Aired by the BBC as part of Football Special, which ran in 1962 as a precursor to MOTD and was part of a Saturday evening line up that followed Juke Box Jury, The [now infamous] Black & White Minstrels, Perry Mason and, unusually for the Beeb at the time, a movie, which was normally the reserve of ITV on a Saturday evening. This followed Blackburn's 1-1 with West Brom and preceded Wales' rugby 3-0 victory over France, which denied the five nations champions the Grand Slam. Wonderful Land by the Shadows was topping the charts, West Side Story was in the cinemas, the news was dominated by a a mining disaster in Burnley and Jackie Kennedy's visit to India.
The BBC had almost secured a deal to show live First Division games in 1960 only for it to fall through less than a day before the game was to be shown. They briefly got a few highlights packages in 1961 but in 1962 began showing Football Special on [most but not every] Saturday evening. Screen after The Good Old Days and The News, this broadcast featured Sheffield United's 3-1 victory over Leicester, followed by this game and then France's Five Nations 13-0 Rugby victory over England from Colombes. Screened in the late evening slot that Match of the Day would later occupy, this edition got a higher than usual viewing audience due to a screening of Astronaut, John Glenn's interview with the press, which followed. Glenn was the first Westerner to orbit the earth earlier in the week, which had captured the imagination of the public throughout the World.
The match was screened at 10.10 that evening, along with West Brom vs Burnley and the England vs Wales Rugby International in a Sportsview Special, after Juke Box Jury, Dixon of Dock Green, Billy Cotton Band Show, Perry Mason and a movie. Cliff Richard was topping the charts and filling the cinemas with The Young Ones.
United came to Upton Park with a point to prove after last season’s title failure. Cantona was absent as he was serving his suspension. His return galvanised United and Eric took it upon himself to prove a point. His early 8th minute goal turns out to be the crucial winner and 3 important points for United. But the image of him turning into a peacemaker when he restrained Andy Cole after the latter reacted angrily to a horrible Julian Dicks lunge in the whole melee which led to Nicky Butt’s sending off.
Chicken Run should have been shut down in the early 80s, NOTHING but vile disgusting abuse in front of children. It's why no other fans liked coming to our ground with their children.
At the time there was a joke among the West Ham fans that, because of their FA Cup run, they were playing a "weakened team... Portsmouth." Well they weren't laughing after.
The 12th of 30 London derbies in the 1998/99 season was here at Upton Park. Dermot Gallagher was the ref on the day, and West Ham won 2-1 thanks to 2 Trevor Sinclair goals, 1 in each half. From Joe. X
Sheffield Wednesday got their own back for the 15/8/98 1-0 Hillsborough defeat by winning 4-0 at West Ham's Upton Park on 16/1/99. 2 goals in 2 halves did it for the angry owls!. From Joe. X
I was on the North Bank looking down the Chicken Run. When the fight happened, just about everyone on the CR charged towards it and compressed into this tiny area waving their arms at the players.
I only missed two matches that whole season, away at Hull and away at Millwall. I was gutted, but the Mrs had booked two holidays before the season had started and the fixtures had been published.
