We here at the Transfer Tavern know we have a high amount of West Ham punters in and around the bar, who may well have a vast knowledge of everything there is to know about the Hammers.
We however believe even among our Irons punters and especially those who are not avid followers of the East London clubs, may not know about the club and those involved with the team.
At the Transfer Tavern, we have been doing some stellar work in trying to find out some interesting things about the club, to inform all our punters and bar staff a-like.
With that, here are SIX things you probably never knew about West Ham United…..
Retired shirt numbers
West Ham United currently have two retired shirt numbers in dedication to two players who are sadly no longer with us.
The number 6 was retired in honour of the late great Bobby Moore.
The other is the number 38 which was retired in the honour of the young Dylan Tombides who after a couple of years unfortunately lost his battle with Cancer in 2014.
West Ham were the inaugural winners of the Football League War Cup
The competition was in place of the FA Cup, due to it’s cancellation during the Second World War.
The Hammers went on to beat Blackburn Rovers in the final of the competition.
The game took place on the 8th of June 1940, in which the game ended 1-0, with the only goal of the game coming from Sam Small.
Bilic second Croatian boss in PL
Slaven Bilic when appointed to replace Big Sam, became only the second Croatian boss to manage a side in the Premier League following Velimir Zajec’s unsuccessful brief spell in charge of Portsmouth in 2005, which he left to move back up to the boardroom; having initially arrived to replace former Hammer boss Harry Redknapp.
Never fallen below second tier
It is quite the achievement to find yourself in the top tier which West Ham have in recent times.
Although it hasn’t always been the case…. But still, they are one of only eight other clubs in existence never to have fallen below the second tier of English football, along with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Which is quite the achievement!
West Ham in first FA Cup final at Wembley
The FA cup is one of the most famous cups worldwide and is very much sought after by many clubs around England from the bottom leagues to the very top.
So it may surprise some that the Hammers featured in the first ever FA Cup Final to be played at Wembley.
They did however unfortunately find themselves on the end of a 2-0 defeat by Bolton Wanderers.
Thames Ironworks
Did you know that they haven’t always been called West Ham United?
In the year they formed back in 1895, they went by the name Thames Ironworks due to their association with Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.
They played their games at 3 different grounds before moving to the Boleyn and being re-named as West Ham United in the year 1900.
Did you know these SIX facts before reading this today?
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