Irons Through The Ages - A Brief History of West Ham Utd

Through The Ages Podcast
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Irons Through the Ages is a ten-episode history of West Ham United, told from the very beginning.From a shipyard on the Thames in 1895 to Prague in 2023. Bobby Moore and the 1966 World Cup. Clyde Best. The 1980 FA Cup. Paolo Di Canio. The farewell to Upton Park. And Jarrod Bowen's ninetieth-minute winner that ended a fifty-eight-year wait for a European trophy.128 years. One club.  Come on you Irons.

Episodes

  1. Sep 2

    Episode 10: The Reckoning (2000–2010)

    Let us know what you think so far The decade opens with the first and most painful of the academy departures: Rio Ferdinand sold to Leeds United in November 2000 for £18 million — a world record for a defender, and the beginning of a dispersal that will define the era. Harry Redknapp, increasingly at odds with chairman Terence Brown over resources and direction, resigns in 2001. Frank Lampard follows him out of the door, sold to Chelsea for £11 million. Then Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson — one by one, the golden generation leaves, each carrying a transfer fee and heading somewhere that can offer what West Ham cannot: wages, trophies, ambition matched to quality. The episode delivers its full verdict on Terence Brown — fair but clear-eyed. His structural defence is given its due: West Ham was not rich enough to keep them. But sixty million pounds in transfer receipts did not translate into a competitive squad, the reinvestment was poor, the manager appointments were inconsistent, and the communication with a deeply frustrated supporter base was, at its worst, defensive and dismissive. The protests outside the Boleyn Ground said what the boardroom would not acknowledge. Glenn Roeder's difficult tenure — including a brain tumour mid-season — leads to relegation in 2003 and Di Canio's quiet, undeserved departure. Alan Pardew rebuilds and wins promotion via the play-offs in 2005. The 2006 FA Cup Final against Liverpool — West Ham leading 3–2 in injury time, denied by Gerrard's thirty-yard thunderbolt in the ninety-first minute, three penalties missed — is the episode's emotional centrepiece and the nearest the club comes to a major trophy in a generation. The managerial carousel that follows — Pardew, Curbishley, Zola, Grant — reflects an institutional instability that no individual manager could fully overcome. Mark Noble and Scott Parker provide human continuity through the turbulence. And in January 2010, David Gold and David Sullivan complete their purchase of the club, Terence Brown departs after eighteen years, and a new chapter — uncertain but at least different — can begin. Player of the Era: Paolo Di Canio. Fan's Eye View: the fifteen minutes before Gerrard's goal in Cardiff, and what it felt like to be that close. Research Sources Wikipedia: Rio Ferdinand — sold Leeds United November 2000 for £18m (world record defender fee); Leeds sold Manchester United July 2002 for £29.1m; 81 England caps; 6 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League. Ferdinand made 127 West Ham appearances. Wikipedia: Frank Lampard Jr — sold Chelsea June 2001 £11m; 177 Premier League goals for Chelsea (record); 106 England caps; 3 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League. 147 West Ham appearances. Wikipedia: Joe Cole — sold Chelsea July 2003 £6.6m; 56 England caps; 3 Premier League titles. 127 West Ham appearances. Wikipedia: Michael Carrick — sold Tottenham August 2004 £2.75m; sold Manchester United June 2006 £18.6m; 34 England caps; 5 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League. 96 West Ham appearances. Wikipedia: Jermain Defoe — sold Tottenham February 2004 £7m; returned West Ham summer 2004; sold Tottenham again January 2008 £15m; 57 England caps, 33 international goals. Wikipedia: Glen Johnson — sold Chelsea July 2003 £6m (part of Cole deal, or separate per some sources); 60 England caps; 3 Premier League titles with Chelsea. Wikipedia: Harry Redknapp — resigned West Ham May 2001 to join Southampton. Did NOT return to West Ham. Subsequent: Portsmouth, Southampton again, Portsmouth again, Tottenham, QPR, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Jordan national team. Wikipedia: Glenn Roeder — appointed West Ham manager June 2001; first season 7th Premier League; second season relegated (18th, 2002–03); suffered brain tumour during season (operated on April 2003); Trevor Brooking served as caretaker final weeks; Roeder left with dignity following relegation. Note: Roeder was a genuinely decent man placed in very difficult circumstances and should be treated with appropriate care and fairness. Wikipedia: Paolo Di Canio — Wimbledon volley 26 March 2000 (BBC Goal of Season; Premier League Goal of Decade 2009, Sky Sports viewers poll); Everton sportsmanship December 2000 (Paul Gerrard injured; FIFA Fair Play Award 2001); released West Ham summer 2003; signed Charlton Athletic; 141 appearances, 51 goals for West Ham; greatest Boleyn Ground goal named in May 2016 closing ceremony. Wikipedia: Alan Pardew — appointed West Ham manager October 2003; promoted via play-offs May 2005 (beat Preston North End in final at Millennium Stadium Cardiff); 2005–06 season: West Ham finish 9th Premier League; reached FA Cup Final; sacked December 2006 after poor start to 2006–07 season. Wikipedia: 2006 FA Cup Final — 13 May 2006, Millennium Stadium Cardiff; West Ham v Liverpool; Carragher OG 21’, Ashton 28’; Cissé 32’ (Liverpool); Gerrard 54’ (volley equaliser); Konchesky cross 64’ (West Ham 3–2); Gerrard 91’ (30-yard drive, equaliser); Liverpool won 3–1 on penalties (West Ham missed: Zamora, Konchesky, Anton Ferdinand). BBC Sport poll 2015: Gerrard’s goal voted best FA Cup Final goal past 50 years. Pardew quote: “I thought they were a spent force.” Grant (assistant) quote on Gerrard verified in various sources. Wikipedia: Alan Curbishley — appointed West Ham December 2006; resigned September 2008 in dispute over player transfers (sold Luis Bóa Morte and George McCartney without his knowledge); Charlton manager 15 years before West Ham. Wikipedia: Gianfranco Zola — appointed West Ham manager September 2008; finished 9th (2008–09) then 17th (2009–10); dismissed June 2010. Had no previous senior management experience before West Ham. Wikipedia: Avram Grant — appointed West Ham manager June 2010; relegated May 2011 (19th, 33 points); took Chelsea to Champions League final 2008 before West Ham appointment. Wikipedia: Mark Noble — born Canning Town 8 May 1987; joined West Ham aged 11; first-team debut 2004; remained at West Ham until retirement 2022; 18 years, 550+ appearances; Hammer of the Year multiple times; one-club man. Wikipedia: Scott Parker — signed West Ham 2007; Hammer of the Year 2008, 2009, 2011; Football Writers’ Player of the Year 2011 (while West Ham were relegated — first time a player at a relegated club won the award); sold Tottenham August 2011. Wikipedia: David Gold and David Sullivan — completed purchase of West Ham January 2010 for approximately £110m; Sullivan had previously been chairman of Birmingham City; Gold had commercial backgrounds including Ann Summers. Karren Brady joined as vice-chairman. Terence Brown received proceeds from sale. All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  2. Sep 2

    Episode 9 : Revolution and Promise (1990 to 2000)

    Let us know what you think so far The decade begins in the wreckage of John Lyall's dismissal — with Lou Macari's brief and ill-fitting tenure, and Billy Bonds taking over and steadying the ship. Bonds wins promotion back to the top flight in 1993, only to be replaced by Harry Redknapp in a manner he found deeply hurtful — one of the more uncomfortable episodes in the club's modern history. The Premier League arrives and transforms English football's financial landscape almost overnight. Terence Brown becomes chairman at precisely this moment, a position he will hold for eighteen years. Redknapp builds entertaining sides through the mid to late 1990s, but the real story is what Tony Carr's academy is producing at Chadwell Heath: Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe — collectively one of the greatest cohorts of young English talent ever assembled at a single club. Each player is given their individual due, and the episode asks, for the first time, whether the club has the ambition and the financial structure to hold onto what it has built. The answer begins to arrive in January 1999, when Harry Redknapp signs Paolo Di Canio — fresh from an eleven-match ban for pushing a referee — and the Boleyn Ground becomes one of the most unpredictable and exciting places in English football. The Wimbledon volley of March 2000 and the Everton sportsmanship of December 2000 define him: the dancer and the gentleman, the combustible and the humane. Player of the Era: Rio Ferdinand. Fan's Eye View: the promotion night against Cambridge United in May 1993, and what it meant to see Billy Bonds get what he deserved. The episode ends on the threshold of the new century — with the academy generation still at the club, still developing, and the question of what happens to them next hanging in the air. Research Sources Wikipedia: Lou Macari — appointed West Ham manager July 1989; resigned February 1990; betting irregularity related to Swindon Town, where he had been manager before West Ham; investigation by FA and Department of Trade and Industry; resigned before outcome determined; managed 28 West Ham matches. Wikipedia: Billy Bonds — born 17 September 1946, Woolwich; signed by West Ham 1967; 663 appearances (club record); won FA Cup 1975 and 1980; appointed caretaker manager February 1990, permanent shortly after; won promotion to First Division 1991 (play-offs); relegated 1991–92; promoted back 1992–93; replaced by Harry Redknapp summer 1994. Bonds has stated in interviews the manner of his departure caused him lasting hurt and that he felt it was handled poorly by the club. Wikipedia: Premier League — founded February 1992, first season 1992–93; BSkyB paid £214 million for five-year rights deal; transformed English football financially within first five years. Wikipedia: Terence Brown — chairman West Ham United 1992–2010; oversaw Premier League era, academy golden generation, and all major player sales of the period. Relationship with supporters significantly hostile from approximately 2000 onwards. Wikipedia: Harry Redknapp — born Poplar 9 March 1947; played West Ham 1965–1972; appointed manager summer 1994; West Ham finishes: 14th (94–95), 10th (95–96), 8th (96–97), 8th (97–98), 8th (98–99), resigned to join Southampton 2001. Note: Redknapp did NOT have a second spell as West Ham manager. After West Ham: Portsmouth, Southampton (again), Portsmouth (again), Tottenham, QPR, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Jordan national team. Wikipedia: Tony Carr — West Ham youth development 1973–2010; players developed include Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard Jr, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson, Michael Hughes, Lee Chapman (various sources). ITV Football, September 2004: “The biggest single contributor to the current England national squad is not Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea, but the West Ham Youth Academy.” Wikipedia: Rio Ferdinand — born 7 November 1978, Peckham; joined West Ham academy age 15; debut 5 May 1996 vs Sheffield Wednesday; 127 West Ham appearances; sold Leeds United November 2000 £18 million (world record defender fee); Leeds sold Manchester United July 2002 £29.1 million; 81 England caps; 6 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League with Man United. Wikipedia: Frank Lampard Jr — born 20 June 1978, Romford; father Frank Lampard Sr played West Ham 1967–1985; joined West Ham youth system; 147 appearances West Ham; sold Chelsea June 2001 £11 million; 177 Premier League goals for Chelsea (record); 106 England caps; 3 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League with Chelsea. Wikipedia: Joe Cole — born 8 November 1981, Paddington; joined West Ham academy age 13; 127 appearances; sold Chelsea July 2003 £6.6 million; 56 England caps; 3 Premier League titles with Chelsea. Wikipedia: Michael Carrick — born 28 July 1981, Wallsend; joined West Ham academy; 96 appearances; sold Tottenham August 2004 £2.75 million; sold Manchester United June 2006 £18.6 million; 34 England caps; 5 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League with Man United. Sir Alex Ferguson quoted extensively on Carrick’s importance to United. Wikipedia: Paolo Di Canio — born Rome 9 July 1968, Quarticciolo district; signed West Ham January 1999 after 11-match ban for pushing referee Paul Alcock (Sheffield Wednesday vs Arsenal, 26 September 1998); first West Ham goal vs Blackburn 27 February 1999; Wimbledon volley 26 March 2000 (BBC Goal of the Season; Premier League Goal of the Decade per Sky Sports viewers poll 2009, 30% of votes); Everton sportsmanship December 2000 (Paul Gerrard injured knee; Di Canio caught ball; FIFA Fair Play Award 2001); 141 appearances, 51 goals; released 2003; Ferguson attempted to sign him for Man United 2001–02 (Di Canio declined). West Ham official / various: Wimbledon volley — 9 minutes, Trevor Sinclair cross from right, Di Canio scissor-kick volley outside right foot, past Neil Sullivan; Freddie Kanoute debut same match, scored 59 mins; West Ham 2–1; named greatest Boleyn Ground goal in May 2016 closing ceremony. Di Canio quotes: “pretty much a perfect strike”; “the harmony that only a dancer can have”; “99 per cent difficulty”. Sullivan: “The dive was just a token dive… more fall over than a dive.” All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  3. Jul 27

    Episode 8 : The Lyall Years (1976–1989)

    Let us know what you think so far Fifteen years. Two FA Cups. Two relegations. A Second Division title. And one season — 1985-86 — in which West Ham finished third in the First Division, the highest league position in the club's history, with McAvennie and Cottee scoring 46 goals between them. John Lyall was the most successful manager in West Ham's history. This episode covers his reign in full, and ends with the collapse of 1989 and a dismissal that took 73 words in the club programme. Research Sources Wikipedia: John Lyall – born 24 February 1940 Ilford; died 18 April 2006 aged 66; joined West Ham groundstaff 1955; 36 first-team apps as player; knee injury retired him 1963; appointed manager April 1974 (formally August 1974 in some sources); managed 770 games; 34 years total service; sacked June 1989; 73 words in club programme; went on to manage Ipswich 1990-1994. Wikipedia: 1980 FA Cup Final – 10 May 1980; West Ham 1-0 Arsenal; Brooking header 13 minutes; Devonshire cross, Cross shot blocked, Pearson mis-hit, Brooking headed from 8 yards; Paul Allen youngest Wembley finalist (17 years, 256 days); Willie Young foul on Allen (booked); Phil Parkes (goalkeeper); 100,000 attendance; last lower-division side to win the FA Cup. Wikipedia: Frank McAvennie – born 22 November 1959 Glasgow; signed from St Mirren summer 1985 for £340,000; 26 league goals 1985-86 (only Gary Lineker scored more with 30); sold to Celtic 1987; returned March 1989 for £1.25 million; scored 0 goals in remaining 9 games; relegated May 1989. Wikipedia: Tony Cottee – West Ham debut January 1983 aged 17; 20 league goals 1985-86; sold Everton July 1988 for £2.05 million (British record). Wikipedia: Alan Devonshire – signed from non-league Southall 1976 for £5,000; 8 England caps; one of the great Academy-era bargains. Wikipedia: Phil Parkes – signed from QPR 1979 for £565,000 (world record fee for goalkeeper); Ray Stewart signed from Dundee United for £430,000 (British record for teenager). John Lyall Years article (thehexblog.com) – detail on player meeting led by Alvin Martin after first few McAvennie games; 18-game unbeaten run; fixture backlog detail (8 weeks, one league game between January and March 1986). West Ham United official site: John Lyall profile – 'most successful manager in club history'; 1981 Second Division title by 13 points; League Cup final 1981 (drew 1-1 with Liverpool, lost replay 2-1); Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals 1981 (lost to Dinamo Tbilisi who won the competition). Wikipedia: 1985-86 West Ham season – finished 3rd behind champions Liverpool and runners-up Everton; 4 points behind Liverpool; Heysel ban meant no European participation. Brian Clough quote on Brooking: "floats like a butterfly and stings like one" – confirmed by multiple West Ham sources; said before the 1980 final. West Ham official site: 1980 FA Cup stars reflect article (May 2020) – Lyall quote: "He headed the ball only once that season – thankfully it was on that day at Wembley." All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  4. Jul 13

    Episode 7 : After the Summit (1966 to 1976)

    Let us know what you think so far The decade after 1966 brings the gradual departure of Moore, Hurst, and Peters — and the arrival of Billy Bonds and Trevor Brooking. It also tells the story of Clyde Best, the teenager from Bermuda who became the most prominent Black player in English football in the early 1970s, facing systematic racist abuse and responding with a courage that changed the sport. The episode ends with the 1975 FA Cup win — and a painful European final defeat to Anderlecht in Brussels the following year. Research Sources Wikipedia: Clyde Best – born 24 February 1951; arrived West Ham 1968; debut 25 August 1969 vs Arsenal (1-1); first goal League Cup vs Halifax 3 September 1969; 221 appearances, 58 goals; left January 1976; OBE 2006; Bermuda Sports Hall of Fame 2004. West Ham United official site (whufc.com): Ade Coker and Clyde Best article – confirms 1 April 1972 three Black players (Best, Coker, Charles) vs Spurs; 2-0 win. West Ham United official site: Clyde Best Black History Month feature – debut details, first goals, Ron Greenwood as pioneer. BritBrief.co.uk: Clyde Best interview – acid letter detail; teammates forming two lines in tunnel; Everton monkey chants. Somegreengrassandaball.wordpress.com: Clyde Best – The Pioneer – details on racist abuse, National Front on terraces, professional slurs including reserve game against Norwich. WestHamZone.com: Clyde Best documentary preview article – confirms documentary 'Transforming the Beautiful Game' premiering London March 2026; quotes Best on playing for those coming after him. Wikipedia: Billy Bonds – born Woolwich 17 September 1946; died 30 November 2025; 663 league apps (club record); signed from Charlton 1967; captain after Moore 1974; five-time Hammer of the Year; MBE 1988; Billy Bonds Stand renamed 2019. Wikipedia: Trevor Brooking – born Barking 2 October 1948; 647 appearances, 102 goals; debut 1967; 47 England caps; 1975 and 1980 FA Cups; 1976 Cup Winners' Cup Final; Knighted 2004. Wikipedia: Martin Peters – sold to Spurs March 1970 for £200,000 (British record); Jimmy Greaves came other way. Wikipedia: Geoff Hurst – left for Stoke City 1972; 252 goals in 499 West Ham appearances. Wikipedia: Bobby Moore – left West Ham March 1974 for Fulham; played in 1975 FA Cup Final for Fulham vs West Ham. West Ham United official site (The Boys of '75 features) – Trevor Brooking and Pat Holland accounts of 1974-75 FA Cup run. Wikipedia: 1975 FA Cup Final – West Ham 2-0 Fulham; 3 May 1975; Alan Taylor scored both goals. Wikipedia: 1975-76 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup – route: Reipas Lahti, Ararat Yerevan, Den Haag, Eintracht Frankfurt (semi), Anderlecht (final). Final: 5 May 1976, Heysel Stadium Brussels. Anderlecht 4-2 West Ham. Trevor Brooking's account (whufc.com): confirms Eintracht Frankfurt second leg at Upton Park (14 April 1976, 39,202 crowd) was best atmosphere of his career; Brooking scored a header. All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  5. Apr 29

    Episode 6 : The Golden Generation (1958 to 1966)

    Let us know what you think so far The story of West Ham's greatest era. Ron Greenwood is appointed manager in 1961, Bobby Moore is made club captain at twenty-one, and within three years West Ham win the FA Cup. The following season they win a European trophy. And on 30 July 1966, three West Ham players — Moore, Hurst, and Peters — are central to England's World Cup Final victory over West Germany. This episode covers all of it, and asks what it means for a club to produce three men who changed the history of the sport. Research Sources Wikipedia: Bobby Moore – full biography; 544 appearances, 108 caps, FIFA Player of Tournament 1966, OBE 1967, death 24 February 1993 (aged 51), bowel cancer. Wikipedia: Ron Greenwood – born Burnley 1921; coaching career at Chelsea, Arsenal (assistant), England youth; appointed West Ham April 1961. Wikipedia: Geoff Hurst – born Ashton-under-Lyne 1941; joined West Ham 1959 as wing-half; converted to centre-forward by Greenwood; England debut May 1966; hat-trick in World Cup Final 30 July 1966. Wikipedia: Martin Peters – born Plaistow 1943; joined West Ham as schoolboy; debut 1962; described by Greenwood as "ten years ahead of his time". Wikipedia: 1964 FA Cup Final – West Ham 3-2 Preston North End; date 2 May 1964; Wembley, 100,000; Ronnie Boyce header in injury time. Wikipedia: 1965 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final – West Ham 2-0 TSV Munich 1860; Wembley 19 May 1965; Alan Sealey scored both goals. Wikipedia: 1966 FIFA World Cup Final – England 4-2 West Germany; 30 July 1966; Wembley; 96,924 attendance; Hurst hat-trick; Peters scored England's third. Moore wiped hands before receiving trophy from Queen Elizabeth II. Wikipedia: 1966 World Cup semi-final – England 2-1 Portugal; Peters scored (confirm exact scorer/goals). Wikipedia: 1965 Cup Winners' Cup campaign – West Ham beat Ghent, Sparta Prague, Lausanne, Real Zaragoza (semi), then Munich 1860 in final. Wikipedia: Ted Fenton – resigned March 1961; ill health. Bobby Moore biographies (Jeff Powell, 'Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero') – character portrait, composure under pressure, quietness as a leader, community connections. Key Dates August 1958 – West Ham begin first First Division season since 1932. 8 September 1958 – Bobby Moore's West Ham debut (aged 17) vs Manchester United. West Ham win 3-2. 1958-59 – West Ham finish 6th in First Division. November 1960 – Noel Cantwell sold to Manchester United. March 1961 – Ted Fenton resigns through ill health. April 1961 – Ron Greenwood appointed West Ham manager. 1962 – Bobby Moore appointed West Ham captain, aged 21. 1963-64 season – FA Cup run: beat Charlton, Leyton Orient, Swindon, Burnley, Manchester United (semi 3-1 at Hillsborough). 2 May 1964 – FA Cup Final: West Ham 3-2 Preston North End. Ronnie Boyce winning header in injury time. 1964-65 – Cup Winners' Cup campaign: beat Ghent, Sparta Prague, Lausanne, Real Zaragoza. 19 May 1965 – Cup Winners' Cup Final: West Ham 2-0 TSV Munich 1860. Alan Sealey 2 goals. May 1966 – Geoff Hurst receives first England call-up. 30 July 1966 – World Cup Final: England 4-2 West Germany (aet). Hurst hat-trick. Peters scored England's third. Moore captains England, named FIFA Player of Tournament. Moore wipes hands before receiving trophy from Queen. 24 February 1993 – Bobby Moore dies of bowel cancer, aged 51. All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  6. Apr 3

    Episode 4 : The Fall and the Rise (1930 - 1940)

    Let us know what you think so far The 1930s bring rupture and renewal. West Ham are relegated from the First Division in 1932 after conceding 107 goals, and the club's long-serving manager Syd King dies in tragic circumstances the following year. Under new manager Charlie Paynter, the club begins a slow rebuild — and finds an unlikely interlude in the form of a professional baseball team. The decade ends with the Second World War and West Ham's first ever trophy: the Football League War Cup, won at Wembley on 8 June 1940. Research Sources Wikipedia: Syd King — full biography, detail on board meetings, suspension, sacking, and death (14 February 1933). Confirms suicide method and inquest findings. Spartacus Educational: Charlie Paynter — biography and the Ruffell quote about King/Paynter division of responsibilities. Essential for the management transition section. Wikipedia: Charlie Paynter — confirms dates, lowest-ever finish (20th, 1932–33), length of service (to 1950). West Ham United official site (whufc.com/club/history/1930s) — confirms key dates, FA Cup semi-final defeat to Everton, Paynter's signings. Wikipedia: 1933 FA Cup Final — details of West Ham vs Everton semi-final at Molineux; Watson's equaliser; Woods' missed open goal; Everton's eventual victory and cup win. Spartacus Educational: Len Goulden — full biography, debut, goals record, England caps, Berlin 1938 context and Stanley Matthews quote about Goulden's goal. Wikipedia: Len Goulden — confirms 256 appearances, 55 goals, 14 caps, Jewish background, post-war career at Chelsea. Josh Chetwynd and Brian A. Belton, 'British Baseball and the West Ham Club' (McFarland, 2007) — definitive source on the Hammers baseball team. Available on Google Books and Amazon. Wikipedia: Roland Gladu — confirms .565 batting average, Boston Braves (21 games, 1944), death July 1994 aged 83. Baseball in Wartime (baseballinwartime.com): Roland Gladu biography — detail on 28 August 1936 win over US Olympic team (5–3), Gladu's two hits. BaseballGB review of Chetwynd/Belton book — context on league crowds (4,000–8,000), 1937 Challenge Cup Final at Hull (11,000). West Ham United official site: 1940 War Cup Final match report — Sam Small, George Foreman, kick-off 6:30pm, 42,300 crowd, Dunkirk survivors present. Wikipedia: 1940 Football League War Cup Final — confirms details, no reception held, players returned to service units. Trophy presented by First Lord of the Admiralty A.V. Alexander. Spartacus Educational: 1940 War Cup Final — players celebrated at the Boleyn pub on Green Street. Key Dates 1929–30 — West Ham finish 7th in First Division; Vic Watson scores 50 goals. 1930–31 — West Ham finish 18th in First Division (one above relegation). 1931–32 — West Ham finish 22nd (last) in First Division; 107 goals conceded; seven straight defeats at season's end. Relegated. 7 November 1932 — Syd King appears drunk at board meeting; insulted a director. Suspended without pay. 3 January 1933 — King's contract terminated permanently; given £3/week ex-gratia payment. 14 February 1933 — Syd King dies by suicide, aged 59. Inquest: 'unsound mind', persecution delusions. 1932–33 — Paynter's first full season: West Ham finish 20th in Division Two (lowest ever finish, one point above relegation). FA Cup semi-final: lost to Everton at Molineux (Vic Watson scored equaliser; Woods missed open goal from 6 yards). April 1933 — Len Goulden's debut (vs Charlton Athletic). First goal vs Nottingham Forest. 1934–35 — 3rd in Division Two. 1935–36 — 4th in Division Two; Goulden scores 15 goals. 1936–37 — 6th in Division Two; Goulden scores 15 goals, ever-present. 1936 — West Ham Hammers baseball team wins London Major Baseball League championship. 28 August 1936 — West Ham Hammers beat US Olympic baseball team 5–3. Gladu contributes two All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  7. Mar 31

    Episode 5 : The Long Road Back (1940 - 1958)

    Let us know what you think so far After the war, West Ham spend fifteen years in the Second Division — but these are not wasted years. In the cafés and training grounds of East London, a group of players and coaches are quietly developing football ideas that will transform the English game. Manager Ted Fenton, Malcolm Allison, Noel Cantwell, Dave Sexton, and Frank O'Farrell hold conversations at Cassettari's café that lay the intellectual foundations of what will become the West Ham Academy. The episode ends with promotion to the First Division in 1958 — and a seventeen-year-old's debut that changes everything. Research Sources John Powles, 'Iron in the Blood' - useful background on the Paynter transition and post-war seasons. Charles Korr, 'West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club' - excellent social history context for the post-war East End and the community relationship with the ground. Wikipedia: Malcolm Allison - biography confirming Cassettari's cafe, tuberculosis diagnosis (1957), coaching career. Wikipedia: Noel Cantwell - appearances (248), caps (36), Manchester United captaincy, management career, death 2005. Wikipedia: Ted Fenton - Forest Gate birth, West Ham career, Colchester management, appointment 1950, resignation March 1961. Wikipedia: Dave Sexton - confirms West Ham connection, subsequent management career at Chelsea/QPR/Man Utd. West Ham United official site (whufc.com) - post-war promotion details and 1957-58 season. Football League attendance records - 1948-49 peak attendance figures (41 million total). Wikipedia: Hungary v England (1953) - the 6-3 Wembley defeat and its significance. Bobby Moore biographies - confirmed debut date 8 September 1958; schoolboy forms signed 1956 aged 15. Key Dates 8 June 1940 - Football League War Cup Final won (West Ham 1-0 Blackburn). West Ham's first ever trophy. 1945-46 - Transitional League South competition; Football League proper resumes 1946-47. 1946-47 - West Ham finish 6th in Division Two. 1950 - Charlie Paynter retires after 53 years at the club; Ted Fenton appointed manager. 1951 - Malcolm Allison signed from Charlton Athletic. 1951-56 - Cassettari's cafe culture develops; Fenton builds coaching structure. 25 November 1953 - Hungary 6-3 England at Wembley. Pivotal moment for English football thinking. 1955-56 - West Ham finish 4th in Division Two. 1956-57 - West Ham finish 3rd, missing promotion. 1957 - Malcolm Allison diagnosed with tuberculosis; loses a lung; playing career ends. 1957-58 - Promotion season: West Ham finish 2nd behind Blackburn Rovers; return to First Division after 26 years. 8 September 1958 - Bobby Moore's West Ham United debut. March 1961 - Ted Fenton resigns due to ill health. April 1961 - Ron Greenwood appointed manager. 1969 - Charlie Paynter dies, aged 89. All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  8. Mar 6

    Episode 3 : The White Horse Final (1919 - 1930)

    Let us know what you think so far West Ham enter the Football League for the first time in 1919 and, within four years, find themselves in an FA Cup Final at the brand new Wembley Stadium — the famous White Horse Final, played in front of an estimated 200,000 people. They lose to Bolton Wanderers, but two days later they win promotion to the First Division. This episode also covers the club's all-time record goalscorer Vic Watson and how 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' became the Upton Park anthem. Research Sources Wikipedia: 1923 FA Cup Final — comprehensive detail on the crowd situation, match timeline and aftermath. Wikipedia: George Scorey — biography of Billy's rider; the detail about his disinterest in football is from here. Spartacus Educational: Jimmy Ruffell — source of Ruffell's direct quotes about the Wembley final and the team's passing style. Excellent primary material. Spartacus Educational: Vic Watson — biography, goalscoring records, the £50 fee, and match details. West Ham United official site (whufc.com) — confirmation of promotion details, first Football League fixture, and season records. Wikipedia: 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' — full history of the song's adoption including the Billy Murray / Cornelius Beal / Charlie Paynter connection. West Ham United official site — 'The Story of Bubbles' (John Helliar, 2007) — nuanced discussion of disputed origins. Note: establishes that first documented use was 1940, not 1920s. Goal.com — 'How I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles became a West Ham anthem' — additional context on the Swansea alternative theory. Key Dates 30 August 1919 — First ever Football League match: West Ham 1-1 Lincoln City. Goal scored by James Moyes. February 1920 — Vic Watson signed from Wellingborough for £50. March 1920 — Jimmy Ruffell signed by Syd King. February 1922 — Syd Puddefoot sold to Falkirk for British record £5,000. 1922-23 season — FA Cup run: beat Southampton (three attempts), 5-0 vs Derby in semi. 28 April 1923 — FA Cup Final: Bolton Wanderers 2-0 West Ham United. Official attendance 126,047; actual est. 200,000+. First match at Wembley Stadium. 30 April 1923 — West Ham beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 (Watson, Moore). Two days after the final. 5 May 1923 — Final league match vs Notts County at Upton Park (26,000+): West Ham win 2-1. Promoted as runners-up to Notts County. Mid-1920s — 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' adopted as club anthem (first documented use 1940). 9 February 1929 — Vic Watson scores six goals in 8-2 win over Leeds United. 1929-30 season — Watson scores 50 goals in 44 games; First Division top scorer. December 1930 — Billy the horse dies. Inkwell made from hoof, now in Metropolitan Police museum. 1931-32 season — West Ham relegated from First Division after seven straight defeats at the season's end. Important Factual Notes IMPORTANT: Billy was grey, not white. This is confirmed by George Scorey's own account. The black-and-white photographs made him appear white. Be clear about this — it's a nice piece of corrective history that listeners will find interesting. IMPORTANT: The 'Bubbles' story is disputed. The first documented use of the song at Upton Park is 1940, not the 1920s. Be transparent about this uncertainty as you were with the kit story in Episode 2. Intellectual honesty builds trust with listeners. The second Bolton goal is disputed — West Ham claimed the ball struck the post and was kicked in by a Bolton supporter at the touchline. The referee allowed it. Worth including as it adds colour. George Kay (West Ham captain in 1923) later managed Liverpool to their first ever league title in 1947. A great connecting fact. Watson's 326 goals is still the club all-time record. This is a good moment to note it will never be beaten — the game has changed too much. All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  9. Feb 24

    Episode 2 : West Ham United is Born (1900 - 1919)

    Let us know what you think so far West Ham United FC is officially incorporated on 5 July 1900. This episode covers the early years of the new club: how they came to wear claret and blue, the move to the Boleyn Ground in Upton Park in 1904, and the long managerial reign of Syd King, who built the club from the ground up. It ends with the First World War and the West Ham Pals — the battalion of supporters and players who left Green Street for the Western Front, and did not all come back. Research Sources West Ham United Official History — whufc.com/club/history/club-history/1900s — excellent primary source on the early club years. Elliot Taylor, 'Up The Hammers!' — the definitive history of the West Ham Pals and the 13th Essex Regiment. Essential reading before recording the war section. John Spurling, 'Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham' — if available, excellent background on King's management years. Aston Villa official history / flashscore.com article on claret and blue origins — useful for the kit story context. West Ham United club archive — contemporary records on the Memorial Grounds and move to Upton Park. Daily Mirror, 2 September 1904 — original match report on the first game at Upton Park vs Millwall. westhampals.blogspot.com — Elliot Taylor's research blog on the Pals battalion, with individual stories. Key Dates 5 July 1900 — West Ham United FC officially incorporated. First match as West Ham United: 7-0 win over Gravesend in the Southern League. Summer 1899 — William Dove wins the sprint race; claret and blue shirts acquired. 1903 — Claret and blue permanently adopted as home colours. 1 September 1904 — First match at the Boleyn Ground (Upton Park): West Ham 3-0 Millwall, 10,000 crowd. 1904 — Iconic claret body / sky blue sleeves kit combination first worn. 1902 — Syd King appointed manager (age 29); serves until 1932. 1907 — West Ham win the Western League championship. 1912-13 — Best ever Southern League finish: third place. August 1914 — First World War begins; Football League suspended from 1915. December 1914 — Mayor of West Ham raises the 13th Essex Regiment (West Ham Pals). December 1915 — West Ham Pals land in France. Late 1917 — Last stand at Battle of Cambrai makes front pages. November 1918 — War ends; 250 of original 1,000 Pals killed. 1919 — West Ham United elected to the Football League Second Division. All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  10. Feb 24

    Episode 1 : Thames Ironworks - The Birth of the Hammers (1895–1900)

    Let us know what you think so far Episode 1: Thames Ironworks — The Birth of the Hammers (1895–1900) Before there was West Ham United, there was a shipyard. In June 1895, workers at Thames Ironworks — one of Britain's largest shipbuilders — formed a football club on the banks of the River Thames in East London. This episode tells the story of those origins: the industrial landscape of Victorian Canning Town, the visionary owner Arnold Hills, the foreman Dave Taylor who first organised the players, and the fierce early rivalry with Millwall that began almost immediately. Five years after the club's founding, Thames Ironworks FC was dissolved and reborn as West Ham United. This is where it all started. All book references across the series: John Powles — Iron in the Blood: Thames Ironworks FC, the Club That Became West Ham United (Soccerdata, 2005) — amazon.com/dp/1899468226 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Charles Korr — West Ham United: The Making of a Football Club (Gerald Duckworth & Co., 1986) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0715621262 — Out of print; second-hand copies available. Elliott Taylor — Up The Hammers!: The West Ham Battalion in the Great War 1914–1918 (2012; Third Edition 2015) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1479279463 John Spurling — Syd King: The Man Who Built West Ham — Referenced in Episode 2 for King's management years. Charles Booth — Life and Labour of the People of London (1889–1903) — Referenced in Episode 1. Searchable free via LSE Digital Library. John Lovell — Stevedores and Dockers — Referenced in Episode 1. Background on dock labour conditions in Victorian East London. Jonathan Schneer — Ben Tillett: Portrait of a Labour Leader — Referenced in Episode 1. Context on the 1889 Great Dock Strike. Jeff Powell — Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero (Queen Anne Press, 2002) — amazon.co.uk/dp/1861055110 Matt Dickinson — Bobby Moore: The Man in Full (2014) — amazon.co.uk/dp/0224091727 — Supplementary to Powell. Josh Chetwynd & ...

  • 10 Episodes

About

Irons Through the Ages is a ten-episode history of West Ham United, told from the very beginning.From a shipyard on the Thames in 1895 to Prague in 2023. Bobby Moore and the 1966 World Cup. Clyde Best. The 1980 FA Cup. Paolo Di Canio. The farewell to Upton Park. And Jarrod Bowen's ninetieth-minute winner that ended a fifty-eight-year wait for a European trophy.128 years. One club.  Come on you Irons.

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