Concluding our season-long series celebrating West Ham United's 1975 FA Cup triumph, we catch-up with SIR TREVOR BROOKING, who lifted the trophy for the first time 50 years ago...
It is 2 May 2025 – we are just one day shy of the 50th anniversary of our famous FA Cup final victory over Fulham.
In tandem with the Club’s official charity – West Ham United Foundation – the Any Old Irons Over-65s group are about to spend a fabulous Friday afternoon celebrating their tenth birthday in the company of Sir Trevor Brooking and a host of ex-Hammers stars.
Fittingly, the venue is Barking’s Loxford Social Club, just a Mervyn Day drop-kick from where the ever-popular, record-breaking five-time Hammer of the Year was born and raised.
Secretly holed up in the members’ snooker room, ahead of his surprise appearance, Sir Trevor does not baulk when it comes to identifying the reasons behind the first of his two FA Cup triumphs.
“The big thing about 1974/75 was the transition both on and off the field,” he observes without hesitation. “With Ron Greenwood moving ‘upstairs’ at Upton Park, John Lyall took charge of the first-team and quickly brought in three relatively unknown players, who each had their own individual styles.
“Coming from Watford, Billy Jennings may only have stood 5’9 but he was a very good header of the ball, while Keith Robson – or ‘Mad Robbo’ as we called him – had a great left foot. Signed from Newcastle United, Robbo could also kick opponents when needed and, yes, he could have his odd mad moment, too!
“Then, of course, there was Alan Taylor, who arrived from Rochdale and got himself on a magical run, scoring twice in each of the quarter-final, semi-final and final itself. ‘Sparrow’ had so much pace that he surprised every defender who came up against him.”