A Pictorial History
FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES
WEST HAM UNITED
Steve Marsh & Stuart Allen
Copyright © 2017 All rights reserved
1968-69 Football Combination
BIRMINGHAM CITY : Football Combination Cup
Upton Park
3 - 1 (Cross 2, [1 pen], Bennett)
10 August 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Cross
Bennett
The heavy rain which preceded last week-end's games caused a lot of concern at Upton Park, and had it rained any more on Friday night the opening fixture here could well have been called off. Howeyer, everything turned out satisfactorily in every respect, and although there were one or two "skid-marks" showing at the final whistle the playing-surface came through well. What is more, pur Reserves also opened their Combination Cup schedule with a well-taken 3-1 victory over Birmingham City Res. The Blues had a strong-looking line-up, but our second-string pinned them back to take a 2-0 half-time lead, Roger Cross scoring the first from 25 yards and the second goal being a great header by Peter Bennett to meet Eddie Bovington's centre. After the interval Roger Cross got his second goal (this time from the penalty-spot), and although the City reduced the margin before the end we were well in control.
PETERBROUGH UNITED : Football Combination Cup
LUTON TOWN : Football Combination Cup
NORTHAMPTON TOWN : Football Combination Cup
Kenilworth Road
3 - 0 (Bovington, Cross, Hartley)
21 August 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Cross
Bennett
NORTHAMPTON TOWN : Football Combination Cup
LEICESTER CITY : Football Combination Cup
County Ground
1 - 4 (Lindsay)
3 September 1968
SORRY NO IMAGE
WALSALL : Football Combionation Cup
Death
Heffer
Howe
Bovington
Miller
Glozier
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
QUEENS PARK RANGERS : Football Combination Cup
QUEENS PARK RANGERS : Football Combination Cup
Ellerslie Road
2 - 2 (Dear 2)
24 September 1968
Grotier
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Dear
Bennett
CHELSEA : London Challenge Cup (First Round)
Stamford Bridge
1 - 1 (Cross [pen])
2 October 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Morgan
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Cross
Bennett
Loftus Road
1 - 1 (Lindsay)
5 October 1968
SORRY NO IMAGE
PETERBOROUGH UNITED : Football Combination Cup
Portman Road
1 - 1 (Cross)
19 October 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bennett
Cushley
Bennett
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Dear
Cross
SORRY NO IMAGE
White Hart Lane
2 - 2 (Glozier, Llewelyn)
18 November 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Dear
Llewelyn
CARDIFF CITY : Football Combination Cup (Semi-Final ~1st leg)
LUTON TOWN : Football Combination
Manager : Ernie Gregory
SORRY NO IMAGE
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington (Holland)
Morgan
Miller
Clements
Bennett
Hartley
Lindsay
Llewelyn
Upton Park
3 - 2 (Bennett, Holland, Lindsay)
16 December 1968
SECOND-HALF
The semi-final agajnst Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road ended in a 2-1 victory. Both line-ups contained players with League experience - Rangers had nine to our six -and it was a hard game.
We got away to a good start when Brian Dear netted in the opening minute following a corner, but Rangers drew level five minutes before the interval. The second half was a tough battle, but with twelve minutes to go Dear settled the issue by rounding off the best move of the match after Tim Clements had made a fine run down the wing.
A goal two minutes from time enabled the Hammers to force a replay of the London Challenge Cup final against Spurs at White Hart Lane. We had fought hard after being twice in arrears, and the 2-2 score-line was a fair reflection of the exchanges.
Bob Glozier notched our first tally from a pass by Paul Heffer who had also ventured upfield, but the second Hammers' counter had a touch of fantasy about it; a faulty back-pass gave Dave Llewelyn possession outside the penalty-box, and although he only half-hit his shot the incident caught goalkeeper Stuart Skeet off-balance for the ball to run up his arm and into the net.
The replay takes place at Upton Park on Monday 16th December.
The playing of our London Challenge Cup Final replay was made possible through some urgent work by our ground-staff. It proved very well worth while, as 6,095 saw a game of fluctuating fortunes.
The Hammers got away to a fine start when Peter Bennett headed home in the sixth minute, and put themselves in a strong position as Jim Lindsay burst through to score the second after 37 mins. But Spurs were not to be denied, and they reduced their arrears five minutes later.
Six minutes after the interval the North Londoners equalised. Then we lost the services of Eddie Bovington who damaged his nose in a collision, and while Pat Holland was waiting to come on. down went Paul Heffer to reduce us to ten men. Fortunately his injury was not as serious as first appeared, and he was able to return. We regained momentum, and the winner arrived seven minutes from time as Holland glanced home past an astonished defence. The evening ended with tremendous applause for our gallant youngsters, followed by suitable appreciation of a Spurs' side which had contributed to a splendid local derby.
As usual we have fielded an XI of reserve strength in the London Challenge Cup. Their First Round tie y Chelsea necessitated a third meeting after draws of 1-1 at Stamford Bridge and 3-3 at Upton Park. The second of these was particularly exciting, and it was not until the last seconds of normal time that we levelled the count after Chelsea had seemingly made sure of qualifying through a goal in the previous minute.
So we tossed for choice of venue for the second replay, and, having called successfully, opted for Upton Park.
The West Londoners went two up in three minutes but we equalised before half-time. A goalless second half began to make the tie look like a "Peyton Place serial," but we got a couple more in the extra half-hour. We now meet Barnet in the next round.
There have been changes in the composition of the Football Combination. Coventry City have been elected to the Central League and Brighton & Hove Albion have also resigned, but Luton Town and Queens Park Rangers both re-joined. The 26 clubs are now in one Division, playing each other once in the league tourney (instead of the usual home-and-away). The cup competition is made up of four groups; three are of six clubs playing each other twice, and the other is of eight clubs who also play a total of ten matches in an uneven series. The winners and runners-up of each group qualify for the quarter-finals. Ernie Gregory will be team-manager of the Reserves, Dave Gladstone being the physiotherapist in attendance.
Image Courtesy of Richard Miller
Image Courtesy of Richard Miller
London Road
2 - 0 (Cross, Heffer)
17 August 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
Upton Park
3 - 0 (Cross 3)
24 August 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Bennett
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
Filbert Street
2 - 0 (Clements, Cross)
28 August 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Bennett
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
Upton Park
4 - 2 (Cross 2, Bennett, Howe)
7 September 1968
Death
Heffer
Howe
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Llewelyn
Bennett
Dear (Clements)
Cross
Hartley
Upton Park
3 - 0 (Clements, Cross, Lindsay)
9 September 1968
Grotier
Glozier
Howe
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Cross
Bennett (Llewelyn)
Upton Park
1 - 2 (Dear)
21 September 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Dear
Lindsay
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Lindsay
Bennett
Dear
Llewelyn
Hartley
Upton Park
3 - 3 (Bennett, Hartley, Heffer)
7 October 1968
Death
Heffer
Howe (Glozier)
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Bennett
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
Ninian Park
1 - 1 (Cross)
9 October 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Morgan
Miller
Clements
Bennett
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
Upton Park
7 - 1 (Cross 2, Bennett, Bovington, Hartley, Heffer, Llewelyn)
12 October 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Morgan
Miller
Clements
Bennett
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
Upton Park
4 - 2 (Llewelyn 2, Glozier, Hartley)
14 October 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bennett
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Cross
Llewelyn
Upton Park
2 - 1 (Bennett, [og])
21 October 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Llewelyn
Lindsay
Hartley
Bennett
Cross
Upton Park
1 - 1 (Bennet)
26 October 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bennett
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Dear
Best
Llewelyn
Loftus Road
2 - 1 (Dear 2)
4 November 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Clements
Lindsay
Dear
Bennett
Llewelyn
Upton Park
2 - 1 (Glozier, Llewelyn)
9 November 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Cushley
Miller
Llewelyn
Lindsay
Dear
Holland
Sissons
Dean Court
1 - 1 (Clements)
16 November 1968
Death
Heffer
Charles C.
Bovington
Morgan
Miller
Clements
Glozier
Hartley
Holland
Llewelyn
Upton Park
2 - 1 (Hartley, Llewelyn)
23 November 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Morgan
Bennett
Clements
Lindsay
Hartley
Holland
Llewelyn
Priestfield Stadium
1 - 1 (Holland)
30 November 1968
Death
Heffer (Charles C.)
Glozier
Bovington
Morgan
Miller
Clements
Holland
Hartley
Bennett
Llewelyn
Upton Park
1 - 0 (Llewelyn)
7 December 1968
Grotier
Heffer (Charles C.)
Glozier
Bovington
Morgan
Miller
Holland
Lindsay
Hartley
Bennett
Llewelyn
Upton Park
4 - 0 (Llewelyn 3, Bennett)
9 December 1968
Grotier
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Morgan
Miller
Llewelyn
Lindsay
Brooking
Bennett
Hartley
Kenilworth Road
0 - 0
14 December 1968
Death
Heffer
Glozier
Bovington
Morgan
Miller
Clements
Holland
Hartley
Bennett
Llewelyn
Upton Park
0 - 3
21 December 1968
Death
McDowell
Lampard
Miller
Morgan
Glozier
Clements
Bennett
Dear
Pointer
Llewelyn
The uncertainties of soccer could hardly have been better illustrated when Southampton Reserves visited Upton Park five days after our Challenge Cup success. We fielded seven of the winning side against middle-of-the-table Saints, and on paper looked certain to retain our undefeated record in the Combination league tourney, However, all good things come to an end, and after a run of four wins and seven draws we lost by three clear goals. This trio came in the first 37 minutes and after that the game petered out to a tame ending.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS : Football Combination
CHELSEA : London Challenge Cup (First Round Replay)
CARDIFF CITY : Football Combination
READING : Football Combination
CHELSEA : London Challenge Cup (First Round Second Replay)
IPSWICH TOWN : Football Combination
BARNET : London Challenge Cup (Second Round)
ARSENAL : Football Combination
QUEENS PARK RANGERS : London Challenge Cup (Semi-Final)
BRISTOL CITY : Football Combination
BOURNEMOUTH : Football Combination
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR : London Challenge Cup (Final)
SWANSEA TOWN : Football Combination
GILLINGHAM : Football Combination
PETERBOROUGH UNITED : Football Combination
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR : London Challenge Cup (Final Replay)
SOUTHAMPTON : Football Combination
SORRY NO IMAGE