Statue of the three who won the world cup ;)

Bazshuayi

I can only imagine what it was like (as I was born in the middle of the 64-66 triumphs) but I never get tired of reading about it...

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58738403

Slacker

I was 10 in May of ‘64 and had been going regularly with my dad and brother for about four years. There was a lottery system involving numbers in the programmes for the final tickets , mine and my big brother’s numbers came up but not my dad’s, I was ecstatic.However the old man said I was too small and wouldn’t be able to see at Wembley so he went with my brother. I think I sulked for a fortnight.
He did make it up to me the next year for the CWC final though. A truly memorable night for all who were there, just magical.
As for the World Cup final, what can you say?
This little 12 year old was bursting with pride at what OUR three heroes did that wet afternoon in July.
It really was the best of times to be a young West Ham fan growing up in the shadow of Upton Park.

MrsGrey

I spy Mark Noble and Declan Rice in that picture. Nice.

IronHerb

Shame Rice didn't dress up a bit.

BubblesNeverDies

Where's Sully? I know he's not hiding behind anyone 'cos I've counted the legs.

Bazshuayi

Slacker said:

I was 10 in May of ‘64 and had been going regularly with my dad and brother for about four years. There was a lottery system involving numbers in the programmes for the final tickets , mine and my big brother’s numbers came up but not my dad’s, I was ecstatic.However the old man said I was too small and wouldn’t be able to see at Wembley so he went with my brother. I think I sulked for a fortnight.
He did make it up to me the next year for the CWC final though. A truly memorable night for all who were there, just magical.
As for the World Cup final, what can you say?
This little 12 year old was bursting with pride at what OUR three heroes did that wet afternoon in July.
It really was the best of times to be a young West Ham fan growing up in the shadow of Upton Park.

Slacker, that was a pleasure to read and also imagine!

I considered myself lucky to watch our cup finals in 75 and 80. Alan Taylor coming from nowhere and scoring like a boss round after round but the highlight was Sir Trev's winner vs Arsenal in 80 after we beat up the div 1 teams one the way to the final whilst being a lowly div 2 outfit! Still, for me, our most epic cup run against the odds and I honestly wonder if another team lower than in the premiership will ever win it again

Slacker

Bazshuayi said:

Slacker said:

I was 10 in May of ‘64 and had been going regularly with my dad and brother for about four years. There was a lottery system involving numbers in the programmes for the final tickets , mine and my big brother’s numbers came up but not my dad’s, I was ecstatic.However the old man said I was too small and wouldn’t be able to see at Wembley so he went with my brother. I think I sulked for a fortnight.
He did make it up to me the next year for the CWC final though. A truly memorable night for all who were there, just magical.
As for the World Cup final, what can you say?
This little 12 year old was bursting with pride at what OUR three heroes did that wet afternoon in July.
It really was the best of times to be a young West Ham fan growing up in the shadow of Upton Park.

Slacker, that was a pleasure to read and also imagine!

I considered myself lucky to watch our cup finals in 75 and 80. Alan Taylor coming from nowhere and scoring like a boss round after round but the highlight was Sir Trev's winner vs Arsenal in 80 after we beat up the div 1 teams one the way to the final whilst being a lowly div 2 outfit! Still, for me, our most epic cup run against the odds and I honestly wonder if another team lower than in the premiership will ever win it again

The 6th round at Highbury in ‘75 will always stay with me.
It fell down with rain all day and we were absolutely soaked by the time the players emerged from the tunnel. West Ham were in all white ( the first time I’d seen it) and this little fella (Taylor) looked like a boy in a man’s game. We all expected to get beat but what a game it turned out to be!
By the final whistle both sides looked like they’d spent a week on The Somme , the boy had become a hammer’s hero and we were in the semi final!

IronHerb

I was there for that game Slacker, in the North Bank with my Arsenal supporting brother. Taylor just seemed to glide over the bog of a pitch. Happy days.

thornburyiron

Slacker/IH you should have (maybe you were) been at Hillsborough for the 64 semi final against Man U if it was rain you liked. It was torrential non stop and seeing as we’d been beaten at home by them 6-1 the week before we weren’t given a snowball’s chance but we came out on top 3-1. In fact we scored 3 in every round if I recall correctly.

Slacker

thornburyiron said:

Slacker/IH you should have (maybe you were) been at Hillsborough for the 64 semi final against Man U if it was rain you liked. It was torrential non stop and seeing as we’d been beaten at home by them 6-1 the week before we weren’t given a snowball’s chance but we came out on top 3-1. In fact we scored 3 in every round if I recall correctly.

I remember it well, I didn’t go ( I was 10) but my brother went and me and dad listened to it on the radio.
I think you might be mistaken about the league game the week before though.
We played our strongest team and they played a bunch of reserves and won 4-0.
When I got in from the game Pat Crerand was on the radio giving the big un : “If we did that to them with our reserves we will murder them next week with the full team!”
Revenge never tasted so sweet.

I think the 6-1 game was in ‘67 when Man. U needed a point to win the league with three games to go and thrashed us at Upton Park amidst a pitched battle on the North Bank.

Funny how I can remember this stuff but forget where I put my phone on a daily basis.

thornburyiron

Slacker I think you’re right, the 6-1 was end of season a few years later and that was a nightmare. I think Utd reserves beat us 2-0 the week before the semi final as I remember coming out of the South Bank wondering what on earth the score was going to be a week later. 3-1 to us never even entered my head.

Slacker

You’re right Thornbury, it was 2-0 in that league game. I’ve been telling that story wrong for years- and I was at the match!

Ace of Clubs

My memory is terrible, I was at both those matches and I don’t remember the rain at Hillsborough. I do remember Jim Standon getting injured and receiving treatment when we were leading 2-1 and then Bobby Moore dribbling with the ball in our penalty box, fans screaming at him to get rid it, next thing I know we are 3-1 up. But then again that maybe what I think I saw, isn’t age wonderful?

PrestonHammer

Noble's trousers seem to be too short for him and what on earth is Rice wearing?

IronHerb

Wasn't at the semi but was at the 6-1 drubbing. ☹️

Slacker

IronHerb said:

Wasn't at the semi but was at the 6-1 drubbing. ☹️

Was the first time I’d witnessed full on hooliganism. My mates and me were up in the safety of the“ boys stand” in the corner of the North Bank and there were beer bottles being thrown about and proper carnage. Very frightening for a little nipper.

IronHerb

Fortunately I was in the Lower West. Just watched a stream of people being either marched past by the Police or escorted past by the medical teams. As you say, not good.