The date is 24th February 1997. West Ham United were facing London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur on a very wet and windy night match at Upton Park. West Ham had new signings John Hartson and Paul Kitson making their home debuts, but it was a player who was already a West Ham legend who stole the headlines.
Julian Dicks will always have the status of legend because of his all action displays in the claret and blue, his leadership, his loyalty and his passion for the club. Its his performance that I have chosen for this article.
‘Dicksy’ was club captain. He had a reputation as a tough tackling, hard defender, who had an absolute peach of a left foot and this game against Spurs showcased his left peg to the maximum. I always remember Dicks hated the shirt that season too, and it was common to see the collar torn off the shirt!
Teddy Sheringham gave Spurs an early lead, only for Dicks to equalise with an absolutely thumping header from a Michael Hughes corner. Dicks’ influence then galvanised the Hammers and they took the lead when another corner got held up in the wind. Paul Kitson managed to nod us in front. Darren Anderton then equalised with a lucky lob, which bounced into the top corner.
Dicks then claimed an assist with a curling free kick, which found Hartson at the far post, and he got in front of a young Sol Campbell to head West Ham into a 3-2 lead at half time. After the break, David Howells equalised again for Spurs, placing a shot past Miklosko, but Howells was soon to turn villain as he brought Hartson down for a penalty.
The scene was set for man of the match, and Hammers legend, Dicks, to step up and smash one of his trademark penalties past a helpless Ian Walker.
I will never forget that game. Dicks was amazing, and set his status as club legend forever…… We love you Dicksy!
COME ON YOU IRONS!
By Chelmo Hammer
Knew it would be against Spurs.. Like all Spam pikeys obsessed with THFC….
Typical tottscum trolling other clubs sites to attempt to put the boot in, bore off yidango, go and play on your own patch. Calling us pikeys, I had the displeasure of living peeing distance (I know cos I managed to get some on your hole of a ground) of Shite Hart Lane, the area around is nearly as picturesque as Upton Park.
Top club in East London (might not be saying much I know) but we are not living in the shadows of any other, unlike some other clubs (ahem) I could think of.
Bye Bye Yidango, give your mother a kiss from me!
Say’s a Tottenham fan on a West Ham website. Well done, you have made yourself look like the idiot that you are.
Newsnow cross over.. Heard of it?
If its a new snow crossover then of course you knew it would be about spurs. Fool.
Closely followed by Samassi Abou vs Barnsley 6-0
WEST HAM! The Manchester united of the championship….
What about Dave ‘Psycho’ Cross against Spuds at WHL in 82(?) when he smashed in a hatrick in the 4-0 drubbing of a woeful Spurs team…. Yes Yidango, of course we all hate Spurs, coz their fa s are……….(fill in as appropriate)
Mine was Geoff Hurst on 30th July 1966 at Wembley. 4 goals against West Germany.
How many?
My bad, he only got a hat trick.
Yidango chelmo was talking about a legend called Julian Dicks! You know, the sort of player that a team like spuddy spurs have to buy. While a team like WHUFC, create legends!! Nuff said 😉
I would just like to point out that I’m 29 years old, so anything before 1990 is not accounted for – as much as I would have enjoyed Crossy smashing a hattrick against Spurs!
1981/2 – 4-0 at Shite Hart Lane. 4-1 in 93, as well as the 2-0 FA Cup win at Old Trafford in 85.
But anything against the hook nosed mob who live in the shadows of that massive club Arsenal is always memorable.