1962-63 Friendlies

When arrangements to visit Germany for pre-season friendlies did not materialise the club arranged a series of games against English opposition. The first of these on Tuesday 7th August against Watford on the Vicarage Lane Ground was cancelled owing to heavy rain on the day of the match

WATFORD

Match cancelled due to weather conditions

Vicarage Road

7 August 1962

Can anyone shed light as to whether a matchday programme was issued for this game?

PUBLIC PRACTICE MATCH : COLOURS v. WHITES

Upton Park

0 - 1 (goalscorer unknown)

9 August 1962

Colours: Rhodes Presland Lyall Elias Lansdowne Peters Redknapp Bennett Souter Ewan Dear

Whites: Dickie Smith Kitchener Dawkins Bickles Charles Woodley Barry Britt Beesley Hugo

Team Book

SWINDON TOWN

County Ground

2 - 3 (Scott, [og])

11 August 1962

Att: 5,500

Leslie

Kirkup

Bond (Lyall)

Bovington

Lansdowne (Brown)

Moore

Crawford (Scott)

Boyce (Woosnam)

Byrne

Hurst

Dick

The second was arranged at a couple of days' notice against Swindon Town at the County Ground and the lack of publicity largely accounted for a comparatively low attendance of 5,500. Our starting line-up comprised: Leslie, Kirkup, Bond, Bovington, Lansdowne, Moore, Crawford, Boyce, Byrne, Hurst, Dick; we made four changes at the interval - Lyall, Brown, Scott and Woosnam taking the places respectively of Bond, Lansdowne, Crawford and Boyce.

An "own goal" after 29 mins. put us in front, but a minute before the interval Bill Atkins equalised (being hurt in doing so). Tony Scott restored our lead in the 62nd minute, but the young Railwaymen came back to gain a deserved win through further goals by Don Rogers (after a solo run) and Roger Smart (with a 25-yard drive)

CHARLTON ATHLETIC : Public Practice Match

Upton Park 2 - 1 (Crawford, Dick) 13 August 1962

Leslie Kirkup Peters Bovington Lansdowne Hurst Crawford Boyce Byrne Dick Musgrove

Charlton Athletic visited Upton Park and we fielded the following XI before a 5,000 attendance: Leslie, Kirkup, Peters, Bovington, Lansdowne, Hurst, Crawford, Boyce, Byrne, Dick, Musgrove.

Charlton (playing in an unfamiliar blue second strip) opened the scoring after seven minutes when Dennis Edwards netted a rebound, but we evened it up in the 35th minute as Ian Crawford blazed the ball into the roof of the net after Malcome Musgrove's corner-kick had gone right across the goal-area. Musgrove also had a big hand in the final counter, his pass inside after a good run being converted by John Dick from close in thirteen minutes after the interval. We might have had a bigger margin than 2-1 but for a number of very good saves by Willie Duff.

BEXLEYHEATH & WELLING COLTS : Ted Fenton Trophy

Bexleyheath

? - ?

5 September 1962

Lineup unknown

FINCHLEY : Inauguration of Floodlighting

Summers Lane

4 - 0 (Musgrove 3, Hurst)

10 October 1962

Leslie

Bond

Burkett

Peters

Brown

Moore

Scott

Woosnam

Byrne

Hurst

Musgrove

Abandoned after 25 minutes due to Fog

We had very great pleasure in accepting the invitation of Finchley F.C. to send our First XI to meet them on the occasion of the inauguration of their new £5,000 floodlighting system. The Athenian Leaguers fans' were delighted with our play, even though the Middlesex side found themselves four down in a short time, Malcolm Musgrove got a 15-minute hat-trick and Geoff Hurst scored another to build up this big margin in our favour. Then came fog . . . and a regrettable abandonment of the game.

FIRST VIENNA (Austria)

Upton Park

4 - 1 (Hurst 2, Musgrove, Sealey)

30 October 1962

Leslie

Kirkup

Burkett

Bovington

Brown

Peters

Brabrook

Woosnam (Boyce)

Sealey

Hurst

Musgrove

Image courtesy of Richard Miller

There was an attendance of 12,471 for last Tuesday's floodlight friendly against First Vienna. They saw quite a lot of good soccer, but it became apparent that despite gaining an early lead the Austrians were not going to find it easy to hold us. The first goal was the outcome of a solo run and a fine shot by the Continentals' new centre-forward Veselinovich, and the two which followed it were to some extent similar in their "solo" aspect; Geoff Hurst took a pass from Phil Woosnam to go through and hit our equaliser from the 18-yard line while Alan Sealey's run-through drew the 'keeper out of his charge and left our own centre-forward with an empty net ahead. Sealey also did well to lay back a pass for Mai Musgrove to make it 3-1 before the interval. As Phil Woosaam had received a knock during the opening period he was "substituted" by Ron Boyce However, the pattern remained much the same as before, and we were never really pressed. Another goal by Hurst made it 4-1 before the end of what proved to be an easy victory.

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

SORRY NO IMAGE

Goldstone Ground

5 - 0 (Scott 2, Crawford, Dear, Sealey)

3 November 1962

Dickie

Kirkup

Lyall

Bovington

Lansdowne

Charles J.

Dear

Barry

Sealey

Crawford

Scott

As our Reserves' match in the Football Combination on 3rd November was postponed we arranged a friendly game v Brighton and Hove Albion Reserves at the Goldstone Ground. The Seasiders held us to a single goal at half-time, but we over-ran them after the interval to secure a 5—0 victory, our goals coming from Tony Scott (2), Ian Crawford, Brian Dear and Alan Sealey.

FINCHLEY : Floodlit Friendly

Summers Lane

4 - 2 (Bonds [pen], Boyce, Brabrook, Moore)

13 November 1962

Dickie

Bond

Burkett

Peters

Brown (Bickles)

Moore

Brabrook

Boyce

Sealey

Hurst

Musgrove

When we visited Finchley F.C. on October 10th to play the first match under their new floodlights the game was "fogged off" with the Hammers leading 4-0 after 25 minutes. In the circumstances we gladly offered to pay a return visit, and fulfilled this new engagement. This time the game went the full 90 minutes and we won by 4-2, Ron Boyce, Peter Brabrook, Bobby Moore and John Bond (penalty) each scoring one goal.

ROMFORD : Opening of Lights

Brooklands Sports Ground

4 - 2 (Hurst 2, Crawford, Sealey)

20 November 1962

Dickie

Kirkup

Burkett

Bovington

Brown

Peters

Brabrook

Boyce

Sealey

Hurst

Scott

After providing the opposition for Enfield's amateurs at the opening of that club's floodlights in October, we fulfilled an identical role at the Brooklands Ground on November 20th as the guests of Romford F.C. Unfortunately appalling weather kept the "gate" down to a mere 4,000, but the rain and sleet which marred the occasion did not dampen the excellent hospitality which we were again accorded. We fielded a full League side (except for Bobby Moore on international duty). After the interval we brought on Standen, Lyall and Crawford in place of Dickie, Burkett and Scott. The star of the game was 42-year-old ex-Spurs goalkeeper Ted Ditchburn, who put on a splendid show against a clever Hammers' display. However, he could not prevent us winning 4-2, our goals coming from Geoff Hurst (2), Ian Crawford and Alan Sealey; Barry Cappi got Rom-ford's couple.

ILFORD : Opening of Lights

Newbury Park

8 - 0 (Brabrook 2, Byrne 2, Burkett, Crawford, Peters, Sealey)

12 December 1962

Standen

Bond

Burkett

Peters

Brown

Moore

Brabrook

Boyce

Sealey

Byrne

Crawford

We were invited to "christen" another club's floodlights for the third time this season when we visited Ilford F.C.'s ground at Newbury Park on 12th November ; the previous occasions were at Finchley and Romford. Unfortunately once again inclement weather affected the attendance, but despite this there was about 2,000 present and they were well recompensed by a brilliant Hammers' display despite the centre of the pitch being a quagmire. Our endeavours to avenge a 3-1 defeat sustained by a representative Hammers' XI on the same ground in another friendly at the end of last season were rewarded by an 8-0 margin in our favour on this occasion. Three goals came in the first 20 minutes, and our tally ended as follows: Peter Brabrook and Johnny Byrne (two each), Jack Burkett, Martin Peters, Tony Scott and Alan Sealey (one each). The Ilford floodlights are certainly of a high standard — as was the hospitality accorded to all our party on a very pleasant evening.

SOUTHEND UNITED : Harry Threadgold Farewell Testimonial

Roots Hall

4 - 1 (Byrne 2, Hurst, Peters)

15 May 1963

Leslie

Bond

Burkett

Peters

Brown

Moore

Brabrook

Boyce

Byrne

Hurst

Scott

RAINHAM TOWN : Deri Stephens Memorial Trophy

Deri Park

5 - 4 (goalscorers unknown)

20 May 1963

Rhodes

Kirkup

Lyall

Bovington

Lansdowne

Nicholl

Dear

Hugo

Barrett

Peters

Archer

BATA SPORTS : Annual Charity Match

Bata Sports Ground, East Tilbury

8 - 2 (Scott 3, Byrne 2, Moore 2, Brabrook)

20 May 1963

Leslie

Bond

Burkett

Peters

Brown

Moore

Brabrook

Boyce

Sealey

Byrne

Scott

International Soccer League - New York, USA

The delays caused by the ”Big Freeze” during the early part of 1963 brought a three weeks’ extension to the Football League season. West Ham’s preparations for the tournament were also hindered as both Bobby Moore and Johnny Byrne were on international duty with England touring Czechoslovakia, East Germany and Switzerland and missed the opening two games.

The invitation for the Hammers to compete in the American International Soccer League (ISL) was considered a great honour and featured guest teams primarily from Europe and included some from Asia, South America, Canada and Mexico. The tournament was created in 1960 by William Cox, a wealthy U.S. businessman and former owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, a U.S. baseball team. Cox saw a potential market in the United States for top level soccer and paved the way as a first modern attempt to create a major soccer league in the U.S. during the American off-season.

The competition format consisted of two Sections (Section I and Section II). All clubs played each other on round-robin, accumulating points on a league-wide system. Each section winners would go forward to play a two-legged championship match.

KILMARNOCK (Scotland)

Image courtesy of Nigel Turner

Randalls Island Stadium : New York

3 - 3 (Brabrook, Hurst, Peters)

30 May 1963

Leslie

Kirkup

Burkett

Peters

Brown

Bickles

Brabrook

Boyce

Sealey

Hurst

Scott

Informal team group pose taken in Central Park New York by Manager Ron Greenwood

MANTOVA (Italy)

Image courtesy of Nigel Turner

Soldier Field, Chicago 2 - 4 (Hurst, Sealey) 5 June 1963

Standen

Kirkup

Burkett

Peters

Brown

Boyce

Brabrook

Sealey

Hurst

Sissons

Scott

DEPORTIVO ORO (Mexico)

Image courtesy of Nigel Turner

Randalls Island Stadium : New York 3 - 1 (Hurst 2, Byrne [pen]) 12 June 1963

Leslie Kirkup Burkett Peters Brown Moore Sealey Boyce Byrne Hurst Brabrook

PREUSSEN MUNSTER (West Germany)

Image courtesy of Nigel Turner

University of Detroit Stadium

2 - 0 (Hurst, Peters)

16 June 1963

Standen Kirkup Burkett Peters Brown Moore Sealey Boyce Byrne Hurst Brabrook

VALENCIENNES (France)

Randalls Island Stadium : New York

3 - 1 (Hurst 3)

23 June 1963

Standen

Kirkup

Burkett

Peters

Brown

Moore

Sealey

Boyce

Byrne

Hurst

Brabrook

Image courtesy of Paul Ford

RECIFE (Brazil)

Randalls Island Stadium : New York 1 - 1 (Byrne) 26 June 1963

Standen Kirkup Burkett Peters Brown Moore Sealey Boyce Byrne Hurst Brabrook

Augsburg Youth Tournament - Germany

1 - 3 June 1963

Augsburg Youth Tournament

Image courtesy of Nigel Turner

Team page

SCHWABEN AUGSBURG (West Germany)

Group 2 Match 2 - 0 (Britt, Bennett) 1 June 1963

Mackleworth, Burnett, Kitchener, Dawkins, White, Charles J., Redknapp, Bennett, Britt, Howe, Archer

BOLDKLUBBEN COPENHAGEN (Denmark)

Group 2 Match 2 - 0 (Dawkins) 1 June 1963

Mackleworth, Burnett, Kitchener, Dawkins, White, Charles J., Redknapp, Bennett, Britt, Howe, Archer

BAYERN MUNICH (West Germany)

Group 2 Match 3 - 0 (Bennett, Britt, Archer) 1 June 1963

Mackleworth, Burnett, Kitchener, Dawkins, White, Charles J., Redknapp, Bennett, Britt, Howe, Archer

CANNES (France)

Final 2 - 1 (Bennett, Britt) 3 June 1963

Mackleworth, Burnett, Kitchener, Dawkins, White, Charles J., Redknapp, Bennett, Britt, Howe, Archer

Other Matches Played at the Boleyn Ground

WEST HAM BOYS v. SOUTHEND BOYS

English Trophy - Divisional Final

Image courtesy of Nigel Turner

Upton Park

? - ?

11 December 1962

LONDON v. GLASGOW

Annual Inter-City Match

EAST HAM BOYS v. WEST HAM BOYS : Directors Cup

Upton Park

? - ?

7 May 1963

1961-62 Friendlies Season 1962-63 1963-64 Friendlies