My mother was living in Zambia at the time and she was back to see her three UK based children for a Christmas/New Year holiday. I remember that we had all gone shopping in London and somehow I managed to convince her that she should take us all to a West Ham game. Being 15 at the time, I''m sure I was probably very self-centred in my demands and probably ruthlessly manipulative in the influencing of the prospect in my favour. I remember the game was a very dull contest. Both sides were toying with relegation that season. Newcastle were particularly poor. I look at their team sheet now and don''t even register 4 of their 12 players from the day. The most notable name on their side was probably Alan Gowling who played as sub. Although Alan Kennedy was in the side and he went on to star for Liverpool. West Ham had many more household names: Frank Lampard, Billy Bonds, Tommy and Alan Taylor, Curbishley, Devonshire, Geoff Pike, David Cross, Pat Holland and Derek Hales who scored the only goal of the game.

Match no. 415. This win kept the Hammers just above the relegation zone.