West Ham United 1966 No6 Retro Football Shirt

West Ham United hosted West Bromwich Albion at The Boleyn Ground on Wednesday 9 March 1966 in the 1st Leg of the 1965/66 Football League Cup Final. The last Football League Cup Final to be played on a home and away basis before the final became a one-off match at Wembley. Trailing to a Jeff Astle goal, West Ham Captain and No6 Bobby Moore volleyed the equaliser on 72 minutes before Johnny Byrne scored a late winner on the night to give The Hammers a slender lead to take to The Hawthorns where, two weeks later on Wednesday 23 March 1966 West Brom prevailed 4-1 to win the last two-leg Football League Cup Final 5-3 on aggregate.

In between those Football League Cup Final 1st and 2nd Leg ties West Ham travelled to East Germany in defence of the European Cup Winners Cup. Behind The Iron Curtain a John Sissons goal in a 1-1 draw versus 1.FC Magdeburg was enough to see The Hammers into the semi-final 2-1 on aggregate. The Hammers had actually received a bye in the First Round when the Polish side Czarni Źargań withdrew from the competition. Olympiacos had been put to the sword 4-0 at Upton Park in the Second Round 1st Leg, and a 2-2 draw in Piraeus, refereed by Tofik Bahramov, saw West Ham progress 6-2 on aggregate, and after seeing off the East German Cup holders Magdeburg in that quarter-final, it was the West German DFB-Pokal holders Borussia Dortmund next, in the semi-final.

West Ham were a goal to the good, and seemingly in control in the Semi-Final 1st Leg in front of over 28,000 at The Boleyn Ground through a fine Martin Peters 52nd minute strike until, in the last 5 minutes, Lothar Emmerich poached a brace in front of The North Bank to turn the tie on its head. A week later in the iconic Stadion Rote Erde 'Der BvB' ran out 3-1 winners on the night and 5-2 on aggregate. Ron Greenwood was gracious in defeat acknowledging that Dortmund were a very good team, and indeed BVB went on to lift the 1966 European Cup Winners Cup.

Over 3 months later at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 30 July 1966 West Ham's Holy Trinity would meet again with 3 of Borussia Dortmund's 1966 UEFA European Cup Winners Cup team. This time, West Ham's Three Lions: England Captain and No6 Bobby Moore; Martin Peters and 1966 Hammer of the Year Geoff Hurst, got the better of Hans Tilkowski, Lothar Emmerich and 'Siggi' Held. Geoff Hurst put a 1966 World Cup Final hat-trick past Tilkowski, and Martin Peters scored the other, as England beat West Germany 4-2 in the 1966 World Cup Final, and the West Ham United and England Captain, the No6 Bobby Moore made his way up the 39 steps to accept The Jules Rimet Cup from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In 1966 West Ham United won the Big One. In 1966 West Ham United won The World Cup.

Score Draw Official Retro Shirt Match:

West Ham United 2 v 1 West Bromwich Albion. 

Wednesday 9 March 1966.

Football League Cup Final 1st Leg.

Boleyn Ground. 

Attendance 28,341.

West Ham United: 1.Jim Standen. 2.Dennis Burnett. 3.Jack Burkett. 4.Martin Peters. 5.Ken Brown. 6.Bobby Moore. 7.Peter Brabrook. 8.Ronnie Boyce. 9.Johnny Byrne 10.Geoff Hurst. 11.Brian Dear.