West Ham United Football Club have become one of the more successful English sides in recent years, rewarding the unwavering loyalty of one of the most passionate fanbases in the country.
Whether you have been a dedicated supporter for years or are just starting to find out more about the team, here is all you need to know about West Ham United FC.
WHERE DO WEST HAM PLAY?
West Ham now play their home football at the London Stadium after moving to the ground in 2016. Formerly known as the Olympic Stadium, the ground was built for the 2012 Summer Olympics, serving as the athletics venue, and was repurposed following the games, allowing for West Ham to move in. The stadium has a capacity of 62,500.
The Irons initially played their football at Hermit Road before moving to the Boleyn Ground, often referred to as Upton Park, in 1904, where they stayed until 2016.
WHEN WERE WEST HAM FOUNDED?
West Ham were originally founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks, the works team of the largest and last surviving shipbuilder on the Thames. Following disputes over the running and financing of the club, Thames Ironworks disbanded in June 1900, before being immediately relaunched as West Ham United on 5 July 1900.
HOW MANY ENGLISH LEAGUE TITLES HAVE WEST HAM WON?
The club have never actually won the English top flight, instead, they hold just two league titles to their name, both coming in the second division of English football in 1957/58 and 1980/81.
WHAT ARE WEST HAM’S MAJOR HONOURS AND TROPHIES?
While West Ham may not have a top-division league title to their name, they do have a wealth of other trophies.
West Ham have won three FA Cups throughout their history, a Community Shield, a European Cup Winners’ Cup and, most recently, the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy in 2022/23.
WHO IS WEST HAM’S ALL-TIME TOP SCORER?
Vic Watson is West Ham United’s all-time top scorer, netting an impressive 326 goals in a career that spanned 15 years at the club.
Watson’s record is phenomenal when considering that the second all-time top scorer, the legendary Sir Geoff Hurst, scored just 252 goals during his time between 1959 and 1972 at the club.
WHAT IS WEST HAM’S BIGGEST-EVER VICTORY?
West Ham’s biggest-ever victory came in a League Cup encounter in 1983, when they battered Bury 10-0.
The club do have a number of other large wins, including an 8-0 victory over Rotherham United in March 1958 and an 8-0 win against Sunderland in October 1968 – their biggest victories in the league.
WHO ARE WEST HAM’S BIGGEST RIVALS?
West Ham United’s biggest rivalry is undoubtedly shared with Millwall FC, one of the most heated rivalries in English football despite it not being competed on a regular basis in recent history.
The intense rivalry spans back to their time as club’s founded by workforces in similar areas, and started when Millwall refused to support the industrial action during the 1920’s, igniting a bitter rivalry.
West Ham’s other rivalries include fellow London clubs Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal.
HOW DID WEST HAM BECOME KNOWN AS ‘THE HAMMERS’?
West Ham United are famously known as either ‘the Irons’ or ‘the Hammers’, and both nicknames originate from their foundation as a works team.
The Hammers is arguably the more common nickname for the side, and the work-place tools are represented on West Ham United’s badge.
WHAT IS THE WEST HAM ACADEMY KNOWN FOR?
West Ham United have one of the most iconic academies in world football and often promotes itself as being ‘The Academy of Football’.
Those claims are more than fair given some of their produced talent includes Bobby Moore, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, Tony Cottee, Paul Ince, Declan Rice, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick and Joe Cole – a truly phenomenal list of talent.
WHO IS WEST HAM’S MOST SUCCESSFUL MANAGER?
John Lyall became the most successful manager in West Ham United’s history during an immense 15-year spell in charge between 1974 and 1989.
Lyall guided the side to two FA Cups in 1975 and 1980 and also won the Second Division title in 1981.
WHAT IS WEST HAM’S STYLE OF PLAY?
West Ham United have deployed a wide variety of football styles since the club were founded, but they are most well-known for attempting to play an attractive, attacking style of play based around fluid passing and individual talent in the final third.
WHAT ARE WEST HAM’S MOST FAMOUS RECORDS?
One of West Ham’s most famous records is producing three players who went on to be a vital part of the 1966 World Cup-winning side for England.
Bobby Moore captained the side to the trophy, Geoff Hurst became the first player to score a hattrick in a World Cup final (Kylian Mbappe becoming the second in 2022) and Martin Peters scored the second of the four goals in the final, putting England 2-1 up.
WHO IS WEST HAM’S CURRENT MANAGER?
West Ham have changed their manager ahead of the 2024/25 season, parting ways with one of the most successful managers in their history in David Moyes, who guided the side to the 2022/23 Europa Conference League trophy, in favour of Julen Lopetegui.
The Spaniard has had a brilliant coaching career that has seen him take charge of the likes of Porto, Real Madrid, Spain and Sevilla – and West Ham will be hoping he can lead them to further trophies.
WEST HAM CURRENT SQUAD
Here is the West Ham United squad with their respective numbers, organised by position:
Manager: Julen Lopetegui (Spain)
Goalkeepers:
1. Lukasz Fabianski (Poland)
21. Wes Foderingham (England)
23. Alphonse Areola (France)
Defenders:
3. Aaron Cresswell (England)
5. Vladimir Coufal (Czech Republic)
15. Konstantinos Mavropanos (Greece)
25. Jean-Clair Todibo (France)
26. Max Kilman (England)
29. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (England)
33. Emerson Palmieri (Italy)
42. Kaelan Casey (England)
Midfielders:
4. Carlos Soler (Spain)
10. Lucas Paqueta (Brazil)
14. Mohammed Kudus (Ghana)
17. Luis Guilherme (Brazil)
19. Edson Alvarez (Mexico)
24. Guido Rodriguez (Argentina)
28. Tomas Soucek (Czech Republic)
29. Andy Irving (Scotland)
Forwards:
7. Crysencio Summerville (Netherlands)
9. Michail Antonio (Jamaica)
11. Niclas Fullkrug (Germany)
18. Danny Ings (England)
20. Jarrod Bowen (England)
