kips 6:51 Fri Apr 15
Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I still have this one in my failing memory bank as one of the great evening mid-week European games. Frightening as it is, I suspect you would have to be well into your sixties to remember this one. But if you were there at the Boleyn on the night, like me, it was unforgettable.
Played on a pudding of a pitch after raining on and off for most of the afternoon and evening, West Ham were playing the second leg of the Semi-final Cup-winners cup against the very talented German outfit.
Despite playing well over there, where Graham Paddon, scored an unstoppable left footer, the Germans took a 2-1 lead in the tie. Just like this week, the Hammers seem to have it in them to produce something special when they are up against it in two-legged cup matches.
Bonds, Brooking and Co turned out that night to give a masterclass on playing in awful conditions. Brooking was unplayable that night in front of a packed house. The atmosphere was spine-tingling by the time we got the third goal to kill the tie off.
I stood in a packed out old West enclosure, watching Trevor put in a world class performance. All balance and poise, he drove the team forward producing pin-point passing all game and rounding it off with his second goal after a slalom of a run through their defence to round off a magnificent evening.
Mid-week cup matches in the East End are something special. Fingers crossed for a second such encounter 46 years on.
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
arsegrapes
1:37 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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Trevor Brooking walks on water tra la la la....
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boleynkid
1:12 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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LG
He was just about unplayable that night.
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Last Gasp
1:04 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I was there that night and on a pudding like pitch Sir Trev beat them single handed. When I was lucky to have a conversation with Trev I brought it up and he said it was one of his most memorable nights at the Boleyn.
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boleynkid
12:58 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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Apologies if already done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IoKZ6TLBXk
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Sarge
12:30 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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Thanks for the link syd
They should show that in full before the light show in 2 weeks
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The Mercernary
12:27 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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1975 - FA Cup winners
1976 - European finalists
1978 - relegated
Welcome to the West Ham Way!
Graham PADDON - up there as one of the best goals I’ve ever seen. RIP
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Briano
11:03 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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The away fans used to be in the upper east, south bank end ‘Eintracht..Eintracht’
I was in the North Bank
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Lertie Button
8:42 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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Jumping the gun I know, but part of me still believes we could have won the final that year - had chances when we were one up.
Still am convinced we will put it right this time
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Kiwi Hammer
8:04 Sat Apr 16
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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‘Eine null the Inglander’. We ast Hamm have scorer -says my Dad walkign past the door to our lounge with me trying to tune in an AM Live Germany broadcast on the 1st leg - no live commentary on UK Radio in those days. Finally got to see the Paddon goal later that evening with just the highlights roundup on BBC1’s Sportsnight with Coleman. Highlights confirmed that Frankfurt were a good outfit. Proved in the final minutes of the second leg as West Ham hung on. Went to this return leg and maybe lucky to get in the South Bank on a soaking night - but what a night the goals the players and counting down the minutes to the end. Great stuff.
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boleynkid
7:01 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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Remember both matches.
Uncomfortable, long journey by ferry/coach to Frankfurt but all worth it when Paddon scored with one of his specials from outside the area.
Home match is my favourite ever game at Upton Park. Fantastic atmosphere, great match ,Brooking unplayable that night on a muddy pitch and unforgettable rocket from Keith Robson.
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eastend joker
6:53 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I have a very old memory of as a 15 year old walking into a knocking shop in Frankfurt on the afternoon of the game ,very enlightening and struggling to find the supporters club coach after the game in that forest
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BruceLee
6:12 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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Yep was there in the North Bank, I remember us singing "you're gonna get what Adolf Hitler got" to the Frankfurt fans......ahh the days before political correctness
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cygnet
5:29 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I'd love to say I was at the game but I wasn't. In those days only the final was shown live on TV so I tuned into Radio 2 for the commentary.
The main memory I have was the enormous grown that momentarily went up around the stadium when Keith Robson over ran the ball when clean through (or should I say muddy through) A moment later a deafening roar went up as he smashed a left footer 30 yards into the top corner.
Also it goes without saying that West Ham couldn't just win 3-0. No no, they had to concede a late goal to leave everybody hanging on the edge of their seats.
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Mad Dog
4:14 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I have no memory of this as it was 3 weeks before I was born
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BubblesCyprus
3:41 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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Season ticket for the home game one of the best night's I can remember at U.P Also went to the away game on a Lacey's coach from the supporters Club . Absolute mayhem when Paddon scored in Frankfurt.
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SDKFZ 222
3:32 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I was at the home leg, standing on the South Bank behind the goal and level with the cross bar. I could see Robson’s shot going in from the moment it had left his foot.
I didn’t go to the away leg, but are there any on this page who went to the old Waldstadion? I actually went there two years later to watch Frankfurt play Borussia Monchengladbach, and fondly remembered when there that this was where Paddon had scored his ‘screamer.’
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northbankboy68
3:31 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I was there. It was an amazing team performance driven on by Brooking as you say. Looking forward to a repeat performance hopefully. COYI!
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Mike Oxsaw
3:15 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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This game set a very high bar for the experience of European football "under the lights".
For years and years I'd buried this - not because of what happened that night, but what has happened since then. Could it REALLY have been that good?
Then others started posting up similar memories and clips of the game started appearing on You Tube and the tide in my mind stared to turn; maybe it wasn't (all) claret & blue tinged fake memories. Maybe it did actually happen. Maybe I, too, as a youngster on a journey, was really part of that night.
If you get a chance (not that you really need to find an excuse), take time and watch the posted videos of the game. When they say fans can bring something to the match, and help lift the team, you'll be pushed to find a better example
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zico
12:55 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I've been reading John Lyall's book again and he describes all the European adventures. First class hotels and luxury and problem free travel it certainly wasn't back then. Was just a kid watching on a small TV set and can still see Brooking, Bonds and Co gliding round what was like a ploughed, flooded field and of course Keith Robson's rocket.
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arsegrapes
12:38 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I wonder what ever happened to that huge flag the Germans kept waving from the seats above the chicken run. Towards the end of the game they dangled it too far and the run got hold of it and with the tugging war the pole snapped.
I was in the NB behind the goal, when we left which took time as it was rammed, I remember as if yesterday if the same big German huge stomach was still waving huge flag standing all game in seats above chicken run, he was about 20 ft infront of us down green street heading towards the tube until he got jumped and the flag and pole were snapped and flung into the air huge cheers. Standard fayre back in the day.
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GreenStreetPlayer
11:28 Fri Apr 15
Re: Memories of West Ham v Eintracht Frankfurt April 1976
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I was 13 and queued up in the afternoon in the rain with family members for the chicken run.
Perhaps the best night ever at Upton Park, for those that have never seen the game go on youtube. It was so close and the Germans went close at the end to make it 3-2 which would have put us out.
I wonder what ever happened to that huge flag the Germans kept waving from the seats above the chicken run. Towards the end of the game they dangled it too far and the run got hold of it and with the tugging war the pole snapped.
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