Since joining the Football League the team had shown a steady improvement and promotion to the First Division was the aim. They now had an experienced defence and it was hoped that young Vic Watson would be able to contribute with the goalscoring to ease the burden on Puddefoot. Once again it was the usual pattern of losing away and winning at home. There were five successive away defeats, while at home Stoke, Port Vale and Bristol City were all beaten with a 3–0 scoreline. The first away win came in October at Bristol City, where Syd Bishop scored in a 1-0 victory, and he repeated the feat in November at Wolverhampton, scoring the only goal of the game. At home the Hammers were particularly strong and Puddefoot scored a brace in each of the successive home victories against Barnsley, Coventry City and Derby County. January proved to be a poor month, with no wins in the league and a FA Cup defeat at Swansea Town.

It was a huge shock in February when leading scorer Puddefoot was sold to Falkirk for £5,000. It was a large fee at the time and the club said that they had a ready replacement in Vic Watson. There were three successive wins in March and after beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 in April the team lay third in the table. Unfortunately, not a single win came in the remaining seven games, leaving the side to finish fourth in the league. In the final game of the season at Blackpool, William Williams scored on his debut. At 16 years 7 months and 16 days he was the club’s youngest ever player until Reece Oxford broke his 93 year record in 2015 at 16 years 6 months and 9 days.

STOKE CITY : Football League Divsion II

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Victoria Ground 0 - 2 27 August 1921 Att: 20,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Gurkin Bishop Brown Robinson Puddefoot James Young

JOHN GURKIN makes his Hammers debut against STOKE CITY at the Victoria Ground

BRADFORD PARK AVENUE : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 1 - 0 (Dickinson [og]) 29 August 1921 Att: 20,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay James Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Robinson Smith S.

PHOTOCOPY

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WILLIAM THIRAWAY makes his Hammers debut against BRADFORD PARK AVENUE at Upton Park

STOKE CITY : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 3 - 0 (Allen, Jackson, Puddefoot [pen]) 3 September 1921 Att: 20,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay Bishop Thirlaway Jackson Puddefoot Smith S. James

THOMAS JACKSON makes his Hammers debut against STOKE CITY at Upton Park

BRADFORD PARK AVENUE : Football League Divsion II

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Park Avenue 0 - 2 5 September 1921 Att: 7,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay James Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Jackson Smith S.

PORT VALE : Football League Divsion II

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Upton Park 3 - 0 (Puddefoot 2, Watson) 10 September 1921 Att: 15,000

Hampson Hebden Cope Allen Kay Bishop Thirlaway Robinson Puddefoot Watson James

PORT VALE : Football League Divsion II

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Recreation Ground 1 - 2 (Watson) 17 September 1921 Att: 10,000

Hampson Hebden Cope Allen Kay Bishop Thirlaway Robinson Puddefoot Watson James

SOUTH SHIELDS : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 1 - 1 (Puddefoot) 24 September 1921 Att: 18,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay Bishop Thirlaway Carter Puddefoot Watson James

SOUTH SHIELDS : Football League Divsion II

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Horsley Hill Road 0 - 1 1 October 1921 Att: 14,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay Bishop Thirlaway Brown Puddefoot Watson James

COVENTRY CITY : Football League Divsion II

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Highfield Road 0 - 2 3 October 1921 Att: 12,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay Bishop Thirlaway Brown Puddefoot Watson James

BRISTOL CITY : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 3 - 0 (Puddefoot 2, Watson) 8 October 1921 Att: 18,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay James Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson Young

BRISTOL CITY : Football League Divsion II

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Ashton Gate 1 - 0 (Bishop) 15 October 1921 Att: 10,000

Hampson Hebden Cope Allen Kay James Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson Young

BRENTFORD : London Challenge Cup (First Round)

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Griffin Park 0 - 3 17 October 1921 Att: ?

Fay Cope Hebden James Bishop Allen Young Watson Puddefoot Robinson Thirlaway

NOTTINGHAM FOREST : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 1 - 0 (Watson) 22 October 1921 Att: 20,000

Hampson Hebden Cope Allen Kay Bishop Thirlaway Puddefoot Watson James Young

NOTTINGHAM FOREST : Football League Divsion II

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City Ground 0 - 2 29 October 1921 Att: 15,000

Hampson Hebden Cope Allen Kay James Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson Young

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 2 - 0 (Kay, Tresadern) 5 November 1921 Att: 16,000

Hampson Hebden Cope Allen Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson James

10 November 1921

ERNIE GREGORY (1946-1960) Born this day Stratford, London

Gregory actually joined the ground-staff in 1936, one year before that other great club servant, Eddie Chapman. Catching the attention of Charlie Paynter when he appeared for the West Ham Boys team which met Preston in the English Trophy Final at the Boleyn Ground, it proved to be the beginning of an association that lasted a record-breaking 50 years. Although this great goalkeeper first appeared for Hammers in their Mid-week League team in 1938, it was another eight years before he made his League debut due to serving in the Essex Regt. and R.A. during WW2, against Plymouth Argyle in a 4-1 victory at Upton Park on the 28 December 1946. A regular member of the 1958 promotion side, he received the Football League Long-service statuette when he retired from playing in 1960. He then became coach to the Reserves and later the First-team, specialising in the arts of goalkeeping. Also helped with general coaching and team administrator. Ernie received a special award for 50 years service.

11 November 1921

RON GREENWOOD Born this day Worsthorne

(1961-1974) 4th West Ham United manager (1974-1977) General Manager

Greenwood's reign at West Ham brought the club much success. He oversaw the development of players such as the 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning trio of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, and under him the Hammers won the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965 – the first two major trophies of their history. He moved upstairs in 1974, becoming the club's general manager for the next three years, with John Lyall being placed in charge of the first team. In the first season of this arrangement, West Ham won another FA Cup.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS : Football League Divsion II

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Molineux 1 - 0 (Bishop) 12 November 1921 Att: 11,000

Hampson Hebden Cope Allen Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson James

BARNSLEY : Football League Divsion II

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Upton Park 4 - 0 (Puddefoot 2, Bishop, Watson) 19 November 1921 Att: 18,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson James

BARNSLEY : Football League Divsion II

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Oakwell 1 - 1 (Thirlaway) 26 November 1921 Att: 19,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson James

COVENTRY CITY : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 3 - 0 (Puddefoot 2 [1 pen], Watson) 10 December 1921 Att: 18,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson James

DERBY COUNTY : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 3 -1 (Puddefoot 2 [1 pen], James) 17 December 1921 Att: 20,000

Hufton Hebden Cope Allen Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson James

DERBY COUNTY : Football League Divsion II

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Baseball Ground 1 - 3 (Kay) 24 December 1921 Att: 10,000

Hufton Turner Cope Allen Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson James

BURY : Football League Divsion II

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Gigg Lane 1 - 0 (Allen) 26 December 1921 Att: 20,000

Hufton Turner Cope Allen Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson James

The Hammers' recorded their first Boxing Day victory in the Football League when they made the long journey to Bury and returned home with both points. Percy Allen scored the only goal of the game, and then just a day later the Hammers completed the double over the Shakers. The Boleyn Ground scoreline was 3-2 in the Hammers' favour as they maintained a promotion push. They would fall just short in the end, two places and four points off the top two.

BURY : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 3 - 2 (Puddefoot 2, Bishop) 27 December 1921 Att: 20,000

Hufton Turner Cope Allen Carter Tresadern Thirlaway Bishop Puddefoot Watson Ruffell

JAMES RUFFELL makes his Hammers debut against BURY at Upton Park

LEICESTER CITY : Football League Divsion II

Upton Park 1 - 0 (Tresadern) 31 December 1921 Att: 20,000

Hufton Turner Cope Allen Bishop Tresadern Thirlaway James Puddefoot Watson Ruffell

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