Top FIVE Greatest West Ham Captains

Us Hammers have been blessed with many great players over the years, but it takes a special type of player to lead out the mighty Irons. Our writer Chris Henry gives his opinion on the greatest Hammers captains ever.

Well, before I divulge who I believe to be some of the greatest captains West Ham have ever had, I’d just like to mention the actually difficulty I had in finding an extensive list of Hammers captains in the team’s history for me to whittle down to a top five list. Funny really, the five captains I’ve listed are perhaps the only ones for me I feel are worthy of mentioning and faced no competition from any other previous Hammers captain, other ones I could think of included; Alvin Martin, Nigel Reo-Coker and Matthew Upson, I seriously struggled after that. Weird, anyway here is my top five greatest captains.

1. Bobby Moore

Well this one’s obvious isn’t it? Tell me a fan that wouldn’t include the great Bobby Moore in their list. The legacy of Bobby Moore is something that will forever remain enshrined in Hammers history and will live on in Hammers fans both old and new. Whether it be the sixty something fan who saw Bobby lift the cup in 1964 to the ten year old boy going to Upton Park for his first game and seeing Bobby’s statue outside the Boleyn pub; Bobby Moore will always be remembered as one of the greats to wear both the captain’s armband and the claret and blue. One of the first gentlemen of sport and a true example of the modern professional; the sporting world was taken aback when Bobby was cruelly taken away from us at such a young age back in 1993. Moore exuded class and sophistication both on and off the pitch and being just a lad from Barking; he was one of the few world class players and cultural icons that West Ham fans had the pleasure of seeing grace the Boleyn Ground turf. Of course, we mustn’t forget that day in 66, I’ll leave it there.

2. Julian Dicks

Julian Dicks, or otherwise known as the Terminator to Hammers fans. An interesting moniker for someone with such an effeminate name as Julian, it was Dicks’ gutsy and determined performances as a full back and tenaciousness as a player that earned him the right to be bestowed this name. Dicks’ appearance and physique as a player was quite ‘un-footballer like’; always looking a bit like he was carrying a bit of a podge and always sporting a skinhead haircut, Dicks looked more like he’d be getting a round in down at the Boleyn Pub rather than marking a tricky right sided winger on a Saturday afternoon. It was perhaps this working class image and takes no bullsh*t attitude that he manifested as a player that earned him a place in Hammers fans hearts. The season that Dicks really won the fans, has to be the 1996/97 season, with the Irons struggling and fighting relegation and lacking any type of natural goal scorer, it was Dicks who geed up his fellow team and led the charge to survival with him being one of the top scorers that season from the unlikely position of left-back. In my mind one of the greatest English penalty takers ever after Matt Le Tissier, and like Le Tissier, Dicks was constantly overlooked when it came to the England team. Dicks unfortunately had to hang up his boots at an early age, missing most of the 1997/98 season through injury; The Terminator finally called it a day in 1999 and moved interestingly into a career as a golf pro. From running a pub in Essex, to managing Conference team Gray Athletic, we certainly haven’t heard the last of him, I’m very sure that he’ll be back!

3. Billy Bonds

Another true legend to wear the armband for West Ham United, Billy Bonds was a force to be reckoned with on the pitch. A very physical player who was noted for his combative style, Bonds was also an extremely intelligent player who could pass and move and do so with extreme efficiency. Adaptable as a player, Bonds began his time at West Ham as a midfielder and then moved on to be a defender where he brought a great deal of style and attacking flair to the role. One thing that was always clear with Billy Bonds was his 100% commitment as a player; always running his socks off, his leadership and determination as captain resulted in eventual silverware for the Hammers with Bonds famously lifting the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980. After his playing career, Bonds famously moved into management at West Ham with relative success with the Hammers promoted, relegated and promoted again and soon making way for assistant manager Harry Redknapp to take over the reins in much controversy with the two publicly falling out over this. More controversially, Bonds found himself in management again at club rivals Millwall (it pains me typing that word), only to be sacked after just a year in the job.

4. Steve Lomas

Another player similar to the likes of Bonds or even Scott Parker, relentless in his play, 100% committed and plays with no fear, throwing himself into every tackle; Steve Lomas was the heartbeat of the great team that Harry Redknapp assembled in the mid to late nineties. One of my favourite teams to see as a West Ham fan, it was that midfield trio that ran the show and was always a footballing joy to behold as a spectator. Their strengths and specialities complimented each other and resulted in a well oiled and efficient midfield machine. The attacking prowess of Lampard, the creativity of Berkovic and the steel of Lomas was arguably the spine of that great Hammers team. Perhaps not the gifted of players, Lomas never gave up and was a midfield engine. Personal highlights for him were sticking away that penalty so calmly against Blackburn that sent them into the FA Cup Quarter Finals against Arsenal and being arguably one of the few players to turn up against that tame Play-off Final defeat against Crystal Palace.

5. Lucas Neill

An interesting inclusion I hear you say, however on evidence I believe it was Neill’s arrival at the Hammers that gave the team a much needed injection of stability on the pitch after the rollercoaster ride of the 2006/7 season that included the controversial Tevez/Mascherano affair. Much scepticism was laid on to Neill’s arrival at Upton Park; leaving the comfortable mid-table Blackburn Rovers and rejecting the advances of high flying Liverpool at a reported £25,000 a week for the more lucrative offerings that relegation threatened West Ham could provide. In spite of this, Lucas Neill was a welcome defensive addition to the team. Coming at a time when we were leaking goals all over the shop, it was his mature and assured style as a defender that injected a sense of calm in the back four and provided much needed organisation. In the legendary great escape run of games that led to the Hammers survival in 2007, we saw a number of players flourish; Rob Green and Mark Noble were two notable examples with Anton Ferdinand recapturing his form and putting behind him his bad boy reputation as a player. Much of this was owed to Neill and the professionalism he brought to the team with a number of younger players looking up to him and seeing him as a great role model as a footballer. His displays in 2007 resulted in him being awarded the captains armband the following season. Under him, West Ham achieved two top ten finishes and with his presence West Ham fans were treated to more disciplined and professional defensive displays. Since his departure, West Ham struggled to fill the void his maturity brought to the right back position with players the likes of Julien Faubert failing to cut the mustard.

And the one that never was (a special mention….)

Scott Parker – A shambles that this man was never given the captaincy on a full time basis, a true Irons legend.

Follow Chris on Twitter @blogginbubbles

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