The Official West Ham United Thread. Vol 2

[bad company]

RichB said:

bad company said:

I reckon RichB and I are the only people here who will remember John Charles. John played for WH in the Bobby Moore days and was one of the very first black footballers.

There’s a good article about John in today’s Sunday Times. Apparently he’s been overlooked as the first black player to play and score for England. I’d post a link but the story’s behind a paywall.

I remember seeing him play too but I didn't realise he played for England?

He was capped at under 18 and under 23 level.

I remember the monkey chants and thrown bananas from the opposing supporters when he got the ball. It seemed normal to me at the time but in my defence I was only 9 or 10.

I also remember standing outside the training ground in Chadwell Heath to get autographs. Even then I was shocked to see John Charles and some other players smoking cigarettes.

[RichB]

bad company said:

RichB said:

bad company said:

I reckon RichB and I are the only people here who will remember John Charles. John played for WH in the Bobby Moore days and was one of the very first black footballers. There’s a good article about John in today’s Sunday Times. Apparently he’s been overlooked as the first black player to play and score for England. I’d post a link but the story’s behind a paywall.

I remember seeing him play too but I didn't realise he played for England?

He was capped at under 18 and under 23 level.

I remember the monkey chants and thrown bananas from the opposing supporters when he got the ball. It seemed normal to me at the time but in my defence I was only 9 or 10.

I also remember standing outside the training ground in Chadwell Heath to get autographs. Even then I was shocked to see John Charles and some other players smoking cigarettes.

Thanks, I see.
I also remember the monkey chants aimed at Clyde Best another of the early days black players.

[Roofless Toothless]

RichB said:

hanks, I see.
I also remember the monkey chants aimed at Clyde Best another of the early days black players.

I well remember Clyde Best from my perch in the old Chicken Run.

One afternoon he came down right in front of us and slid along the line for a considerable distance. When he got up the side of his leg was plastered in white paint, which he tried to rub off, somewhat ineffectually. There was a shout from the crowd,

"Don't worry about it Bestie - you're turning into one of us!"

Of course, an appalingly incorrect thing to by our modern standards, but Best just saw the joke, looked up at us and laughed. I can't recall there was anything malicious about it on the one side, nor offended on the other.

I personally don't remember any chants or bananas - did this come from the opposition fans? I recall Best being very popular. I do have memories of one match when Dennis Law was trying to get a reaction out of him by continually calling him a 'black bast**d' throughout the game.

[RichB]

Roofless Toothless said:

...I personally don't remember any chants or bananas - did this come from the opposition fans?

My most vivid memory is of an away match at White Hart Lane when the Spurs fans were throwing bananas near the corner flag. Ironic because i am sure they also had a coloured player in the team.
And as we were talking about him, this has popped up on the BBC website. Nice piece with some nostalgic footage for most of us! https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/54485277

Edited by RichB on Monday 12th October 13:40

[bad company]

Looks like WH are against the latest power grab attempt:-

Premier League: West Ham are against radical Big Picture plans https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54505270

[RichB]

And as we were talking about him, this has popped up on the BBC website. Nice piece with some nostalgic footage for most of us! https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/54485277

[TCEvo]

bad company said:

Looks like WH are against the latest power grab attempt:-

Premier League: West Ham are against radical Big Picture plans https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54505270

Good. Anything that man u & 'l'pool agree on is unlikely to benefit us and anything that benefits our current owners doesn't benefit us!

[coldel]

Complete power grab. I’m sure our owners would be on board with it though if it was their idea.

But yes in short Liverpool and Man Utd offer you cash in exchange for a fundamental shift towards them earning even more money at the expense of the bottom half of the premier league, effectively making it impossible for any team to break into that big 6 in the future

[coldel]

So we have Dawson on loan from Watford. Apparently he couldn’t get in the Watford team, so I’m sure he will be able to cut it in the premier league against Harry Kane this weekend

Benrama and Josh King still in the radar. Seems like Bowen is the future transfer mode for the club taking chances on bargain basement buys from lower leagues

[RichB]

coldel said:

Benrama and Josh King still in the radar. Seems like Bowen is the future transfer mode for the club taking chances on bargain basement buys from lower leagues

I would hardly call Benrahma at £30m a bargain basement punt.

[TCEvo]

coldel said:

So we have Dawson on loan from Watford. Apparently he couldn’t get in the Watford team, so I’m sure he will be able to cut it in the premier league against Harry Kane this weekend

Benrama and Josh King still in the radar. Seems like Bowen is the future transfer mode for the club taking chances on bargain basement buys from lower leagues

Dawson's a garbage signing, fortunately only on loan.

Benrama makes no sense given we've this window sold & loaned players who fill the same position.

King's too old & expensive.

Doubt that we'll get either of them anyway.

Next fking level.

GSBOUT

[RichB]

Who did we sell that has scored 27 goals in the last couple of years?

[TCEvo]

We haven't - obviously, last time was probably Tony Cottee...

Not sure how many of those goals (Benrahma) were in the league, however his scoring % over that period's 32%; Diangana's last season was 26% (appears that Haller's was 40% (!) at Frankfurt). PL's also a significant step up from the Championship, so it's unlikely that he'd be able to maintain that ratio (I'll be pleased to be proved very wrong though).

Stats etc. are useful, however Dianagana's also three years younger and was clearly happy to remain at the Club.

Don't see the point in spending £30m in that position @ the moment when there are clearly several other playing positions that need investment/replacement.

[coldel]

£30m isn’t the big transfer it used to be, the fact that championship players are frequently being knocked out at £20m+ nowadays shows that

For a top ten perm striker you are looking north of £40m anything less and you have a ten goals a season man. The problem with our chairmen is they still think £20m is a big signing

[coldel]

£30m isn’t the big transfer it used to be, the fact that championship players are frequently being knocked out at £20m+ nowadays shows that

For a top ten perm striker you are looking north of £40m anything less and you have a ten goals a season man. The problem with our chairmen is they still think £20m is a big signing

[RichB]

I heard you the first time...

[Roofless Toothless]

Yesterday!

[coldel]

This keeps happening!

[2172cc]

https://youtu.be/ZDXaAINs3Zs
Benrahma signs.....hit or miss?

[TCEvo]

Said in... initial loan w/ purchase:
https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2020/october/1...

Can't see past this being an unnecessary sully vanity signing via a late clusterfk to get it concluded, but so be it; not as if I'll get to see him play anytime soon.

Wonder what happened to the bulk of the £40m transfer pot that was available

GSBOUT