Tuesday, May 12

We're on the march with Lyall's army...

Hard to believe that it was 40 years ago on Sunday that West Ham won the FA Cup — an actual trophy. Here's how I described it in my book Hammers in the Heart...

John Lyall hugs his men, Paul Allen collapses on to the turf, head in hands. Trevor Brooking jogs around the pitch like he’s mowing his lawn in Shenfield. Geoff Pike is wearing one of those eighties Hammers scarves, white with claret and blue stripes, and several players have donned claret and white caps.

And now Billy Bonds, this time clean-shaven, is making his way up the famous steps to the royal box, being patted and hugged by fans as he goes. He receives the gleaming old trophy from the Duchess of Kent and lifts it up to a huge roar. He’s followed by Frank Lampard, Ray Stewart, Geoff Pike, Alvin Martin and a blubbering Paul Allen. West Ham chairman Len Cearns casts a concerned paternal look at the boy, perhaps wondering if he should have told Paul’s mum that he wouldn’t be home until gone seven o’clock.

Then it’s the lap of honour, and the team photo with Alan Devonshire holding a claret and blue teddy bear. One last look at Wembley and then I leave to meet Steve Day and Steve Flory in a pre-arranged spot by a hot dog stall outside. We celebrate by heading for Trafalgar Square, where groups of Hammers fans are singing around the fountains. Then we really go wild by going to the new McDonald’s in Haymarket, followed by a tube ride to Upton Park and a homage to the Upton Park gates and then pints in the Boleyn pub. Every motorist on Green Street is sounding their horn; inside the pub someone has the idea — perhaps not approved by the Fire Brigade — of burning an Arsenal scarf in the centre of the lounge.

University finals be buggered. I got a ‘gentleman’s’ 2:2 anyway. That night, walking the two and a half miles back to my parents’ house in Great Warley, the only revision was the song going on in my head: “We’re on the march with Lyall’s army! We’ve all been to Wembley! And we really shook ’em up when we won the FA Cup! ’Cos West Ham is the greatest football team!

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