Historical Football Kits

 

West Ham United

Formed 1900

Elected to Division Two 1919

Kit History

Thames Ironworks 1895

Thames Ironworks 1895 Kit

1895 a j k

Thames Ironworks 1897 Kit

1897 j l

Thames Ironworks 1899 Kit

1899 a

West Ham United 1900

1900-1901 j

West Ham 1900-1903 Kit

1902-1903 i j k

West Ham 1903-1905 Kit

1903-1905 c

West Ham 1905-1906 Kit

1905-1906 c

West Ham 1906-1926 Kit

1906-1926 c

West Ham 1928-1933 Kit

1928-1933 c

West Ham 1934-1949 Kit

1934-1949 c

West Ham 1950-1951 Kit

1950-1951 f

West Ham 1953-1955 Kit

1953-1955 c

West Ham 1955-1956 Kit

1955-1956 c

West Ham 1956-1958 Kit

1956-1958 c

West Ham 1958-1959 Kit

1958-1959 c

West Ham 1960-1963 Kit

1960-1963 c

West Ham 1963-1966 Kit

1963-1966 c

West Ham 1969-1976 Kit

1969-1975 c

Bukta

1975-1976 n o

Admiral
West Ham August - December 1976 Kit

Aug-Dec 1976 g

Admiral
West Ham 1976-1977 Kit

Dec 1976-1977 g

Admiral
West Ham 1977-1980 Kit

1977-1980 d g

Adidas
West Ham 1980-1983 Kit

1980-1983 d

Adidas
West Ham 1983-1984 Kit

1983-1984 d h

Adidas
West Ham 1984-1985 Kit

1984-1985 d h

Adidas
West Ham 1985-1987 Kit

1985-1987 d h

Buy West Ham shirt from Kitbag
Scoreline
West Ham 1987-1989 Kit

1987-1989 d g

Bukta
West Ham 1989-1991 Kit

1989-1991 d p

Bukta
West Ham 1991-1992 Kit

1991-1992 d m

Bukta
West Ham 1992-1993 Kit

1992-1993 d m

Pony
West Ham 1993-1995 Kit

1993-1995 d

Pony
West Ham 1995-1997 Kit

1995-1997 d

Pony
West Ham 1997-1998 Kit

1997-1998 d h

Pony
West Ham April 1998-1999 Kit

April 1998-1999 d h

Fila
West Ham 1999-2001 Kit

1999-2001 d

Fila
West Ham 2001-2003 Kit

2001-2003 d

Reebok
West Ham 2003-2005 Kit

2003-2005 e

Reebok
West Ham 2005-2007 Kit

2005-2007 e

Umbro
West Ham 2007-2008 Kit

2007-2008 e

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Umbro
west ham united 2008-09 home kit

2008-2009 e

 

Background

In the early 1890s, the Canning Town and West Ham area of East London was awash with football clubs. In 1895, Arnold Hills, Chairman and Managing Director of the Thames Ironworks & Shipbuilding Company decided to form a works team to be called Thames Ironworks FC. Hills was himself a prominent player, having played for Oxford University in the FA Cup final of 1877 and won an England cap two years later. The club initially played in Oxford blue. Research by Grant Hole has brought evidence to light that in 1895, the club took over Castle Swifts FC, the works side of the Castle Mail Packet Company. Thames Ironworks aquired a set of light blue, white and red kits from the Swifts and adopted these as their first choice kit in 1897. In the summer of 1899 Bill Dove, a sprinter of national repute who was involved in coaching the Ironworks team, was challenged to a race with four Aston Villa players at a fair in Birmingham. Dove won but the Villa men could not pay the wager so one of them pinched a set of claret and blue shirts from his club (he was responsible for doing the laundry) to settle the bet.

In 1898 "The Irons" joined the Southern League. In June 1900, the club was formally wound up and reformed as West Ham United with professional players.

West Ham retain their connection to the older club through their badge (a pair of crossed rivetting hammers) and their nickname (The Hammers). The new club took over Ironworks' place in the Southern League and steadily built a reputation. In 1919 West Ham were elected to Division Two when the League was expanded after World War One. In 1923 the Hammers won promotion to the First Division and appeared in the first Wembley FA Cup Final where they lost 0-2 to Bolton. Nine years later, the club was relegated back to Division Two where they stayed for the next 26 years.

In 1958 The Hammers won the Second Division championship in the season that the young Bobby Moore made his debut. Three years later Ron Greenwood became manager and West Ham's golden age began. In 1964 they won the FA Cup for the first time, beating Preston North End 3-2. A year later they were back at Wembley in the European Cup Winners' Cup final, defeating TSV Munich 1860 2-0. In 1966 the Hammers lost in the League Cup final but the club will always be remembered for providing three key members of England's victorious World Cup winning side, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore.

It would be eight years before West Ham won more silverware, winning the FA Cup by beating Fulham (now captained by Bobby Moore) in 1975. A year later they reached the European Cup Winners' Cup final for the second time but lost to Anderlecht. The club unveiled their new yoked strip, designed by Admiral, in this match.

In 1978 West Ham were relegated and while in Division Two they won the FA Cup for the third time, beating hot favourites Arsenal in the final. A year later they were back in Division One having won the Second Division title. In 1986 they achieved their highest ever League placing, third in the First Division behind Liverpool and Everton. Between 1989 and 1993 West Ham were relegated twice and promoted twice, finally enjoying a settled period in the Premier league that lasted until 2003 when once again they were relegated.

West Ham United is a club of strong traditions. The claret and blue shirts may have been re-interpreted over the last 20 years but the classic 1960s design worn by Moore, Peters and Hurst remains the standard by which they are judged. More significantly, the club has always placed a premium on playing open, attacking football regardless of whether they are fighting relegation or winning silverware.

Sources