Football Forum | Ticket Forum | Off-Topic Forum | All

easthammer 2:35 Tue Oct 16
Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

My first match at Upton Park was a mid-week floodlit match against Briggs Sports FC. Sometime in the mid-1950's

West Ham won by a cricket score. Maybe 13-2 !

Think Harry Hooper played - he left West Ham in 1957 so the game was before then.

In the mid-1950s Briggs Sports were a top amateur club reaching semi-finals of FA Amateur Cup in 1954. I also remember some reference to the fact that they were London Senior Cup holders when this match was played.

I am not sure if this was a friendly or whether it was some cup game. In those days West Ham put teams into the London and Essex Senior Cups

Does anyone recall this match or know where I can get match details?

Mart O 2:59 Tue Oct 16
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

No mention of that game at UP but it does mention another at Rush Green, which we bought from them later, which I didn't know:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briggs_Sports_F.C.

More on Briggs:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briggs_Manufacturing_Company

, 3:00 Tue Oct 16
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

At one time Briggs Bodies ( they made parts for Fords until they were taken over by Fords ) used to play where our training ground now is. I remember them being a very good amateur team back in the day.

The Stoat 3:11 Tue Oct 16
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

Can't see anything from that era at Upton Park but we played them at their place in 54-55

http://whu-programmes.co.uk/1954-55-friendlies/4551986825

, 3:15 Tue Oct 16
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

I remember going over to the Vicarage Field to watch Barking at home to Briggs Bodies.

Northern Sold 6:04 Tue Oct 16
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

`Their efforts culminated with the club reaching the semi-final of the Amateur Cup played at St James' Park, Newcastle on 13 March 1954 in which they were defeated by Bishop Auckland. The match was watched by an attendance of 54,000.`


Fair crowd that for sure....

Far Cough 10:09 Tue Oct 16
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

Amateur cup used to be a huge affair

easthammer 2:18 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

Thanks for the replies. I guess it must have been a friendly. But even so it got me hooked. By 57/ 58 season I was attending fairly regularly

I knew about Briggs Motors and about Rush Green. Played there myself for Ford Utd in mid 70s. We were not great. My best memory was getting 9/10 in the Dagenham Post in a 3-1 defeat against Enfieid in Amatuer Cup. As some of you pointed out it was a big competition in 50s by the 70s it was somewhat less of a crowd puller. Although for some reason this game drew a bigish crowd. Enfield were a top amateur side with several England Amatuer Internationals and the miners strike had effected football fixtures - games under lights getting cancelled due to power cuts. Also it was piayed on a Sunday morning whenRush Green was home to all Ford's inter department games. All of which boosted the gate in theArena from the usual one man and a canine to probably a few hundred maybe upto 1000. More than watch West Ham matches there now?

Hello Mrs. Jones 6:26 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

We played Briggs quite a few times in the 1950s in both the FA Youth Cup and the London FA Youth Cup.

The match you are thinking of was on Nov. 6th 1956 at Upton Park. It was an FA Youth Cup game and we won 14-1.
If you want to WhoMail me I will send you a scan of the programme

Mart O 6:47 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

Nice one, Jonesy. I was wondering whether it might have been an FA Youth Cup game.

ted fenton 8:18 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=0

Colchester Sid 8:25 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

Crowd was around 800, weather was misty, John Lyall played, Briggs wore green shirts

Anything else you need to know I'd be happy to help

easthammer 11:39 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

Hello Mrs Jones

Many thanks for info.

whomail sent

The Stoat 2:35 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

http://whu-programmes.co.uk/1956-57-secl/4551987316

Pop Pop Robson 3:23 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

sid,do you remember a west ham song from the 60s/70s titled "the bells are ringing for the claret and blue"no one seem's to know it/sing it any more.

terry-h 3:24 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

Hello Mrs Jones 6:26
Can you tell us the team in that match please. Hooper had already left the club by then and was too old for the youths anyway. Bobby Moore was only 15 so he was too young.

Hello Mrs. Jones 3:49 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

The Colts team on that day was
GOYMER
KIRKUP
HOWE
LEWIS
MOORE
LYALL
ROWLANDS
SMITH
FENN
CARTWRIGHT
McDONALD

The Stoat 3:49 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

terry-h 3:24 Wed Oct 17

See the link I posted, theprogramme is on there with teams

Hello Mrs. Jones 4:00 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

TERRY-H
That was a young Bobby Moore in the team. He had signed a professional contract in August of that year.

Far Cough 4:19 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

Pop Pop Robson 3:23 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's
sid,do you remember a west ham song from the 60s/70s titled "the bells are ringing for the claret and blue"no one seems to know it/sing it any more.

Yes, I remember that one

Far Cough 4:26 Wed Oct 17
Re: Old Hammers with good memories of mid 1950's

It's sung to this tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkBLC3Amdl4

Page 1 - Next