One minute, I was the team that had beaten Norwich City on Boxing Day and the next thing I knew was that West Ham United’s Lou Macari was in talks to sign Ian Bishop and myself in exchange for Mark Ward as 1990 approached.
I didn’t really have too much time to think about it and had mixed emotions about leaving because, having worked hard and gone 6-5-4-3-2-1 through the divisions, it now meant that I was going to be back down in the second-tier after only playing 17 top-flight matches. As it happened, I need not have worried because coming to West Ham United proved to be a dream move for me…
Following in Dad's footsteps
My late Dad, Bill, had played for Nottingham Forest, alongside Hammers chief scout, Eddie Baily, who I’m told had kept me on his radar as I made my way up through the divisions.
Following my first West Ham United start at Leicester City on 30 December 1989, I made my home debut, two days later, hitting the woodwork twice in a 4-2 win over Barnsley. It felt quite emotional playing on the same Boleyn Ground pitch that Dad had first played upon for Forest in November 1946.
Already, I realised that I’d joined a good footballing team and got up and running very quickly scoring my first goal against Hull City and netting 10 times in 20 appearances, including a run of five-in-five during March. I enjoyed the ‘West Ham way’ with Alvin Martin, Tony Gale and Julian Dicks playing the ball straight into my feet, while Kevin Keen also put some great crosses into the box for me.
It was obvious that the supporters knew the game, too – educated people, they couldn’t be fooled. If you played rubbish, they’d let you know but if you put in a shift they’d show their appreciation, too.
Although Lou soon departed, Billy Bonds took over and always stood by me as his first-choice striker, perhaps because he also acknowledged my work-rate? We finished the 1989/90 campaign in seventh, missing out on the Play-Offs by just two points and, four months into my Hammers career, I now wanted to go one better…
Felled by Forest
The 1990/91 season began so well for me. I was really enjoying my football and had started every one of our opening 39 league and cup matches, scoring 16 goals.
Topping Division Two, we were also in the FA Cup quarter-finals but going into March 1991, I was seriously injured in a well-documented off-field incident, which really set me back.
I missed our next nine matches including an FA Cup sixth-round victory over Everton that secured a semi-final against Nottingham Forest. Four days before that Villa Park showdown, I’d made my comeback at Brighton & Hove Albion and was desperate to play Forest. They were my Dad’s old team, I was a massive Brian Clough fan plus I’d bought 30 tickets for family and good friends.