Syd King was born in Chatham in August, 1873. After being educated at Watford Grammar School he found work at an ordnance depot. A talented footballer, he played at right-back with Northfleet United in the Kent League. In 1897 he moved to New Brompton (Gillingham).

In 1899 Francis Payne, Thames Iron Works' secretary, was given the task of finding good players for the club's first season in the top division of the Southern League. According to one report, Arnold Hills, gave Payne £1,000 to find the best players available. Payne signed several players including King, who at the time was considered to be the most promising full backs in the country and Derby County, one of the best teams in England, challenged Thames Iron Works for his signature.

Over the next few years Syd King developed a good partnership with Charles Craig, a left-back from Dundee. Syd King suffered a bad ankle injury against Tottenham Hotspur on 10th March, 1899. This ruled him out for the rest of the season. King played 28 games the following season.

In the 1901-02 King was part of the highly successful West Ham United team that included players like Hugh Mounteith, Fergus Hunt, Freddie Fenton, George Radcliffe, James Reid, Albert Kaye, Billy Grassam, Charlie Dove, Roderick McEachrane, Fred Corbett, Walter Tranter and Charles Craig that finished 4th in Division 1 of the Southern League.

 

Syd King (top left) in the West Ham United team of 1901-02.

 

Syd King, who had received a very good grammar school education, was seen as more intelligent than most players and at the end of the 1901-02 season was appointed as club secretary/manager. He continued to play but injuries restricted his appearances and he retired from the game after playing against Kettering Town on 15th April, 1903. King had played a total of 89 games for the club.

West Ham United lost their prolific scorer, Billy Grassam, to Manchester United before the start of the 1903-1904 season. Dick Pudan, a local lad from Canning Town, who had played well at full-back the previous season, left for Bristol Rovers. He later went on to play for Newcastle United in the 1908 FA Cup Final.

Syd King brought in Charles Satterthwaite from New Brompton to replace Grassam. William Kirby, a right-winger who had a good scoring record, was signed from Swindon Town. Tommy Allison was brought in from Reading to bolster the defence. Herbert Lyon, a forward, also joined from Reading. Len Jarvis, a talented local boy, was also brought into the team.

Attendances at games, compared to their close rivals, remained disappointing. One reason for this was no nearby railway station. West Ham United began to verge on the edge of bankruptcy and by the end of the season the club only had had the money to pay the wages of one professional player, Tommy Allison, during the summer.

 

West Ham United in 1904-05: Back row (left to right): Herbert Bamlett, Aubrey Fair,
Matt Kingsley, David Gardner, Syd King (manager): Middle row: Tom Robinson (trainer),
Fred Brunton, Tommy Allison, Frank Piercy, John Russell, Len Jarvis, Fred Mercer,
Charlie Paynter (assistant trainer). Front row: William McCartney, Charlie Simmons,
Billy Bridgeman, Jack Fletcher, Christopher Carrick, Jack Flynn.

 

Arnold Hills was also having financial problems and was unwilling to re-negotiate a rental agreement to use the Memorial Grounds that was acceptable to West Ham United. The club was forced to find another sponsor. A local brewery agreed to advance them a loan to help them purchase a new ground.

Syd King was given the task to find West Ham a new home. It was suggested that he should take a look at Boleyn Castle field, just off Green Street, East Ham. The land was owned by the Catholic Ecclesiastical Authorities and used by the Boleyn Castle Roman Catholic Reformatory School.

A deal was arranged with the Catholic Ecclesiastical Authorities but the Home Office made it clear that they did not approve of the land being used by West Ham United. Syd King went to see Sir Ernest Gray, an influential Member of Parliament. As King later explained, "through his good offices, subject to certain conditions, we were finally allowed to take possession of Boleyn Castle".

The West Ham financial crisis meant that King was forced to sell Charles Satterthwaite and William Kirby. Satterthwaite, who scored 18 of West Ham's 38 goals, was transferred to Arsenal and Kirby returned to Swindon Town. West Ham also lost two of their most talented youngsters, James Bigden (Arsenal) and William Barnes (Luton). While Herbert Lyon, who scored two goals in his debut as centre-forward, was transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion. West Ham also lost their goalkeeper, Fred Griffiths to New Brompton. In two seasons with the club, Griffiths kept 13 clean sheets in 48 league appearances. Griffiths was replaced by another international goalkeeper, Matt Kingsley from Newcastle United.

Syd King also recruited Charlie Simmons (West Bromwich Albion), Frank Piercy (Middlesbrough) and Jack Fletcher (Reading). The most significant signing was David Gardner, a defender who had played at the top level for Newcastle United. A great favourite with West Ham fans, he was appointed captain of the side. King also introduced, Billy Bridgeman, a local teenager, into the side.

By the end of the season West Ham had climbed to 10th place in the league, scoring 48 goals in 34 games. Top scorer was Billy Bridgeman with 11 goals. Others who made a major contribution included Charlie Simmons (8), Jack Fletcher (7) and Christopher Carrick (6). West Ham also gave promising youngster, George Hilsdon, seven games, in which he scored 4 goals.

At the beginning of the 1905-06 season, Syd King recruited George Kitchen, a goalkeeper, from Everton. His most important signing was Fred Blackburn, who had such a good goal-scoring record at Blackburn Rovers that he had played for England against Scotland in 1901. Billy Grassam, who had been such a prolific scorer between 1900-04, returned to West Ham United after a season playing for Manchester United.

King also persuaded the highly experienced James Jackson to join the club. He had built up a good reputation as a tough-tackling full-back while playing for Glasgow Rangers, Newcastle United and Arsenal. Harry Stapley, a school teacher, who refused to become a professional player, was signed from local side, Woodford Town.

West Ham also lost the talented youngster, George Hilsdon, to Chelsea. He had been injured the previous season and while recovering he was seen by the Chelsea manager, John Robertson, playing for the reserves. He later wrote: "I never even set eyes on the player I went specially to see. They were glued all the time to the inside-left; a cockney lad, 19 years of age... If I get him he'll be our first team centre-forward next season."

Roberton's prediction was correct and Hilsdon went on to score 26 goals that season, and was a major factor in Chelsea's promotion to the First Division. Hilsdon also went on to play for England.

The loss of talented youngsters to league sides was a common story during the first five years of the 20th century. Other talented West Ham United youngsters who left the club during this period included William Barnes, Bill Yenson, James Bigden and Dick Pudan. The 1905 edition of Association Football included the following passage: "It is the proud boast of the West Ham club that they turn out more local players than any other team in the South. The district has been described as a hot-bed of football and it is so. The raw material is found on the marshlands and open spaces round about; and after a season or so, the finished player leaves the East End workshop to better himself, as most ambitious young men will do. In the ranks of other organizations many old West Ham boys have distinguished themselves."

West Ham had only a moderate season that year, winning only 14 of its 34 games. The Irons scored 42 goals against 39 conceded. The club also lost in the first round of the FA Cup against Arsenal. After a 1-1 draw at Upton Park that was watched by 18,000 spectators, Arsenal won the replay 3-2.

Syd King managed to bring in some useful looking players for the 1906-07 season. This included the Scottish international, David Lindsay, an outside right from from Heart of Midlothian. King also signed two defenders, Archie Taylor (Brentford) and Bill Wildman (Everton). David Clarke, who had formerly played for Bristol Rovers, was brought it as an understudy goalkeeper to George Kitchen.

West Ham looked a much better balanced team that season. The defence that included George Kitchen, Frank Piercy, David Gardner, Len Jarvis, Tommy Allison and Bill Wildman, only conceded 41 goals in 38 games.

West Ham also had a potent forward line that season. Harry Stapley, the goal scoring schoolteacher hit the net 22 times that season. His strike partner, Lionel Watson, added 12 more. Billy Grassam also returned to form with 10 goals. All told, West Ham scored 60 goals that season.

A local lad from Barking, Tommy Randall, also made his debut for West Ham against Fulham in the last game of the season. Fulham, who had already been crowned champions, lost the game 4-1. This result pushed the Irons into 5th place. This was the best season since they had finished 4th in the 1901-1902 season.

West Ham United was elected to the Second Division of the Football League after the First World War. The club decided to increase the admission price to 1 shilling (5p). Over 20,000 turned up to Upton Park to see the first league game against Lincoln City on 30 August 1919. The game ended up in a 1-1 draw.

The club finished in 7th place in the Second Division in the 1919-1920 season. The following season the club finished in 5th place. George Kay, the captain of West Ham, had been purchased from Bolton Wanderers for a fee of £100. A small group of young local players such as Syd Puddefoot, Jack Tresadern, Edward Hufton, Sid Bishop, George Carter and Jimmy Ruffell had also arrived in the first-team.

King also made some shrewd signings for small fees. This included Vic Watson from Wellingborough Town (£25), Billy Brown from Hetton (£25) and Jack Young from South Shields (£300).

The star of the side was Syd Puddefoot who had scored 107 goals in 194 games for the club. The team relied heavily on Puddefoot's goals and it was great shock to the fans when Syd King sold him to Falkirk for the British record fee of £5,000 in February 1925. Puddefoot had netted 107 goals in 194 games for the club.

As the authors of the The Essential History of West Ham United (2000) pointed out that his departure "nearly caused a riot among Hammers fans". However, the club blamed Puddefoot in a statement issued after his transfer: "The departure of Syd Puddefoot came as no surprise to those intimately connected with him. It is an old saying that everyone has one chance in life to improve themselves and Syd Puddefoot is doing the right thing for himself in studying his future. We understand that he will be branching out in commercial circles in Falkirk and when his football days are over he will be assured of a nice little competency."

The truth of the matter was that Syd Puddefoot was very reluctant to move to Scotland to play for Falkirk. However, at this time footballers had little control over these matters. At the time of his departure, it looked like West Ham United would win promotion to the First Division. However, without their top goalscorer, the club lost five of their last seven games and finished in 4th place at the end of the 1921-22 season.

However, Syd King used the money wisely and purchased three talented players: Billy Henderson from Aberdare Athletic (£650), Dick Richards from Wolves (£300) and Billy Moore from Sunderland (£300). He was also convinced that the young Vic Watson would be even better than the departed Syd Puddefoot.

According to Jimmy Ruffell, it was trainer Charlie Paynter who decided on the team's tactics: "Syd King was a good manager. But he left a lot of the day-to-day stuff to our trainer Charlie Paynter. It was Charlie that most of us talked to about anything. Syd King was more about doing deals to get players to play for West Ham."

 

The West Ham team that played in the 1923 FA Cup Final. Back row (left to right):
Syd King (manager), William Henderson, Syd Bishop, George Kay, Edward
Hufton, Jack Young, Jack Tresadern, Charlie Paynter (trainer). Front row:
Dick Richards, William Brown, Vic Watson, Billy Moore, Jimmy Ruffell.

 

The new line-up took a while to settle down at the start to the 1921-22 season, winning only three of their first fourteen games. This put them in 18th place and it looked like that the club had no chance of getting promotion that year.

The turning point came with a 1-0 victory over Clapton Orient on 18th November, 1921. West Ham won nine of their next eleven games. The forward line of Jimmy Ruffell, Billy Moore, Vic Watson, Billy Brown and Dick Richards began to click. As Ruffell pointed out: "West Ham were a good passing team. Most of the time you had an idea where men were or men would make themselves ready to get the ball from another player. I think we were one of the few clubs to really practice that. Then, with their good forward line, Vic Watson, Bill Moore and I was okay too, West Ham always had a chance at getting a goal."

West Ham United also beat Hull City 3-2 in the 1st Round of the FA Cup on 13th January, 1923. They faced Brighton & Hove Albion in the 2nd round. After a 1-1 draw they beat them 1-0 in the replay. This was followed by a 2-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle. However, they took three games before the eventually beat Southampton 1-0 on 19th March, to reach the semi-final for the first time in their history.

West Ham was also in good form in the league going on a 10 match unbeaten run since the start of the new year. This included a 6-0 victory on 15th February away from home against Leicester City, one of their main rivals for the championship. Notts County and Manchester United were also doing well that season so it appeared that four clubs were fighting for the two promotion places.

On 24th March, 1923, West Ham played Derby County in the semi-final of the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge in front of a 50,000 crowd. Derby, who had not lost a goal so far in the competition was expected to win the game. George Kerr, a 17-year-old supporter who lived in Boleyn Road, was one of those who watched the game. "For the first few minutes the ball hardly left the Hammers' half. Then Hufton took a goal-kick straight down the middle. Watson trapped the ball then swung around hitting it out to the left about 10 yards ahead of Ruffell who took it in his stride and carried it about another 20 yards before he swung over a slightly lofted centre which Brown volleyed into the top left-hand corner of the net."

The goal by Billy Brown was followed by another one from Billy Moore. After ten minutes West Ham had a two goal lead. Further goals by Brown, Moore and Jimmy Ruffell gave the Hammers an easy 5-2 victory.

The Daily Mail argued that: "West Ham have never played finer football. It was intelligent, it was clever, and it was dashing. They were quick, they dribbled and swerved, and passed and ran as if the ball was to them a thing of life and obedient to their wishes. They were the master tacticians, and it was by their tactics that they gained... Every man always seemed to be in his place, and the manner in which the ball was flashed from player to player - often without the man who parted from it taking the trouble to look - but with the assistance that his colleague was where he ought to be - suggested the well-assembled parts of a machine, all of which were in perfect working order."

The prospect of playing their first FA Cup Final did not damage their league form. A week later West Ham United beat Crystal Palace 5-1 with Vic Watson scoring four of the goals. They followed this with a 5-2 win over Bury. There were also wins against Hull City (3-0) and Fulham (2-0). However, with the title in their grasp, pre-cup nerves set in and the club lost games against Barnsley and Notts County in the weeks preceeding the final that was to be the first to be held at the Empire Stadium at Wembley.

The new stadium had just been built by Robert McAlpine for the British Empire Exhibition of 1923. It was originally intended intended to be demolished at the end of the Exhibition. However, it was later decided to keep the building to host football matches. The first match was to be the 1923 Cup Final and it was only completed four days before the game was due to take place.

To Syd King, promotion to the First Division was the most important objective and he consistently played his strongest team in the league, giving no one a rest. As a result, West Ham also had injury problems and