFAC GlsLC AppsLC GlsCS AppsDate signedPrevious clubWest Ham United 1980-81 First XI1Phil Parkes (Hammer of the Year)GK6423911979Q.P.R.2Ray StewartRB6141531921August 1979Dundee United3Frank LampardLB638(1)1281964Academy4Billy Bonds (Captain)CD61413811May 1967Charlton Athletic5Alvin MartinCD64113911August 1974Academy6Alan DevonshireLM4396391September 1976Southall7Pat HollandRM3253241April 1969Academy8Paul GoddardCF6237173941980Q.P.R.9David CrossCF6541223951December 1977West Brom10Trevor BrookingCM4 (1)3610371July 1965Academy11Geoff PikeCM614263911July 1973AcademyImportant Players7Jimmy NeighbourW422(2)20 (1)41September 1979Norwich City3Paul BrushLB1 (3)8 (3)1311977AcademyOther Players11Nicky MorganF1 (2)5 (1)110 (1)1978Academy7Paul AllenRM1 (1)1 (2)111 (2)11979Academy12Stuart PearsonF0 (1)12 (3)0 (2)August 1979Manchester United12Bobby BarnesF0 (1)1 (5)111980Academy

See also West Ham United F.C. by season

References