Again John Lyall

John Lyall

John Angus Lyall was an English footballer and manager of Scottish descent. His mother, Catherine, was from the Isle of Lewis, his father, James, was from Kirriemuir. He was born in Ilford, Essex.- Youth team career :...

 waited until three quarters of the season had passed before bringing any new signings to the club. Even so, the two players he did eventually bring in, Julian Dicks

Julian Dicks

Julian Andrew Dicks , is a retired football player and manager, last attached to Isthmian League Division One North club Grays Athletic.-Playing career:...

 and Leroy Rosenior

Leroy Rosenior

Leroy Rosenior is a professional football coach and pundit. He is a former professional footballer whose clubs included Fulham, Queens Park Rangers , Bristol City and West Ham United.As one of the few black football managers in England, Rosenior has spoken openly about the racism...

, would play a major part in helping the club to just avoid relegation for the second season running.

Alan Dickens

Alan Dickens

Alan Dickens is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He played the majority of his football at West Ham United and Chelsea....

 had to play most of the season as a striker as Frank McAvennie

Frank McAvennie

Francis "Frank" McAvennie is a former Scottish football striker best known as a player with West Ham United and Celtic, having had two spells with both of these clubs.-Early life:...

 had signed for Celtic

Celtic F.C.

Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...

 without a replacement being found until Rosenior's arrival.

West Ham

West Ham United F.C.

West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...

 eventually finished in 16th place in the First Division

Football League First Division

The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....

.

Midfielder Stewart Robson was voted club player of the year, though Tony Cottee was once again top goalscorer with 13 in the league and 15 in all competitions. However, Cottee would be sold to Everton

Everton F.C.

Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...

 for a national record £2.2million by the start of the following season, leaving manager John Lyall

John Lyall

John Angus Lyall was an English footballer and manager of Scottish descent. His mother, Catherine, was from the Isle of Lewis, his father, James, was from Kirriemuir. He was born in Ilford, Essex.- Youth team career :...

 with a big gap to fill in the forward positions as he had lost his two highest goalscorers within a year of each other. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=39186

Number		|Player	Position	Lge Apps	Lge Gls	FAC Apps	FAC Gls	LC Apps	LC Gls	Date Signed	Previous Club
West Ham United 1987-88 First XI
1	Kingdom of Scotland	Tom McAlister Tom McAlister Thomas Gerald "Tom" McAlister is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in The Football League. He is principally remembered for making over 150 league appearances for Rotherham United between 1975–1979, and as West Ham's second choice goalkeeper to Phil Parkes...	GK	39		2		2		1981	Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers F.C. Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
2	Kingdom of Scotland	Ray Stewart Ray Stewart (footballer) Raymond "Ray" Strean McDonald Stewart is a former Scottish international footballer of the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. During his career he played for Dundee United, West Ham United, St...	RB	33	4	2				September 1979	Dundee United Dundee United F.C. Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
3	Kingdom of England	George Parris George Parris George Michael R. Parris is an English former professional footballer.-Background:Parris was born in Barking, Greater London. He played district, county and national football for Redbridge, Greater London and England Under 15 as a schoolboy...	LB	27(3)	1			2		1985	Academy
4	Kingdom of England	Billy Bonds Billy Bonds William Arthur "Billy" Bonds MBE is a former professional footballer and manager, who is most often associated with West Ham United with whom he spent 27 years as player and manager...  (Captain)	CB	22		2				1967	Charlton Charlton Athletic F.C. Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
5	Kingdom of England	Gary Strodder Gary Strodder Gary Strodder was a centre half who played for West Ham United for four seasons, making 71 starts in total with a further eight appearances as substitute. His two goals were both scored against South Coast opposition, Portsmouth and Bournemouth. He joined in March 1987 from Lincoln City...	CB	27(3)	1	2		2		March 1987	Lincoln Lincoln City F.C. Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
6	Republic of Ireland	Liam Brady Liam Brady Liam Brady is a former Irish association football player, and former assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland national football team....	LM	21(1)	2	2	1	2		March 1987	Ascoli Ascoli Calcio 1898 Ascoli Calcio 1898 is an Italian football club based in Ascoli Piceno, Marche. The club was formed in 1898 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, having returned to it after two seasons spent in Serie A...
7	Kingdom of England	Mark Ward	RM	37	1	2		2		August 1985	Oldham Athletic Oldham Athletic A.F.C. Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
8	Kingdom of England	Alan Dickens Alan Dickens Alan Dickens is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He played the majority of his football at West Ham United and Chelsea....	F	25(3)	3	1		0 (1)		1982	Academy
9	Kingdom of England	Paul Ince Paul Ince Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...	CM	26(2)	3	0 (1)		2		1986	Academy
10	Kingdom of England	Tony Cottee Tony Cottee Anthony Richard "Tony" Cottee is a former football player who now works as a television football commentator...	CF	40	13	2	2	2		September 1982	Academy
11	Kingdom of England	Stewart Robson Stewart Robson Stewart Ian Robson is an English former football player. He now summarises for Arsenal TV and sometimes on TalkSPORT's evening Kick Off Show during the week...   (Hammer of the Year)	CM	37	2	2		2	1	January 1987	Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
Important Players
6	Kingdom of England	Kevin Keen Kevin Keen Kevin Keen is a football coach, manager and former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Wycombe Wanderers, West Ham United, Wolves, Stoke City and Macclesfield Town...	M	19(4)	1			1	1	1986	Academy
6	Kingdom of England	Tony Gale Tony Gale Anthony Peter "Tony" Gale is an English former footballer who is now a regular pundit on Soccer Saturday...	CB	17(1)		2				August 1983	Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
5	Kingdom of England	Alvin Martin Alvin Martin Alvin Edward Martin is a retired English footballer who played as a defender.Playing most of his footballing career for West Ham United he appeared in 598 games for scoring 34 goals...	CB	15				2		July 1976	Academy
3	Kingdom of Scotland	Tommy McQueen Tommy McQueen Tommy McQueen , is a former Scottish football defender. His primary position was full back.McQueen began his career with Clyde, making over 100 appearances in all competitions, before moving to Aberdeen in 1984, where he made 53 appearances, scored four goals and was part of the 1986 Scottish Cup...	LB	10(2)		1		1 (1)		March 1987	Aberdeen Aberdeen F.C. Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
5	Kingdom of England	Paul Hilton Paul Hilton (footballer) Paul Hilton is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender, making over 200 career appearances.-Career:...	CB	9 (5)	3	1 (1)		0 (1)		1984	Bury Bury F.C. Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
9	Kingdom of England	Leroy Rosenior Leroy Rosenior Leroy Rosenior is a professional football coach and pundit. He is a former professional footballer whose clubs included Fulham, Queens Park Rangers , Bristol City and West Ham United.As one of the few black football managers in England, Rosenior has spoken openly about the racism...	CF	9	5					March 1988	Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
Other Players
8	Kingdom of Scotland	Frank McAvennie Frank McAvennie Francis "Frank" McAvennie is a former Scottish football striker best known as a player with West Ham United and Celtic, having had two spells with both of these clubs.-Early life:...	CF	8				1		June 1985	St. Mirren
3	Kingdom of England	Julian Dicks Julian Dicks Julian Andrew Dicks , is a retired football player and manager, last attached to Isthmian League Division One North club Grays Athletic.-Playing career:...	LB	8						March 1988	Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
2	Kingdom of England	Steve Potts	D	7 (1)		1		1		May 1984	Academy
12	Republic of Ireland	Eamonn Dolan Eamonn Dolan Eamonn Dolan is an Irish-English ex-professional footballer, now working as a coach. Dolan played as a striker, beginning his career with West Ham, before moving on to Birmingham City and then Exeter City...	CF	1 (3)						1986	Academy
1	Kingdom of England	Phil Parkes	GK	1						February 1979	Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers F.C. Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
6	Kingdom of England	Alan Devonshire Alan Devonshire Alan Devonshire is a retired English footballer and manager of Conference National club Braintree Town. He was a wide midfielder who made his name in the late 1970s playing for West Ham United . He won eight caps for England between 1980 and 1983...	LM	1						October 1976	Southall
4	Kingdom of Scotland	Neil Orr Neil Orr Neil Orr is a Scottish formerprofessional Association footballer who played as a defender.Orr, who was capped for Scotland U-21's, played for Greenock Morton for seven years, racking up 196 appearances...	CM	1						January 1982	Morton Greenock Morton F.C. Greenock Morton Football Club are a Scottish professional football club, who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs....
12	Kingdom of England	Stuart Slater Stuart Slater Stuart Slater is a former professional footballer who played as a winger and forward for West Ham United, Celtic, Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Watford. He also represented England at under-21 and B level....	M/F	0 (2)						1987	Academy