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longford 12:38 Thu Nov 7
Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

So i was watching a documentery about the late great Brian Clough on you tube , and /scrolled down the comments section and there was a comment that pointed to a section of the video where cloughy was getting clapped of the pitch despite this being the end of the 92/93 season , a season where Forest were relegated.
So someone commented that he was the only manager in history for their team to be relaged and the manager be clapped of the pitch.
i dont know whether this is wrong or right , but it got me thinking
In the 88/89 season i was a 9 year old west ham fan , i was still a season away to going to my first game , my west ham viewing was confined to the send of season review on VHS , the stand outs that year for me was the 4-1 over Liverpool in the littlewoods cup and Julian diks getting a kick to the face and tony gales curler , Paul ince's goal of the season against Villa , a great run of form at the end of the year, but being humled by Liverpool on the final game , just before Arsenal (its up for grabs now) done what they did ....
But what i wanted to know , honestly what was the feeling in the stands for John Lyall that season , was there a strong Lyall out sentiment and what was his final reception like towards the end ?
is someone could say what the feelings in the terraces where that year towards the legendary gaffer , id appreciate it very much
Thanks in advance

Athletico Easthamico 10:08 Fri Nov 29
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Lyall seemed to lose the plot in the transfer market after 85/86.

Some appalling signings, Strodder, Hilton, McQueen, McKnight and Kelly.

He had one big purchase in Stewart Robson, £750K was big money in those days. Decent player put had a terrible injury record at Arsenal, sounds familiar?

Sold McaAveennie without a relacemnt so we were held to ransom trying to get a replacemt in.
Cottee was never adequately replaced.

I must admit I wasn't too fussed when he got the sack. He seemed to have gone stale.

But I think he got a bang average Ipswich team promoted in his next job.

Macari never had a chance at West Ham. Pricks like Tony Gale getting the hump with him.
But he bought the spine of our teams for years to come.
Swapped Ward for Bishop and Morley. Got Martin Allen and Jimmy Quinn in.
Foster was a bit iffy but you needed a unit at the back in those days. And he scored the goal against Everton in the Cup.

And of course picking up Miklosko for £300k, fucking hell!!

But you have to go back to Hillsborough also.
We should have won the league but at least we were in the UEFA Cup which was a decent competition in those days. Could have had great European nights at Upton Park.

Raised the profile of the club, generated more income and got better players in. It could have been the start of something big and long term.

But instead with no European football the team soon broke up and relegation soon followed.

Eastside surge 8:52 Fri Nov 29
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

I do remember singing lyall out at anfield on the night we went down and there were plenty doing it believe me . Looking back im not particularly proud of it but we had just been relegated ( again ) and I like many others had the raving fucking hump,

Obviously the bigger picture was probably our amateurish board not willing to put their hand in their pockets at various points following the giddy heights of the 85/86 season coupled with some awful transfers as well .

wd40 10:49 Fri Nov 29
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Do recall Lyall taking some sort of control and walking over to our end when playing QPR away and the crowd got jammed in.
A lovely decent man who gave us some outstanding stunning football plus a couple of cups along the way.
Yep let's stick them Lyall gates well out of the way in some small pop up shop in return.

blueeyed.handsomeman 10:10 Fri Nov 29
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

there were a number of no nothing moronic arseoles that parade as supporters,who started up a "LYALL out" gang and they found a larger number of followers .

most normal supporters loved and respected him,and still hold the memory of a friend which he was to our heart

normannomates 4:12 Fri Nov 29
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Terry h 11.04

normannomates 4:10 Fri Nov 29
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Billy blagg 3.16

Hope you okay fella

Lato 8:12 Thu Nov 28
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Northern Sold 7:42 Thu Nov 28

That wouldn't surprise me mate......he was from Birmingham

Northern Sold 7:42 Thu Nov 28
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Lato... we reckoned it was because he was a alien and was not used to the earth's atmosphere

Lato 7:34 Thu Nov 28
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Did you know David Kelly ended up on his arse after every goal he scored for us? Apparently ( according to him) this was because he had one leg longer than the other

Tanglefoot 5:20 Thu Nov 28
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Billy, I think in 86/87 we still had TC and Frankie which I guess is why Goddard was sold. It was the following 87/88 season that we signed Leroy (towards the end of the season) and his goals helped in keeping us up. In the 88/89 season we added David Kelly which obviously did not end well.

ted fenton 5:12 Thu Nov 28
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Billy Blagg 3:16 Thu Nov 28

Lily Hammer 3:36 Thu Nov 28
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

All too painfully true, BB.

Billy Blagg 3:16 Thu Nov 28
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

It was 'typical' West Ham. After we finished 3rd the clubs first decision wasn't to build on the success we had but to sell Paul Goddard. Now had Goddard not got injured the season before, it could be argued the MacAvennie / Cottee partnership would never have even been made. Nevertheless, Goddard was an underrated player who created more than he scored and there was no need to sell him. A striker light we then made a panic buy in getting in Leroy Rosenior later in the season. Lyall made it clear in the paper that LR wasn't the player he wanted but hoped he could 'do a job for us'. He did and scored the goals to keep us up. Instead of saying, 'Phew well that paid off, let's do what we wanted to do and get the man we really wanted'. Rosenior joined with David 'Bambi' Kelly and relegation beckoned. I'd say - as often happens - time caught up[ with Lyall as a Manager but he should have gone upstairs and supported a younger man coming in. IMHO we've never recovered.

Fivetide 12:32 Tue Nov 12
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Same as it ever was. This is West Ham. Momentary glimpses of good fortune, but 95% grim disappointment and turning on each other. I look back at my life as a supporter with claret & blue tinted specs, but the truth is that it's always been like this, and any highlights ineveitablky end in fans booing our own - every single time.

terry-h 11:04 Tue Nov 12
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

zico 8:38 Fri Nov 8
Exactly right. If Lyall's widow reads that, I think she might shed a tear or two.
Greenwood was a bit of a cold fish and I never understood why he and Moore appeared to fall out with each other.
Lyall's period as manager was a special time for the fans. You just have to listen to what players like Gale,Cottee and Macavennie have said about him,and Sir Alex Ferguson has mentioned what a welcoming friend he became on his arrival in Manchester.
I doubt younger fans will ever appreciate what a great club West Ham became in the period Greenwood and Lyall were in charge.

balders 6:26 Tue Nov 12
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Norwich away that year , majority of the support were chanting Lyall out

The manager will also take the blame when they don't have the board backing them

West Ham should have moved him upstairs but typical us fucked up again

normannomates 4:43 Tue Nov 12
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

DEVO doing a great job at Maidenhead utd.. Went along to wealdstone game in FA Cup.. Has his side playing as I expected.
Good account of themselves against Rotherham.. took the lead.. but run out of puff..

Love devo

normannomates 4:37 Tue Nov 12
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

That Kelly cunt has always hated us since his time with us..

Fuckin fanny

normannomates 3:45 Tue Nov 12
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

DEVO is.. and always will be my all time favourite..
But you know players like Alan Dickens tend to be forgotten.. He was class for us..made us tick in 85/86. Lovely footballer.. Brady was class above.. Just past his prime.. but a joy..
AHH.. We've had some proper quality over the yrs..

normannomates 3:33 Tue Nov 12
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

Zico 8.38
'incredible gentlemen'

That is perfectly what I would like to have said.
And proud to be a WHU supporter.. BIG time.

zico 10:56 Mon Nov 11
Re: Question about john Lyall and the relegation season of 88/89

I reckon that had we had Ince and Dicks at their best in 85/86 in holding midfield and left back we would have won the League. Nothing against Walford/George/Pike or Orr but those are the positions that should have been strengthened in 86/87.

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