Old irons favourites

Submitted by Red Neck Iron on
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A trip down memory lane, is there any unsung heroes of hammers past you used to enjoy watching? Not your big stars that everyone mentions. I'm sure I can pick loads but to start with ID sat Jimmy neighbour, pat Holland, mark ward and Peter butler always excited me. Who did you like?

Fack me. Home life bad in the 90's?
He was a no nonsense horses for courses enforcer in the middle of the park. Around 4'9, I used to watch him for Southend regularly on a Friday night, living close by. But he was very much a means to an end.
Unsung players, by their very nature, do not "excite", merely do the hard yards, honest endeavour etc.
The one player I always thought could have been better, flew under the radar but directed much of our play in the 90's was Ian Bishop.

I was a big Billy Jennings fan as a youngster. I was 12 in 1975 when we won the cup final. I've always thought at West Ham that our fans love someone who gives 110% for the cause. For me it has to be George Parris, he got so much stick from the crowd, but boy did he turn the crowd around in the end. A firm favourite...

Butler had more ability than you give him credit for. I recall a game in particular, against Coventry. We won 3-2 and he scored twice. In the crowd that day accompanying Billy Wright was the late, great Ferenc Puskas who on TV that night praised him highly.
I can't speak for the way he played at Southend, but he was a better player with far more talent than you give him credit for.

irons1965

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 - 10:42

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Two come to mind when I was a kid;- Graham Paddon RIP (for that goal vs Eintract Frankfurt away) and Geoff Pike.

Of course I'll always have a soft spot for the scorer of my favourite West Ham goal ever, Keith Robson (Eintracht at home, 1976).

blackpool hammer

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 - 11:46

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Was a boy called Jimmy Lindsey think he was Scottish never really played a lot of games but I rate him. Think he moved onto a scottish team if I remember right.

Red Neck Iron

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 - 13:51

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Billy Jennings and Keith Robison, yes! They had an X factor. As for paddon reminded me of a midfield equivelant of frank snr. I'm afraid I have never come across Jimmy Lindsey but got some quality memories of the others. Blackpool when and where did he play for us?

blackpool hammer

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 - 14:15

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60s up to about 72 think he only played about 50 games for us , he was a small midfield player but I thought he had a good football brain. I'm sure he came though our youth academy.

bonzo and the bov

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 - 17:17

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Boycie ( in his later years just a bit too young to appreciate him in the 60's ) also Ray Stewart, David Cross....

Red Neck Iron

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 - 20:51

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I wonder who took the most powerful penalty Stewart or dicks, and who got the most? Personally I thought both would always score when we were awarded a pen. I can't remember Stewart missing but I do remember dicks missing one. As for cross he was a proper target man not like the one trick pony we have now

boogerscaravan

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 - 09:32

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David Cross was the man back in the day. Used to love the chants of Pyscho, along with "were not the Northbank were not the Southbank were the Westside Upton Park....

Have to confess I loved going in the Westside and taunting the away fans in that corner of the Southbank. Funniest thing before the segregation was watching the line of Plod bending as the Home fans pushed. Those were the days.......