1987–88 West Ham United F.C. season

Again John Lyall 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 and Leroy Rosenior, would play a major part in helping the club to just avoid relegation for the second season running.

Alan Dickens had to play most of the season as a striker as Frank McAvennie had signed for Celtic without a replacement being found until Rosenior's arrival.

West Ham eventually finished in 16th place in the First Division.

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 for a national record £2.2 million by the start of the following season, leaving manager John Lyall with a big gap to fill in the forward positions as he had lost his two highest goalscorers within a year of each other.^[1]

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		Tom McAlister	GK	39		2		2		1981	Bristol Rovers
2		Ray Stewart	RB	33	4	2				September 1979	Dundee United
3		George Parris	LB	27(3)	1			2		1985	Academy
4		Billy Bonds (Captain)	CB	22		2				1967	Charlton
5		Gary Strodder	CB	27(3)	1	2		2		March 1987	Lincoln
6		Liam Brady	LM	21(1)	2	2	1	2		March 1987	Ascoli
7		Mark Ward	RM	37	1	2		2		August 1985	Oldham Athletic
8		Alan Dickens	F	25(3)	3	1		0 (1)		1982	Academy
9		Paul Ince	CM	26(2)	3	0 (1)		2		1986	Academy
10		Tony Cottee	CF	40	13	2	2	2		September 1982	Academy
11		Stewart Robson (Hammer of the Year)	CM	37	2	2		2	1	January 1987	Arsenal
Important Players
6		Kevin Keen	M	19(4)	1			1	1	1986	Academy
6		Tony Gale	CB	17(1)		2				August 1983	Fulham
5		Alvin Martin	CB	15				2		July 1976	Academy
3		Tommy McQueen	LB	10(2)		1		1 (1)		March 1987	Aberdeen
5		Paul Hilton	CB	9 (5)	3	1 (1)		0 (1)		1984	Bury
9		Leroy Rosenior	CF	9	5					March 1988]]	Fulham
Other Players
8		Frank McAvennie	CF	8				1		June 1985	St Mirren
3		Julian Dicks	LB	8						March 1988	Birmingham City
2		Steve Potts	D	7 (1)		1		1		May 1984	Academy
12		Eamonn Dolan	CF	1 (3)						1986	Academy
1		Phil Parkes	GK	1						February 1979	Queens Park Rangers
6		Alan Devonshire	LM	1						October 1976	Southall
4		Neil Orr	CM	1						January 1982	Morton
12		Stuart Slater	M/F	0 (2)						1987	Academy

References