The Giant Killers
WEST HAM UNITED
The Hammers came about in 1900 out of the ashes of Thames Ironworks whose five years of existance had seen them fail to get byond the qualifying rounds of the cup. The new club also took five years to get beyond the qualifying rounds before taking First Division Arsenal to a first round replay in 1906. The Hammers, as a Southern League team were regulars in the early rounds of the cup pulling off a major cup shock in sending champions elect Manchester United crashing out of that year's competition. After the First World war The Hammers had bigger ambitions and were elected to the Second Division in 1919, famously reaching the first Wembley F A cup final in 1923. The disappointment of defeat that day was quickly forgotten as the fans spent the summer looking forward to their team's first ever season in the big time, where they have spent most of their time ever since with only the fans of 1940s vintage going an entire decade without elite football to watch. The honour of being Champions has eluded West Ham but they have enjoyed success in, the cup, winning the trophy in 1964, 1975 and most recently thanks to Trevor Brooking's header in 1980 as a Second Division club. European success had also come to the Boleyn Ground with the Cup Winners Cup in 1965 as well as being the home club of the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final, Geoff Hurst.

Magic Moments
2-1 vs Nottingham Forest
First round: 14th January 1911
Attendance: 12,000
Scorer: Danny Shea [image left]
Ranked at the time: 69
Today: Outside the top 400
Team: 1:George Kitchen, 2:James Rothwell, 3:Robert Fairman, 4:Robert Whiteman, 5:Frank Piercy, 6:Tom Randall, 7:Herbert Ashton, 8:Danny Shea, 9:George Webb, 10:George Butcher, 11:Thomas Caldwell
3-0 vs Preston North End
Second round: 4th February 1911
Attendance: 14,000
Scorer: George Webb [image right], [3]
Ranked at the time: 30
Today: Outside the top 200
Team: 1:George Kitchen, 2:James Rothwell, 3:Robert Fairman, 4:Robert Whiteman, 5:Frank Piercy, 6:Tom Randall, 7:Herbert Ashton, 8:Danny Shea, 9:George Webb, 10:George Butcher, 11:Thomas Caldwell

Third round: 25th February 1911
Attendance: 27,000
Scorers: Danny Shea, Tommy Caldwell
Ranked at the time: 3
Today: Inside the top 100
Team: 1: George Kitchen, 2:James Rothwell, 3:Bob Fairman, 4:Robert Whiteman, 5:Frank Piercy, 6:Tom Randall, 7:Herbert Ashton, 8:Danny Shea, 9:George Webb, 10:George Butcher, 11:Tommy Caldwell
2-1 Middlesbrough
Second round replay: 8th February 1912
Attendance:10,000
Scorers: Herbert Ashton, Fred Harrison
Ranked at the time: 17
Today: Outside the top 100
Team: 1:Joseph Hughes, 2:Robert Fairman, 3:Victor Glover, 4:George Redwood, 5:Dan Woodards, 6:Fred Blackburn, 7:Herbert Ashton, 8:Danny Shea, 9:Fred Harrison, 10:William Kennedy, 11:Thomas Caldwell
3-0 @ West Bromwich Albion
First round, second replay: 22nd January 1913
Attendance: 27,075 {Stamford Bridge, London}
Scorers: Gorge Hilsdon [image right], Bertie Denyer
Ranked at the time: 18
Today: Outside the top 100
Team: 1:Joseph Hughes, 2:James Rothwell, 3:Harry Forster, 4:Dan Woodards, 5:Fred Harrison, 6:Tom Randall, 7:Herbert Ashton, 8:George Butcher, 9:Bertie Denyer, 10:George Hilsdon, 11:Jack Casey


2-0 vs West Bromwich Albion
Fourth round: Saturday January 28th 1933
Attendance: 37,222
Scorers: Vic Watson {image left}, Arthur Wilson
Ranked at the time:105
Team: 1:George Watson, 2:Alfred Chalkley, 3:Albert Walker, 4:Jimmy Collins, 5:Jim Barrett, 6:Albert Caldwell, 7:Tommy Yews, 8:Walter Pollard, 9:Vic Watson, 10:Arthur Wilson, 11:Jackie Morton {manager:Charlie Paynter}
4-0 vs Birmingham
Quarter final: Saturday March 4th 1933
Attendance: 44,232
Scorers: Ned Barkas, John Morton, Arthur Wilson, Walter Pollard
Ranked at the time: 94
Today: Outside the top 100
Team: 1;Pat McMahon, 2:Alfred Chalkley, 3:Albert Walker, 4;Jimmy Collins, 5; Jim Barrett, 6: Joe Musgrave, 7: Tommy Yews, 8: Walter Pollard, 9:Vic Watson, 10: Arthur Wilson, 11:Jackie Morton, {manager Charlie Paynter}

2-1 vs Blackpool
Third Round: Saturday January 12th 1952
Attendance: 38,600
Scorers: Jimmy Andrews, Frank O'Farrell
Ranked at the time: 201
{image: Frank O'Farrell drives home West Ham's decisive second goal}
Team: 1:Ernie Gregory, 2:George Wright, 3:Harry Kinsell, 4:Derek Parker, 5:Malcolm Allison, 6:Frank O'Farrell, 7:Terry Woodgate, 8:Gerry Gazzard, 9:Bert Hawkins, 10:Jimmy Andrews, 11:Ken Tucker
4-0 vs Huddersfield Town
Third Round: Saturday January 9th 1954
Attendance: 25,250
Scorers: Harry Hooper {2}, Dave Sexton, Tommy Dixon
Ranked at the time: 31
Team: 1:Ernie Gregory, 2:George Wright, 3:John Bond, 4:Andy Malcolm, 5:Malcolm Allison, 6:Doug Bing, 7:Harry Hooper, 8:Dave Sexton, 9:Tommy Dixon, 10:John Dick, 11:Jimmy Andrews. Manager:Ted Fenton
