West Ham Cup Kings Of Europe
1965 European Cup-Winners' Cup run
Having been crowned FA Cup winners for the first time in 1964, West Ham were bidding to add the European Cup-Winners' Cup to their burgeoning trophy cabinet.
Ron Greenwood's West Ham overcame some of Europe's finest to set up a final with TSV 1860 München at Wembley, the scene of their FA Cup triumph a year previously. In one of the most entertaining finals in the competition's history, Alan Sealey's two second-half goals secured a famous victory for the Hammers.
Results
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Round, 1st Leg | A.A. Gent (a) | 0-1 |
| 1st Round, 2nd Leg | A.A.Gent (h) | 1-1 |
| 2nd Round, 1st Leg | Sparta Prague (h) | 2-0 |
| 2nd Round, 2nd Leg | Sparta Prague (a) | 2-1 |
| Quarter-Final, 1st Leg | Lausanne (a) | 1-2 |
| Quarter-Final, 2nd Leg | Lausanne (h) | 4-3 |
| Semi-Final, 1st Leg | Real Zaragoza (h) | 2-1 |
| Semi-Final, 2nd Leg | Real Zaragoza (a) | 1-1 |
| Final | TSV 1860 München (Wembley) | 2-0 |
Key Games
West Ham 4-3 Lausanne (European Cup-Winners' Cup quarter-final 2nd leg, March 23, 1965)
Having won the away fixture 2-1, West Ham were confident of victory in the home leg to secure a place in the semi-finals. But the Upton Park crowd were shocked into silence after 37 minutes when a goal from Lausanne brought the tie level. Hammers fans feared European heartbreak – until a fortunate own goal put them back ahead and settled the nerves. Two goals from Brian Dear and one from Martin Peters helped West Ham to a 4-3 win on the night and a place in the last four.
Real Zaragoza 1-1 West Ham (European Cup-Winners' Cup semi-final 2nd leg, April 28, 1965)
After winning the first leg 2-1 and needing just a draw to reach the final, manager Ron Greenwood chose to deploy defensive tactics in a bid to stifle Zaragoza's fearsome attack. The move almost backfired midway through the first half, as West Ham's defence was breached and Zaragoza made the aggregate scoreline 2-2. But with the majestic Bobby Moore at the back, West Ham managed to stop their Spanish counterparts from adding another and John Sissons broke away to grab the crucial goal that sent the Hammers through.
West Ham 2-0 TSV 1860 München (European Cup-Winners' Cup final, May 19, 1965)
Roared on by a crowd of 100,000 at Wembley, West Ham produced a masterful display of attacking football against top-class continental opponents. Both sides carved out numerous opportunities, but Alan Sealey's two second-half goals were enough to seal an historic victory for West Ham. The winger latched on to Ronnie Boyce's pass in the 70th minute to grab the crucial opener and just two minutes later, he nipped in to score a second to win the cup for the Hammers.
Key Off-field Moments
Moore Makes Miraculous Recovery
In November 1964, Bobby Moore, then aged 24, discovered he had testicular cancer. He had a testicle removed, but fought and beat the illness. It kept him out of football for just three months and it was not until after his playing days were over that his trauma was revealed.
Hammers Handed BBC Honour
At the end of 1965, West Ham were awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Team Award in honour of their European Cup-Winners' Cup triumph.
Hero Has Honeymoon... At Last!
West Ham's Cup final hero Alan Sealey finally took his wife Janice on honeymoon in July 1965, a year after they had wed. But they weren't alone – Sealey took along company, in the form of his best pal Bobby Moore and his wife Tina.
Key Figures
Bobby Moore
After being diagnosed with cancer in November 1964, Moore kept his battle with the illness quiet – with the press reporting he was suffering from a groin injury. He made a remarkable return to the team in February 1965 and was outstanding throughout the Cup-Winners' Cup campaign. Moore displayed his customary composure on the ball in the final as he led West Ham to their second successive Wembley triumph.
Ron Greenwood
After guiding West Ham to the FA Cup in 1964, Greenwood led the club to European success just a year later. The two trophies were the first major honours in the club's history and ensured that Greenwood would be remembered as one of the greatest managers in West Ham's history.
Alan Sealey
Prior to the Cup-Winners' Cup final, Sealey had scored just three goals for West Ham that season. But the unsung winger struck twice in the space of two minutes to fire the club to European glory and put himself firmly in the spotlight.
What Happened Next
The following season saw West Ham again impress in the Cup-Winners' Cup, before being knocked out at the semi-final stage by Borussia Dortmund. They lost the League Cup final after leading in the first leg to West Brom and could only reach the 4th round of the FA Cup. Their league campaign was also disappointing, finishing 14th in First Division.
We want your help to grow the MirrorFootball.co.uk archive! Leave your comments about this piece of football history by clicking on the 'Your Memories' tab above. Tell us who or what you'd like to see covered in the MirrorFootball.co.uk archive by emailing archive@mirror.co.uk
(PDF2.5MB)
