1922-23 Football League : Division II

Manager: Syd King

The Hammers began the season with high hopes of achieving promotion to the First Division. With this in mind there were new signings made. Inside-forward Billy Moore came from Sunderland in addition to wingers Dick Richards and Billy Charlton. It was a disastrous start, with West Ham winning just three of their opening 14 matches with Billy Moore scoring twice against Rotherham in a 4–0 victory and Vic Watson doing the same in a 2–0 win against Blackpool. After losing 3–1 at Leeds on 4 November the Hammers went on an amazing run where they only lost one game in 36 league and cup matches. Unlike previous seasons, the team were winning away games. Watson scored a hat-trick at Coventry in a 3–1 victory, Billy Moore scored three at Leicester in a remarkable 6–0 win, then in successive away matches Vic Watson scored six goals in total as Crystal Palace were beaten 5–1 followed by a 5–2 win against Bury.

On the final day of the season West Ham were top of the league on goal difference from Leicester City and Notts County. The Hammers were at home to Notts County, while Leicester played Bury. At the Boleyn Ground it was a tense affair as County scored after seven minutes and held on to win 1–0. There was dejection at Upton Park until the news came through that Leicester had also lost 1–0. Then there were joyous scenes as the supporters celebrated promotion to the First Division.

The FA Cup also brought fame as the Hammers reached the final, which was the first to be played at the new Wembley Stadium. In earlier rounds Hull City, Brighton, Plymouth and Southampton were beaten to set up a semi-final against Derby County at Stamford Bridge. Before a crowd of 50,795, Derby were overwhelmed as the Hammers won 5–2 with two goals each from Billy Moore and Billy Brown, and one from Jimmy Ruffell. The FA Cup final with Bolton Wanderers was to become famous for events off the pitch rather than the game itself. Thousands of fans climbed the gates to get in and descended on the pitch. There were chaotic scenes as police and officials tried to control the crowds and clear the area, with the now-legendary ‘white horse’ prominent in the proceedings. The match itself was ruined as a spectacle as on occasions the crowd around the touchline spilled on to the pitch. The Bolton team handled the conditions better, scored after two minutes and eventually won 2–0. In any event it had been an excellent campaign in winning promotion and taking part in the first ever Wembley Cup Final.

BRADFORD CITY : Football League Division II

Image courtesy of Andrew Conway

Upton Park 1 - 2 (Watson) 26 August 1922 Att: 27,000

Hufton Hodgson Horler Allen Kay Bishop Charlton Crossley Watson Moore Richards

GEORGE HORLER, WILLIAM CHARLTON, CHARLES CROSSLEY, WILLIAM MOORE and DICK RICHARDS all make their Hammers debut against BRADFORD CITY at Upton Park

DERBY COUNTY : Football League Division II

Upton Park 0 - 0 28 August 1922 Att: 16,000

Hufton Hodgson Hebden Allen Kay Tresadern Charlton Crossley Watson Moore Richards

BRADFORD CITY : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Valley Parade 1 - 0 (Ruffell) 2 September 1922 Att: 20,000

Hufton Hodgson Hebden Bishop Kay Tesadern Charlton Burgess Watson Moore Ruffell

DICK BURGESS makes his Hammers debut against BRADFORD CITY at Valley Parade

DERBY COUNTY : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Baseball Ground 1 - 2 (Moore) 4 September 1922 Att: 9,000

Hufton Hodgson Hebden Bishop Kay Tresadern Charlton Burgess Watson Moore Ruffell

ROTHERHAM COUNTY : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Upton Park 4 - 0 (Moore 2, Ruffell, Watson) 9 September 1922 Att: 14,000

Hufton Hodgson Hebden Allen Bishop Tresadern Charlton Robinson Watson Moore Ruffell

ROTHERHAM COUNTY : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Millmoor 2 - 2 (Robinson, Watson) 16 September 1922 Att: 9,000

Hufton Hodgson Hebden Bishop Kay Tresadern Charlton Robinson Watson Moore Ruffell

STOCKPORT COUNTY : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Upton Park 0 - 1 23 September 1922 Att: 5,000

Hufton Hodgson Young Bishop Kay Tresadern Charlton Robinson Watson Moore Ruffell

STOCKPORT COUNTY : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Edgeley Park 1 - 2 (Moore) 30 September 1922 Att: 6,000

Hufton Hodgson Young Bishop Kay Tresadern Charlton Brown Watson Moore Ruffell

SOUTHAMPTON : Football League Division II

Upton Park 1 - 1 (Crossley) 7 October 1922 Att: 20,000

Hufton Hebden Henderson Carter Kay Tresadern Bishop Allen Watson Crossley Moore

SOUTHAMPTON : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

The Dell 0 - 2 14 October 1922 Att: 7,000

Hufton Hebden Henderson Brown Carter Tresadern Richards Watson Williams Crossley Moore

BLACKPOOL : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Upton Park 2 - 0 (Watson 2) 21 October 1922 Att: 8,000

Hufton Hodgson Henderson Carter Kay Tresadern Richards Moore Watson Crossley Ruffell

CHELSEA : London Challenge Cup (First Round)

SORRY NO IMAGE

Stamford Bridge 3 - 1 (Moore, Ruffell, Watson) 23 October 1922 Att: ?

Hufton Hodgson Henderson Carter Kay Tresadern Richards Moore Watson Crossley Ruffell

BLACKPOOL : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Bloomfield Road 1 - 4 (Moore) 28 October 1922 Att: 14,000

Hufton Hodgson Henderson Carter Kay Tresadern Richards Moore Watson Crossley Ruffell

LEEDS UNITED : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Elland Road 1 - 3 (Moore) 4 November 1922 Att: 12,000

Hufton Hodgson Henderson Carter Kay Tresadern Richards Moore Watson Crossley Ruffell

CLAPTON ORIENT : London Challenge Cup (Second Round)

SORRY NO IMAGE

Upton Park 3 - 1 (Watson 2, [og]) 6 November 1922 Att: ?

Hufton Hebden Henderson Bishop Kay Tresadern Richards Moore Watson Crossley Ruffell

LEEDS UNITED : Football League Division II

SORRY NO IMAGE

Upton Park 0 - 0 11 November 1922 Att: 5,000

Hufton Hebden Henderson Bishop Kay Tresadern Richards Moore Watson Crossley Ruffell

CLAPTON ORIENT : Football League Division II

Upton Park 1 - 0 (Watson) 18 November 1922 Att: 20,000

Hufton Hebden Henderson Bishop Kay Tresadern Thirlaway Watson Brown Moore Ruffell

CRYSTAL PALACE : London Challenge Cup (Semi-Final)

SORRY NO IMAGE

White Hart Lane 1 - 2 (Moore) 20 November 1922 Att: ?

Hufton Hebden Henderson Bishop Kay Tresadern Richards Watson Brown Moore Ruffell