West Ham United have a rich history as a football club. The Irons were founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks but renamed as West Ham United in 1900.
They have won the FA Cup three times and have finished as the runners-up in the European Cup Winners’ Cup. West Ham have also had several iconic players, such as Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Paolo Di Canio.
Here is everything you need to know about the history of this great football club.
Club name
Arnold Hills, the owner of the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, originally formed West Ham as Thames Ironworks FC. He saw it as a way to keep his workers fit during their spare time.
In 1900, the club was renamed as West Ham United after the district of West Ham in east London where the club was located.
The name change was also accompanied by a merger with another local team, Old Castle Swifts. From this, the club adopted the claret and blue colours that they still wear at London Stadium in the modern day.
West Ham badge
West Ham’s badge has evolved over the years. But their crest has always featured the crossed hammers, which are a symbol of the club’s industrial heritage.
The hammers represent the tools used by the workers in the iron and shipbuilding industries that were prevalent in the east London area where Hills founded the club.
In 2016, West Ham unveiled a new badge that featured a simplified version of the crossed hammers. It also featured the word ‘London’ to reflect the club’s status as one of the capital’s major football teams.
Kit history
West Ham’s kits have featured the club’s iconic colours of claret and blue since the early days of the club.
The earliest kits were fairly simple, featuring vertical stripes or solid colours. But over time the designs became more elaborate, incorporating elements such as crossed hammers and castle motifs.
League history
West Ham have a long history in the English football league system, having been a member of the top flight for much of their existence.
They were founding members of the Football League Second Division in 1892 and won promotion to the First Division in 1923.
Since then, they have spent much of their time in the top two tiers of English football, with occasional periods in the lower divisions.
In recent years, they’ve cemented themselves as a firm fixture of the Premier League. The Irons have finished in the top ten on several occasions and even established themselves as regular contenders for the European qualifying spots.
West Ham United trophies
The Hammers have won the FA Cup three times, in 1964, 1975, and 1980. In 1965, they won the European Cup Winners’ Cup, becoming the first English club to win a major European trophy.
They have also won the Intertoto Cup once back in 1999. In addition to these major trophies, they have won several minor cups and competitions throughout their history.
Players and managers
West Ham have had many great players and managers throughout their history.
One of their most iconic players is Bobby Moore, who captained England to World Cup glory in 1966 and played for West Ham for 16 years.
Other legendary players include Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final, and Trevor Brooking, who spent his entire career at the club and later became a successful manager.
The Hammers have also had many great managers, including Ron Greenwood, who led the club to their first major trophy in 1964. John Lyall also won two FA Cups while in charge of the club in the 1970s and 80s.
Harry Redknapp is another successful manager who had two spells in charge of the club and led them to a top-six finish in the Premier League in 1999.
In recent years, David Moyes twice served as the manager of West Ham. He also led them to top-half finishes in the Premier League and helped them reach the final of the 2021/22 Europa League. Moyes even led West Ham to the Europa Conference League title in 2022/23.
