2006–07 West Ham United F.C. season

Season summary

West Ham started the 2006–07 campaign brightly, but slipped down the table due to off-field distractions. They were knocked out from UEFA Cup by the Italian Serie A side Palermo (4–0 on aggregate) and saw themselves dragged into the relegation zone.

Eventually an Icelandic consortium led by Eggert Magnússon bought the club on 26 November 2006. Following a poor run of form that left the club in 17th position, despite the signing of big name players Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez, the new owners sacked Alan Pardew, replacing him with former West Ham player Alan Curbishley who had recently ended a 15-year spell in charge of Charlton Athletic. West Ham won Curbishley's first game 1–0 at home against Manchester United, but went on to draw at fellow relegation strugglers Fulham, were crushed 6–0 at newly promoted Reading and were knocked out of the FA Cup by the bottom Premiership team, Watford. An end-to-end thriller at home to Tottenham Hotspur ended with West Ham losing 4–3 having been 3–2 in front with minutes to play, but the bright performance signified a change in form.

At the same time the signings of Mascherano and Tevez were being investigated by the Premier League, who were concerned that details regarding the transfers had been omitted from official records and whether the influence of MSI, led by Kia Joorabchian, breached Premier League rules regarding third party ownership of players. The media touted the idea that Tevez's contract could be terminated, possibly resulting in a deduction of points for playing an ineligible player. On 27 April 2007, West Ham pleaded guilty and were handed a record £5.5 million fine by the Premier League, but avoided a points deduction. Liverpool's signing of Mascherano was investigated and he was cleared to play after a two-week delay.

Following the verdict, Wigan Athletic's chairman Dave Whelan threatened legal action, supported by other relegation-threatened sides including Fulham and Sheffield United, saying "This is a very serious offence West Ham committed...They broke the law, told blatant lies and should have got a 10-point penalty. If we can sue West Ham or the Premier League, I am sure that will happen." Wigan's manager Paul Jewell suggested League officials had intimated they wished to see them relegated.

In a period that came to be known by the club's fans as "The Great Escape", West Ham avoided relegation by winning seven of their last nine games, including a 1–0 win over Arsenal, and on the last day of the season, defeating the Premiership champions Manchester United 1–0 (becoming the first team in the Premier League era to complete league doubles over Arsenal and Manchester United in the same season) to finish outside the relegation zone in 15th. Sheffield United, who were relegated, later sued West Ham for up to £30m, and an FA arbitration panel found in their favour. The two clubs settled out of court for an undisclosed sum in 2009.

Final league table

Main article: 2006–07 FA Premier League

Squad

http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/2006-2007/faprem/westham.htm

Left club during season

Results

Premier League

Cole Crouch Martins Cole Mullins Vaughan Spector Diouf Anelka Hunt Ferdinand Doyle Lita Benayoun McBride Christanval Solano Harewood Crouch Thomas Bent Tevez Zamora Tainio Berbatov Stalteri Zamora Tevez Jagielka Stead Kalou Drogba Benayoun Harewood Noble

League Cup

Main article: 2006–07 Football League Cup

Folan

FA Cup

Main article: 2006–07 FA Cup

Cole Mullins

UEFA Cup

Main article: 2006–07 UEFA Cup

Di Michele

Statistics

Overview

Goalscorers

League position by matchday

Appearances and goals

|- ! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers |- ! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders |- ! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders |- ! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards |}

Transfers

In

Out

References

References

1. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/6165272.stm ''"West Ham accept £85m takeover bid"''], BBC news report, 21 November 2006. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
2. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/6169349.stm ''"Pardew sacked as West Ham manager"''], BBC news report, 11 December 2006. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
3. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/6171205.stm ''"Curbishley named West Ham manager"''], BBC news report, 13 December 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2007.
4. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/6594613.stm West Ham handed record £5.5m fine]
5. [https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/may/03/newsstory.sport1 Whelan on Warpath]
6. . (13 May 2018). ["Where are they now? The Great Escape '07"](https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2017/may/13-may/where-are-they-now-great-escape-07). *West Ham United*.
7. Whetstone, Sean. (13 May 2017). "Ten year anniversary of the great escape".
8. Daly, Jim. (12 May 2015). "The Man United and Arsenal double-double: Swansea have done it, but which two other teams did it first?". The Mirror.
9. (23 September 2008). "Sheffield Utd win ruling against West Ham over Tevez". The Independent.
10. (13 March 2009). "West Ham and Sheffield United reach out-of-court settlement over Carlos Tevez affair". The Telegraph.
11. Quashie was born in [[London Borough of Southwark. Southwark]], [[London]], [[England]], and has represented [[England]] at [[England national under-21 football team. U-21]] and [[England B national football team. B-level]], but also qualified to represent [[Scotland]] internationally through his grandfather and made his international debut for [[Scotland national football team. Scotland]] in May 2004.
12. Mears was born in [[Chadderton]], [[England]], but would represent [[Jamaica national football team. Jamaica]] in an international friendly game in 2009 despite not being eligible to do so.
13. (8 June 2006). "West Ham sign midfielder Bowyer". BBC News.
14. (15 June 2006). "West Ham sign Man Utd's Spector". BBC News.
15. (5 July 2006). "Hammers sign Chelsea striker Cole". BBC News.
16. (6 July 2006). "Mears completes West Ham switch". BBC News.
17. (1 August 2006). "West Ham sign Ghana's Paintsil". The Irish Times.
18. (8 August 2006). "West Ham sign McCartney from Sunderland". The Irish Times.
19. (16 August 2006). "Hammer Green eyes England recall". BBC News.
20. (31 August 2006). "West Ham sign Tevez & Mascherano". BBC News.
21. (31 August 2006). "Transfer latest: Tevez and Mascherano join West Ham". The Daily Telegraph.
22. (18 November 2006). "Hammers land Kiraly". Sky Sports.
23. (5 January 2007). "Curbishley splashes the cash with Boa Morte signing". The Independent.
24. (9 January 2007). "Quashie joins West Ham in £1.75m deal". The Telegraph.
25. (18 January 2007). "Hammers agree Davenport deal". The Guardian.
26. (22 January 2007). "West Ham in double swoop for Neill and Kepa Blanco". The Guardian.
27. (22 January 2007). "West Ham in double swoop for Neill and Kepa Blanco". The Guardian.
28. (1 February 2007). "West Ham finally get Upson for record fee". The Independent.
29. (14 June 2006). "Katan leaves Hammers in loan deal". BBC News.
30. (16 June 2006). "Coventry recruit West Ham's Ward". BBC News.
31. (22 January 2010). "FC Dallas signs World Cup goalkeeper Shaka Hislop". MLS Soccer.
32. (29 July 2006). "Palace sign West Ham's Fletcher". BBC News.
33. (8 August 2006). "West Ham sign McCartney from Sunderland". The Irish Times.
34. (18 August 2006). "Noble and Walton sign for Ipswich". BBC News.
35. (31 January 2007). "Liverpool cleared to sign Mascherano". The Guardian.
36. (1 February 2007). "Derby sign defender Mears on loan". BBC News.
37. (10 March 2007). "Leicester sign midfielder Newton". BBC News.