Insitesoccer

West Ham United History

It was early in 1991 when Roger Morgan (ex Tottenham & England winger) the Football in the Community officer at West Ham Utd, arranged a meeting , all the local women’s team were invited including Newham, Dagenham & Romford. Roger outlined the FITC programme and their intention to set up a women’s team but they wanted to bring in an experienced existing team. All the clubs at the meeting declared that they wished to retain their own identify and the idea appeared to be put to sleep. Never the less the FITC organised training sessions at Warren School and were astounded by the response, up to 70 girls were attending each week In November 1991 Roger contacted John Greenacre, who had recently stepped down at Romford LFC,
The first friendly match was set for 29th March 1992
Two teams were entered into the Greater London Regional Women’s Football League, one in Division 3 and the other in Division 4.
11th Oct was the date that Andi Woodley current Chairperson & Reserve Team Manager made her League Debut for the Hammers.
First ever League Game & Win : 27-Sep-1992 score 5-1 v Hackney “B”.

1993-94
Mark Barrie who took up the reins as Reserve Team Manager during the previous season was because of work commitments unable to continue this throughout this season and was replaced by John Greenacre in December.
Trevor Lewin, for whom this was to become his final season as 1st team Manager saw his team just miss out on a top two finish, He had to settle for Third place, which as it transpired (because of a team withdrawing from Division 2) was enough to gain promotion.
Kay Cossington, herself only 14, who was to go on to greater things, made her first team debut on 3 Oct 1993 and score a notable hatrick in March 1994.

1994/1995
John Greenacre takes over as Manager of the first team after Trevor Lewin who had now joined the Football in the Community full time and could no longer spare the time at the weekend.
West Ham draw 0-0 with National League Champions Arsenal in the London FA cup. Hammers keeper Claire Lacey is the star of the show.

1995/1996
West Ham entered the Women’s FA Cup for the first time and are drawn at Home to Great Wakering in the first preliminary round.
This was the season for first’s as the Girls also took on their first European Tour. Travelling to Koln in Germany & the nipping over the border to play in Holland.
Home grown Claire Lacey who came to West Ham in 1992/93 season as a loyal “Hammers” supporter, but had never played organised soccer, was called into the England International squad last summer, at the tender age of 20. She proved to be an instant success, she was sub keeper against the mighty Italians at Roker Park Sunderland. Injury kept her away from the next International at the Valley Charlton, but when England travelled to Portugal in February, Claire made her debut when she came on for the final 20 minutes, and kept a clean sheet. In March Claire was again sub away to Italy. In April she travelled to war torn Croatia, again making the sub’s bench. On May 19th Claire was hopeful of making her full debut against Portugal at Brentford FC but again she was restricted to the subs bench.
A serious back injury was to curtail her International career the following season, although she was able to continue afterwards as an outfield player.

1996/1997
The Ladies change their humble facilities at Brampton Manor School, for the more salubrious surroundings at Barking Football Club in Lodge Avenue.
Neil Harrison West Ham United’s Football Secretary takes over the role as the Ladies representative to the Parent Club.

1997/1998
A new man at the helm, Lawrence Morgan, takes over as First Team Manager.
Club Secretary John Greenacre resigns his position in Oct 1997 after a problem with the FITC dept over the forthcoming England Ladies match to be played at Upton Park, England v Holland.
The Club Chairman, Mr Neil Harrison fails to appoint a replacement and the records fall into disarray. Mrs Maureen Murphy, mother of rising starlet Angela volunteers to step in to fill the breech.
The Ladies are evicted from their Home Ground after Collier Row Ladies collude with Barking and are renamed Barking Ladies.
West Ham Ladies find a new home at Little Heath. Which as fate was to determine in 2001 was to become the Home of West Ham United Academy, although not before the Ladies were again evicted by the owners, East London University, who sold the ground to West Ham Utd.

1998/1999
The year the fortunes changed for the better, John Greenacre is re-elected, this time as Chairman, Maureen Murphy is elected Secretary. But more importantly Kay Cossington is elected as Manager, the first woman to manage a West Ham Team.
Kevin Greenacre leaves to go to University and the Reserve Team is taken over by Steve Grint
In the FA Cup West Ham gain sweet revenge over local rivals Barking, who had the previous season ousted the Hammers from their Home ground, after two matches the Hammers won on penalties. They went on to beat another higher placed team in the second round only to fall at the second attempt in the 3rd .
In The League Cup West Ham were beaten in the quarter finals, their best ever finish, and in the Russell Cup they got to their first ever major cup final, but were beaten 2-1 on the day.
In the League West Ham finished their highest ever League position, Runner’s Up winning promotion to the Premiership. Had it not been for their success in the Cup competition, the Hammers may have won the title, but 4 League games in 8 days in April proved to be a bridge to far.

1999/2000
Now in the Premier Division for the first time West Ham, you would think, would look to consolidate but Kay Cossington wanted more success, and this she got, the rampant Hammers were only beaten into Runners Up spot by the semi-professional outfit, Fulham.
Graham Mackrill is elected WHU rep to the Ladies team and is instrumental in bridging the gap between the Ladies Team and West Ham United, sadly The Mannygate Affair which resulted in the West Ham v Aston Villa League Cup semi final fiasco, Graham was relieved of his post.

2000/2001
For the very first time West Ham introduce a Junior Team, ex Player Justine O’Reilly is summoned to take control.
The team is entered into to Essex County Girls League at under 12 level, The League starts with a grading section where the young Hammers lose only one game, scoring 40 goals and conceded 13. They then are placed into Division A, where they came a respectable 3rd place.
This was the season of the monsoon, by the 11th February 2001, which was the 22nd week into the season, West Ham’s first team had only played 3 League games.
This was also due to their outstanding success in the Axa Sponsored Women’s FA cup. After disposing of Tring & Redbridge Raiders the Hammers had to wait 3 weeks of sodden weather before brushing aside SE Combination team Crowborough, an even longer wait was next before whipping Whitehawk(Brighton) from the same League. Then a 4 week wait to take on, and beat the team that was in the Final 4 years back at Upton Park, Wembley Mill Hill. Who play in the National League Southern Division. Next out of the hat was National Northern League team Ilkeston who travelled down twice to London, the first game being postponed due to the weather, who duly put the plucky Hammers out of the Cup.
Rain…Rain…Rain…Then…………………………WEST HAM REIGN
Double Headers was now the order of the day, as West Ham then put their mind to the League programme. Then came the moment on Sunday 29 April when West Ham became CHAMPIONS of the Greater London Regional Women’s Football League, only 9 years after being formed.
Play-Off Fiasco….. West Ham went into the Play-Off for promotion to the SE Combination League, 2 out of the 3 teams to go through. West Ham win the first game 1-0 against Cambridge Uni. Cambridge then beat Gillingham 4-2 aet.
Then West Ham draw 0-0 with Gillingham aet. One would think that with 1 win and 1 draw, out of a group of three, West Ham would go through.!. No, because the match ended 0-0, a penalty shoot out was ordered, which the Hammers lost 3-1. So the FA decreed that as all the teams had in effect won one game each, goals scored would count. Cambridge top with 4, Gillingham with 2, West Ham with 1. So West Ham faced another season in the Greater London Regional League.

2001/2002
The title was won with a few weeks to spare and WEST HAM were once again CHAMPIONS.
Then came the play-offs, this year with the FA confirming the change to the Rules sought by West Ham after last years fiasco. (Had these Rules been in place last year, West Ham would have won the play-offs instead of being placed 3rd.). West Ham travelled to Malling in Kent and beat the South East Regional Champions 4-1. West Ham were then due to play Colchester (the Eastern Regional Champions) on 19 May, but Malling withdrew from the competition the previous week. So both West Ham & Colchester were promoted to the South East Combination,
Two new youth age groups were introduced Under 11, Managed by John Luciw and Under 15, Managed by Tony Burton, the Under 12’s moved up to Under 13 and all teams competed in the Essex County Girls League.
Maureen Murphy, because of work commitments has to step down as Secretary, John Greenacre again takes up that role, meanwhile Maureen continues her role as liaison officer to West Ham Utd and is joined by Robert Bush, and is instrumental in working out a fresh working relationship with the parent Club.

2002/2003
The first team play their first Combination game and beat eventual champions Watford 1-0. Kay Cossingtons Happy Hammers were to end up in 4th position.
The Club introduces ‘Codes of Conduct’
Kay Cossington [Manager] informs the club that because she has been asked by the FA to work with the England Women’s Football set up, she will no longer be able to continue as Manager.

2003/2004
West Ham again open their League season with a win, Crystal Palace, again it transpires that team are to end up as Champions, with West Ham finishing as credible RUNNERS UP.
Fiona Miley, our new contact with WHU comes up trumps with a kit sponsorship with ‘FAIRVIEW HOMES’ , who provide two new kits for every team.
Julia Setford is named Player Manager.
Kay Cossington stays on as Head Coach.
We enter last seasons U16 team as a 3rd team in the Greater London Regional League, but as time was to tell, many of the 3rd team were better players than the current Reserves. Hence a reshuffle in late September. Many of the Reserve teams noses were knocked out of joint by these young whippersnappers and decide to leave the club. This left Manager Steve Grint short of players, so for the first time in our History, we had to fold a team.
We at last get a ground where most of our teams can play together. Flanders Playing Fields becomes Home for Reserves, Thirds, U14 & U12, The first team remains at Aveley FC.
Fiona Miley leaves her job with WHUFITC after finding herself unable to work with her peers.

2004/2005
West Ham United are CHAMPIONS of the FA South East Combination League, Winning promotion to the FA National League. By beating Northampton in their last game of the season, a draw would have left the Cobblers only needing to win their remaining two games, so the pressure was on the Hammers .
West Ham also just failed to do the Double beaten by Runners Up in the League Northampton in an exciting League Cup Final at Bedford FC
The U13 & U15 both win their respective League Titles in the Essex County Girls League & win to their respective Cup Finals
The club enrol Liz Davies{masseuse] & Carly Vincent [Physio] [below] to ease away the aches & pains.
Andi Woodley takes over the reigns as Reserve team manager & West Ham Ladies again become 1 unit.
The Women’s FA Cup Final is again held at Upton Park. The senior team are presented with their League Trophy at half time before a crowd of nearly 9000.
West Ham Utd Ladies are awarded The FA Charter Standard Club Award
The journey from park football to National League is completed. Now the hard work begins

2005/2006
After a shaky start the Hammers settled into their first season in the National League Southern Division, finishing a respectable 6th position.
The reserves are pipped on the last day of the season of runners up spot, by a full strength Reading Royals team.
We are awarded the prestige’s FA Fair Play Award for collecting the least number of yellow/red cards..
All junior teams, U14,U12,U11 win their respective League titles in the Essex County Girls League, The u16 tried their luck in the Greater London Women’s League, playing against senior players, hey came a credible 2nd place in the top reserve section.
Maureen Murphy stands down as Treasurer, Andie Woodley also stands down as Reserve Team manager at the end of the season, to take on a role in 2006-07 asassistant manager to the 1st team.

Labels: West Ham United History