1971–72 West Ham United F.C. season


Season summary

In the 1971–72 season West Ham United played in the First Division of English football, finishing 14th.
The highlight of West Ham's season came in reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup. After beating title challengers Leeds United and Liverpool, they faced Stoke City in the last four. West Ham won the first leg 2–1 away, but were beaten 1–0 at Upton Park, with Geoff Hurst having a late penalty saved by his England international team-mate Gordon Banks three minutes from the end. The teams then drew 0–0 after extra time in a replay at Hillsborough, and the tie was eventually decided when Stoke won a dramatic second replay 3–2 at Old Trafford, seven weeks after the sides had first met. The game was memorable for Bobby Moore having a stint in goal after West Ham's goalkeeper Bobby Ferguson went off injured, and saving a penalty from Stoke's Mike Bernard, only for Bernard to score from the rebound.
West Ham's form suffered after the League Cup defeat, and they won just four more League matches before the end of the season. In the FA Cup, they struggled past non-League Hereford United in a replay, but were then eliminated by relegation-threatened Huddersfield Town in the fifth round.
This season was the last as West Ham players for club stalwarts Hurst and Harry Redknapp.

League table

Results

Football League First Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
14 August 1971West Bromwich AlbionH0–127,420
18 August 1971Derby CountyA0–230,583
21 August 1971Nottingham ForestA0–117,185
23 August 1971Ipswich TownH0–025,714
28 August 1971EvertonH1–026,878Best
30 August 1971Coventry CityH4–028,176Best, Hurst, Robson
4 September 1971Newcastle UnitedA2–231,910Hurst, Robson
11 September 1971ChelseaH2–136,866Best
18 September 1971Manchester UnitedA2–453,334Best, Brooking
25 September 1971Stoke CityH2–129,193Best, Moore
2 October 1971Leeds UnitedA0–030,942
9 October 1971Leicester CityH1–131,060Hurst
16 October 1971West Bromwich AlbionA0–020,740
23 October 1971Wolverhampton WanderersH1–033,883Best
30 October 1971Crystal PalaceA3–041,540Coker, Bonds, Best
6 November 1971Sheffield UnitedH1–236,595Robson
13 November 1971Huddersfield TownA0–114,177
20 November 1971Manchester CityH0–233,694
27 November 1971LiverpoolA0–143,399
4 December 1971ArsenalH0–035,155
11 December 1971SouthamptonA3–320,506Bonds, Best, Brooking
18 December 1971Newcastle UnitedH0–121,991
27 December 1971Tottenham HotspurA1–019,429Best
1 January 1972Manchester UnitedH3–041,892Robson, Best, Hurst
8 January 1972EvertonA1–238,482Hurst
22 January 1972Derby CountyH3–331,045Lampard, Robson, Brooking
29 January 1972Ipswich TownA0–122,766
12 February 1972Wolverhampton WanderersA0–126,852
19 February 1972Crystal PalaceH1–128,209Best
29 February 1972Sheffield UnitedA0–324,034
4 March 1972Huddersfield TownH3–018,521Best, Robson
11 March 1972Leicester CityA0–223,345
18 March 1972Nottingham ForestH4–220,960Robson, Hurst, Brooking
21 March 1972Coventry CityA1–118,640Best
25 March 1972ChelseaA1–345,137Best
31 March 1972Leeds UnitedH2–241,003Bonds, Hurst
1 April 1972Tottenham HotspurH2–030,763Brooking, Coker
4 April 1972Stoke CityA0–024,688
8 April 1972Manchester CityA1–338,491Hurst
15 April 1972LiverpoolH0–232,660
22 April 1972ArsenalA1–242,251Brooking
1 May 1972SouthamptonH1–018,479Robson

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R315 January 1972Luton TownH2–132,099Hurst, Best
R49 February 1972Hereford UnitedA0–015,000
R4 replay14 February 1972Hereford UnitedH3–142,271Hurst
R526 February 1972Huddersfield TownA2–427,080Robson, Best

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R28 September 1971Cardiff CityH1–124,432Bonds
R2 replay22 September 1971Cardiff CityA2–130,100Hurst
R36 October 1971Leeds UnitedH0–035,890
R3 replay20 October 1971Leeds UnitedA1–0 26,504Best
R427 October 1971LiverpoolH2–140,878Hurst, Robson
R517 November 1971Sheffield UnitedH5–036,834Robson, Best
SF 1st leg8 December 1971Stoke CityA2–136,400Hurst, Best
SF 2nd leg15 December 1971Stoke CityH0–1 38,771
SF replay5 January 1972Stoke CityN0–0 49,427
SF 2nd replay26 January 1972Stoke CityN2–349,427Bonds, Brooking

Players