1989–90 West Ham United F.C. season


Season summary

In only the second game of the season the West Ham fans chanted "We hate Paul Ince" after they discovered through a national newspaper of the player's transfer to Manchester United. Ince had reportedly been a transfer target for Alex Ferguson since the end of the previous campaign, the transfer finally being completed on 14 September 1989, by which time Ince had already played a Second Division game for the Hammers.
With the dismissal of long serving manager John Lyall on 5 June 1989, speculation mounted about who was going to succeed him. AFC Bournemouth manager and former Hammers player Harry Redknapp was strongly linked to the vacancy, but Swindon Town's Lou Macari was unveiled as the club's new manager on 3 July 1989.
Macari lasted less than a year as manager. Amid allegations that he was involved in illegal payments at Swindon Town he resigned on 18 February 1990. Club legend Billy Bonds was appointed manager in his place, and saw the Hammers complete their impressive run to the League Cup semi-finals for the second season in succession, but seventh place in the final league table was not quite enough for a play-off place. It could very well have been a different story had key striker Frank McAvennie not been absent for almost all of the campaign, breaking his leg on the opening day of the season against Stoke City and only managing four more league appearances that campaign when he made his comeback.
However, some new signings, including Ludek Miklosko, Trevor Morley and Ian Bishop, went on to become West Ham legends.

Results

West Ham United's score comes first

Football League First Division

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R36 January 1990Torquay UnitedA0–15,342

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorers
R2 1st leg19 September 1989Birmingham CityA2–110,987Allen, Slater
R2 2nd leg4 October 1989Birmingham CityH1–1 12,187Dicks
R325 October 1989Aston VillaA0–020,989
R3R8 November 1989Aston VillaH1–023,833Dicks
R422 November 1989WimbledonH1–024,746Allen
QF17 January 1990Derby CountyH1–125,035Dicks
QFR24 January 1990Derby CountyA0–0 aet22,510
QF2R31 January 1990Derby CountyH2–125,166Slater, Keen
SF 1st leg14 February 1990Oldham AthleticA0–619,263
SF 2nd leg7 March 1990Oldham AthleticH3–0 15,431Martin, Dicks, Kelly

Squad