1986–87 West Ham United F.C. season

For the 1986–87 West Ham United F.C. season in English football, West Ham United finished 15th in the league.

West Ham United
1986–87 season
ChairmanLen Cearns
ManagerJohn Lyall
StadiumBoleyn Ground
First Division15th
FA CupFifth round
League CupQuarter-finals
Top goalscorerLeague: Tony Cottee (22)
All: Cottee (28)
Highest home attendance29,807 (vs Liverpool, 6 September 1986)
Lowest home attendance13,514 (vs Sheffield Wednesday, 24 March 1987)
Average home league attendance20,545

Season summary

John Lyall had made no signings during the close season, and it stayed that way until Stewart Robson was added in January. He was joined two months later by other new signings Gary Strodder, Tommy McQueen and Ireland international Liam Brady.

In this season which saw many player ravaged by injury, several academy players got their chance to play, including Kevin Keen, Paul Ince[1] and future captain Steve Potts.

The West Ham fans were so disappointed with the team's underachievement during the season that Billy Bonds was voted Hammer of the Year, even though he only made 17 league and 7 cup appearances for the team.[2]

Tony Cottee was the club's top scorer with 22 league goals and 28 in all competitions, but his strike partner Frank McAvennie disappointed with just seven league goals (11 in all competitions) after being the top flight's second-highest scorer the previous campaign.[3] This was a large factor in the Hammers finishing a lowly 15th in the league, just a year after finishing third and being just four points short of their first top division title.

League table
Main article: 1986–87 Football League § First Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
13 Sheffield Wednesday 42 13 13 16 58 59 −1 52
14 Chelsea 42 13 13 16 53 64 −11 52
15 West Ham United 42 14 10 18 52 67 −15 52
16 Queens Park Rangers 42 13 11 18 48 64 −16 50
17 Newcastle United 42 12 11 19 47 65 −18 47
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored

Results

West Ham United's score comes first

Football League First Division
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
23 August 1986Coventry CityH1–021,368Gale
25 August 1986Manchester UnitedA3–243,306McAvennie (2), Devonshire
30 August 1986Oxford UnitedA0–011,684
2 September 1986Nottingham ForestH1–221,305McAvennie
6 September 1986LiverpoolH2–529,807Stewart (pen), Cottee
13 September 1986Queens Park RangersA3–219,257Cottee (3)
20 September 1986Luton TownH2–019,133Parris, Gale
27 September 1986Sheffield WednesdayA2–225,715Martin, Orr
4 October 1986WatfordA2–217,120Dickens, McAvennie
11 October 1986ChelseaH5–326,859McAvennie, Stewart (2 pen), Cottee (2)
18 October 1986Norwich CityA1–122,884Goddard
25 October 1986Charlton AthleticH1–324,141Cottee
2 November 1986EvertonH1–019,094Dickens
8 November 1986ArsenalA0–036,084
15 November 1986WimbledonA1–019,094Cottee
22 November 1986Aston VillaH1–121,959Cottee
30 November 1986Newcastle UnitedA0–422,077
6 December 1986SouthamptonH3–118,111Ince, Devonshire, Cottee (pen)
13 December 1986Manchester CityA1–319,067Martin
20 December 1986Queens Park RangersH1–117,290Cottee (pen)
26 December 1986Tottenham HotspurA0–439,019
27 December 1986WimbledonH2–319,122Cottee, Hilton
1 January 1987Leicester CityH4–116,625Cottee (2), Dickens, McAvennie
3 January 1987LiverpoolA0–141,286
24 January 1987Coventry CityA3–114,191Cottee (3)
7 February 1987Oxford UnitedH0–115,220
14 February 1987Nottingham ForestA1–119,373Stewart (pen)
28 February 1987Luton TownA1–211,101Cottee
7 March 1987Charlton AthleticA1–210,100Robson
14 March 1987Norwich CityH0–221,531
21 March 1987ChelseaA0–125,386
24 March 1987Sheffield WednesdayH0–213,514
28 March 1987WatfordH1–016,485Parris
8 April 1987ArsenalH3–126,174Cottee (2; 1 pen), Brady
11 April 1987EvertonA0–435,731
14 April 1987Manchester UnitedH0–023,486
18 April 1987Leicester CityA0–210,434
20 April 1987Tottenham HotspurH2–123,971McAvennie, Cottee (pen)
25 April 1987Aston VillaA0–413,584
2 May 1987Newcastle UnitedH1–117,844Ward
4 May 1987SouthamptonA0–116,810
9 May 1987Manchester CityH2–018,413Cottee, Brady

FA Cup
Main article: 1986–87 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R310 January 1987OrientA1–119,225Hilton
R3R31 January 1987OrientH4–119,424Parris, Keen, McAvennie, Cottee
R49 February 1987Sheffield UnitedH4–017,194McAvennie (2), Robson, Gale
R521 February 1987Sheffield WednesdayA1–1McAvennie 10'
R5R25 February 1987Sheffield WednesdayH0–2

League Cup
Main article: 1986–87 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st leg23 September 1986Preston North EndA1–113,153Ward
R2 2nd leg7 October 1986Preston North EndH4–1 (won 5–2 on agg)12,742Cottee (3), Dickens
R329 October 1986WatfordA3–217,523Goddard, Dickens, Ward
R418 November 1986Oxford UnitedH1–020,530Cottee (pen)
R527 January 1987Tottenham HotspurH1–129,477Cottee
R5R2 February 1987Tottenham HotspurA0–541,995

Squad
Number Player Position Lge Apps Lge Gls FAC Apps FAC Gls LC Apps LC Gls Date Signed Previous Club
West Ham United 1986–87 First XI
1 England Phil Parkes GK 33 5 6 February 1979 Queens Park Rangers
2 Scotland Ray Stewart RB 23 4 3 3 September 1979 Dundee United
3 England George Parris LB 35(1) 1 5 1 6 1985 Academy
4 England Tony Gale CB 32 2 4 1 4 August 1983 Fulham
5 England Billy Bonds (Captain) (Hammer of the Year) CB 13(4) 3 (1) 1 (2) 1967 Charlton
6 England Alan Devonshire LM 20 2 3 4 October 1976 Southall
7 England Mark Ward RM 37 1 5 6 2 August 1985 Oldham Athletic
8 Scotland Frank McAvennie CF 36 7 4 4 5 June 1985 St Mirren
9 England Alan Dickens CM 31(5) 3 2 (1) 4 2 1982 Academy
10 England Tony Cottee CF 42 22 5 1 6 5 September 1982 Academy
11 Scotland Neil Orr CM 21(1) 1 1 4 January 1982 Morton
Important Players
11 England Stewart Robson M 18 2 3 1 2 January 1987 Arsenal
5 England Alvin Martin CB 16 2 1 3 July 1976 Academy
5 England Paul Hilton CB 15(1) 1 2 1 4 (1) 1984 Bury
2 England Steve Walford LB 13(1) 3 4 (1) August 1983 Norwich
6 Republic of Ireland Liam Brady M 12 2 March 1987 Ascoli
5 England Gary Strodder CB 12 March 1987 Lincoln
9 England Geoff Pike M 10(1) 4 1 September 1974 Academy
6 England Kevin Keen M 7 (6) 1 (1) 1 2 1986 Academy
6 England Paul Ince M 7 (3) 1 1 1986 Academy
Other Players
1 Scotland Tom McAlister GK 9 1981 Bristol Rovers
3 Scotland Tommy McQueen LB 9 March 1987 Aberdeen
2 England Steve Potts RB 8 May 1984 Academy
8 England Paul Goddard CF 3 (1) 1 1 1 1980 Queens Park Rangers
12 Republic of Ireland Eamonn Dolan CF 0 (1) 1986 Academy

References
  1. "Paul Ince | National Football Museum Hall of Fame profile". Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  2. Club, West Ham United Supporters. "West Ham United Supporters Club". West Ham United Supporters Club. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  3. FootyTrivia (2 November 2022). "West Ham Quiz: Only true fans score 100% on this quiz!". Footy Trivia. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.