The Boys of 86 are the West Ham United team of the 1985–86 season. The West Ham team from this season achieved their highest ever position in the

Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...

, third in the First Division. They were challenging for the title throughout the season which has been described as West Ham's greatest ever season. With one game remaining they were second in the league eventually finishing third behind champions, Liverpool and Everton. The season is often used as a comparison for more modern West Ham United teams.

Background

Phil Parkes Upton Park 11 September 2010

Managed by

John Lyall John Angus Lyall (24 February 1940 – 18 April 2006) was an English footballer and manager primarily known for his 34 years at West Ham United. He played for the club as a youth, then as a first-team player before injury cut short his career. ...

, West Ham had finished 16th in the previous season but additions of Frank McAvennie and Mark Ward combined with the partnership of McAvennie and Tony Cottee and the captaincy of Alvin Martin made West Ham genuine title challengers. The season had started badly with one win from the first seven games. By the autumn the club had gone on a record 18 games undefeated including nine successive victories and by Christmas of 1985 they were described by journalist Joe Melling of the ''

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'' as the "best team in the land". After three defeats in four games and a period when fixtures were badly affected by weather West Ham were 7th. However a 4-0 away win at Chelsea's

Stamford Bridge Stamford Bridge may refer to: * Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire, a village in England ** Battle of Stamford Bridge, 25 September 1066 * Stamford Bridge (bridge), a bridge in the village of Stamford Bridge * Stamford Bridge (stadium), in L ...

, an 8-1 win against

Newcastle United Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, that plays in the Premier League – the top flight of English football. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End ...

, in which Alvin Martin scored a hat-trick against three different goalkeepers, and a period when four games were played in one week, had West Ham four points behind Liverpool with a game in hand. The title was eventually won by Liverpool after

Kenny Dalglish Sir Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish (born 4 March 1951) is a Scottish former association football, football player and manager (association football), manager. During his career, he made 338 appearances for Celtic F.C., Celtic and 515 for Liverpoo ...

scored in a 1-0 victory over Chelsea in the last but one game of the season. In a final game of the season an exhausted West Ham team lost to Everton at Goodison Park to take third place. Team member Tony Gale, who would later go on to win a Premier League title with Blackburn Rovers, said of the season, "I will never forget those days as long as I live. That was a dream team....wonderful to play in and wonderful to watch". McAvennie scored 26 league goals in the season with Cottee contributing 20. Nine players appeared in 38 or more games and only 17 outfield players were used all season, the importance of a "settled side" being given for the team's good performance.

List of the Boys of 86

* Tony Cottee * Frank McAvennie * Tony Gale * Bobby Barnes *

Alan Dickens Alan William Dickens (born 3 September 1964) is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League as a midfielder. He played the majority of his football at West Ham United and Chelsea, and later played non-league foot ...

Neil Orr Neil Ian Orr (born 13 May 1959) is a Scottish former professional Association football, footballer, who played as a Defender (association football), defender. Orr, who was capped for Scotland national under-21 football team, Scotland under-21s a ...

* Mark Ward * Alvin Martin *

George Parris George Michael R. Parris (born 11 September 1964) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder or defender for West Ham United, Birmingham City, and Brighton & Hove Albion. Early life Parris was born in Barking, Esse ...

* Paul Goddard * Geoff Pike * Greg Campbell * Alan Devonshire * Phil Parkes *

Steve Walford Stephen Joseph Walford (born 5 January 1958) is an English former football player and manager. He played as a defender for clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Norwich City, West Ham United, and West Bromwich Albion. After his playing c ...

* Ray Stewart * Paul Hilton *

Steve Potts Steve Potts may refer to: *Steve Potts (jazz musician) (born 1943), American jazz saxophonist * Steve Potts (footballer) (born 1967), American-born English football coach and former professional footballer *Steve Potts (drummer) Booker T. & t ...

Charity work

Since 1986, members of the team have regrouped to raise funds for charities such as for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Book and DVD

In 2005 a book, ''Boys of '86: The Untold Story of West Ham United's Greatest-Ever Season'', by Tony McDonald and Danny Francis, was published. In 2011 a DVD was released telling the story of the season.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boys of 86, The West Ham United F.C. Nicknamed groups of association football players 1985–86 in English football