Club Profile:West Ham United

West Ham United
Overview
West Ham United secured their place back in the Barclays Premiership after a two-year absence in 2005.

The Hammers joined the Premier League in 1993 and consolidated in midtable under manager Billy Bonds. At the start of the following season, assistant Harry Redknapp stepped up to become the new manager after Bonds quit the post.

Redknapp's first campaign saw the Hammers finish in 14th place, but he led them to three top-10 finishes including fifth place in 1999. Youth team coach Glenn Roeder became the new manager in 2001 and he had a successful first season leading the team to seventh. But things went badly wrong 12 months later, as they were relegated in 2003.

Alan Pardew took over the reigns and led West Ham to the Championship play-offs, but they lost to Crystal Palace in the final. However, the Hammers only had to wait another season before returning to the top flight after play-off success over Preston North End.

On their return to the top flight in 2005/06, Pardew's men came ninth and also finished as FA Cup runners-up after Liverpool beat them in a penalty shoot-out. In the 2006/07 season, the Hammers started brightly but plunged into a relegation dogfight and Pardew left as manager in November.

New manager Alan Curbishley eventually reversed the slump and West Ham miraculously escaped relegation on the very last day of the season. Curbishley backed that up with a 10th place finish in the 2007/08 campaign in what was seen as a season of consolidation.

West Ham have never played outside football's top two divisions since joining the Football League in 1919.

Club Heritage
Founded in 1895, the club was originally known as Thames Ironworks FC, before it was re-named as West Ham United five years later. West Ham won promotion to the top flight in 1923 and the same year appeared in the first Wembley FA Cup Final. They clinched the FA Cup in 1964 and were crowned European Cup Winners' Cup winners in the following season.

More FA Cup glory arrived in 1975 and the Hammers were European Cup Winners' Cup finalists 12 months later. But in 1978, they suffered a blow with relegation from the top tier. But as a Second Division side, West Ham upset Arsenal to win the FA Cup in 1980. They won promotion in 1981 and spent eight seasons in the top flight - including a club-best finish of third in 1986 - before getting relegated in 1989.

West Ham regained their place in the top division in 1991, but had the pain of relegation after one season. However, they bounced back immediately with promotion back up at the first attempt in 1993. After a 10-year spell in the Premier League, the East London outfit suffered relegation again but won their place back in 2005.

Premier League History
1992/93 - Join Premier League
1994/95 - Harry Redknapp replaces Billy Bonds as manager
2001/02 - Glenn Roeder becomes manager
2002/03 - Trevor Brooking installed as caretaker manager
2002/03 - Relegated from Barclaycard Premiership
2003/04 - Alan Pardew appointed manager
2004/05 - Promoted to Barclays Premiership via play-offs
2005/06 - Reach FA Cup final losing on penalties to Liverpool after 3-3 draw
2006/07 - An Icelandic consortium fronted by Eggert Magnusson buys the club
2006/07 - Alan Curbishley takes charge
2007/08 - Magnusson sells his stake in the club and Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson takes over as Chairman.
2008/09 - Curbishley resigns and is replaced by Gianfranco Zola.