During the 2004–05 English football season, West Ham United competed in the Football League Championship, having lost the previous season's play-off final 0–1 to Crystal Palace at the Millennium Stadium.
Season summary Following the previous season's First Division play-off final loss to Crystal Palace, Rob Lee, Brian Deane, Wayne Quinn and Shaun Byrne were all released from West Ham on free transfers. They were closely followed by Kevin Horlock, who signed for Ipswich Town, and David Connolly, who left for Leicester City in a £500,000 deal. Sébastien Carole also returned to Monaco after his loan spell, while Richard Garcia and Elliott Ward signed new contracts.
The first signing Alan Pardew made following the end of the previous season was goalkeeper James Walker, signed on a free transfer from Walsall, where he had been a folk hero. He was brought in as cover for Stephen Bywater. The following month former England international Teddy Sheringham and Serhii Rebrov both signed on free transfers, from Portsmouth and Tottenham respectively. Their arrivals were closely followed by those of AFC Bournemouth captain Carl Fletcher for £275,000 and winger Luke Chadwick from Manchester United on a free transfer. In September, Malky Mackay signed for £300,000 from Norwich City.
West Ham's biggest defeat of the season was away to Cardiff City on 2 November 2004 when they lost 4–1. The Welsh team featured former Hammer Jobi McAnuff, who created the first two goals and scored the fourth. West Ham's biggest win of the season came in their home game against Plymouth Argyle on 19 February 2005 when they won 5–0.
West Ham only lost one of their last ten matches, which helped moved them from seventh to sixth, guaranteeing a play-off spot. The club returned to the FA Premier League at the second time of asking, defeating Preston North End in the 2005 Football League Championship play-off final with a single goal from Bobby Zamora.
Final league table
First-team squad Squad at end of season
Left club during season
Summer Transfers
In +DatePositionNameClub FromFeeReference10 June 2004GKJimmy WalkerWalsallFree14 July 2004FWTeddy SheringhamPortsmouthFree27 July 2004FWSerhii RebrovTottenham HotspurFree2 August 2004MF Luke ChadwickManchester UnitedFree31 August 2004MF Carl FletcherBournemouth£275,00010 September 2004DFChris PowellCharlton AthleticLoan10 September 2004DFMalky MackayNorwich City£300,000
Out DatePositionNameClub ToFeeReference1 July 2004DFShaun ByrneFree AgencyEnd of Contract1 July 2004FWBrian DeaneFree AgencyEnd of Contract1 July 2004GKDavid FordeFree AgencyEnd of Contract1 July 2004MF Daryl McMahonFree AgencyEnd of Contract1 July 2004MF Robert LeeFree AgencyEnd of Contract9 July 2004MFKevin HorlockIpswich TownFree Transfer21 July 2004FWDavid ConnollyLeicester City£500.00012 August 2004MFJobi McAnuffCardiff CityUndisclosed24 August 2004MFMichael CarrickTottenham Hotspur£3,500,000
Winter Transfers
In +DatePositionNameClub FromFeeReference19 November 2004DFMauricio TariccoTottenham HotspurFree17 December 2024DFChris PowellCharlton AthleticFree10 March 2005MFShaun NewtonWolverhampton Wanderers£125,000
Out +DatePositionNameClub ToFeeReference5 November 2004MFAdam Nowland Nottingham Forest£250,00024 November 2004DFMauricio TariccoFree AgencyReleased
Results
Championship
Championship play-offs
League Cup
FA Cup
Statistics
Overview CompetitionRecord Championship Play-offs FA Cup League Cup Total
Goalscorers NameChampionshipPlay-offsFA CupLeague CupTotal1ST10Marlon Harewood17122222ST8Teddy Sheringham20010213ST25Bobby Zamora7402134MF12Matthew Etherington400045MF20Nigel Reo-Coker300036MF6Carl Fletcher20002ST16Serhii Rebrov10012DF21Malky Mackay20002Own goals2000210DF3Rufus Brevett10001MF11Steve Lomas10001DF15Anton Ferdinand10001MF17Hayden Mullins10001MF19Adam Nowland10001DF19Darren Powell10001MF30Luke Chadwick10001MF35Gavin Williams10001Totals6653579
Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
References