Brian Belton

The John Charles Story

From the earliest days of West Ham United the club sought out competition from outside the British Isles. Building on this, the Hammers, led by England captain Bobby Moore, won their way into top class competition in Europe to become the first side made up entirely of English players to win a major international trophy: the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965 at Wembley. Although this was to be the zenith of the team's performance on the international stage, there were to be further exciting and intriguing campaigns and games-great goals, magnificent victories, and defeats fought to the finish. However, this is more a story about places, people, and times, as West Ham went about breaking ground and hearts on their rampage across the continent. The boys from London's East End were learning, teaching, and developing a pedigree of football that was to be replicated, but never entirely reproduced. No-one else had the pioneering magic that the Irons engendered; they nearly reached the sky, while others just followed. This is the story of that glory.

This is a biography of one of West Ham United's greatest ever players, and the history of the club during his time in claret and blue. During those dozen years, Len Goulden had a glittering career, and became an England star. He scored the final goal in the defeat of Germany in May 1938; the game being made infamous by the England players being obliged to give the Hitler salute prior to the kick-off. West Ham goal-keeping legend Ernie Gregory, who watched Goulden from the stands of Upton Park before signing for the club in 1936 claimed that: "We've had some great forwards over the years at West Ham but Len was the greatest-the daddy of them all. He was the one I paid my money to see...I can still see Len now-controlling the ball, he killed it instantly...Len was the tops." 'Golden Len Goulden' plucks from history a player who ranks with the best ever to wear the hammers over his heart.

War Hammers II, the sequel to the fascinating story of the club during the First World War, looks at the achievements and developments of the Upton Park heroes throughout the Second World War. West Ham United was forced to adapt in the dark days of the 1940s, building the outlook and approach that would eventually give rise to the club's most successful period, and establishing a culture of style and support that is still present today. Exploring the power, politics and intrigue of wartime football, a detailed account is given of the Irons’ 1940 War Cup victory and of those who played for the club between 1939 and 1945. Author Brian Belton includes huge global events and many local incidents within the context of the club’s history, to create a book that is sure to fascinate and entertain football fans and historians alike.

Located in the heart of London’s East End, the Thames Ironworks might be described as characteristic of the industrial and social landscape of the Victorian era. This successful enterprise, headed by the respected Hills family, undertook projects in shipping, civil engineering, electrical engineering and motoring. But as well as providing employment, the ironworks was also central to the social lives of its workers. Its football team, founded by Arnold Hills in 1895, was destined to become world famous as West Ham United. Author Brian Belton explores how the Victorian values of commercialism, religion, philanthropy and patriarchy that made this giant of industry a success were inextricably linked with a sense of fair play, competitive spirit and the growth of football as a national obsession. Peppered with the songs and memories of a treasured cockney region, this is an entertaining portrait of ships, industry, sport and, most of all, the people of the Docklands communities that relied on the ironworks for their daily bread.

This book tells the fascinating story of West Ham United Football Club during the First World War, charting the relationship between war and football by following the pursuits of West Ham from 1913/14 to 1918/19. In many ways, it was their success in wartime competitions that led to them being accepted into the Football League in 1919, paving the way for subsequent FA Cup and League success. As well as a football story, this book is about the impact of the war on Britain. It documents the social implications of war on Londoners and the social and political influence of football, the armed forces and civilians alike. Looking closely at the 13th Service Battalion, also known as the ‘West Ham Pals’, the book includes such players as George Kay, Ted Hufton, and their manager and coach, Syd King and Charlie Paynter respectively.

The young men who played in West Ham's FA Cup Final victory over Preston North End in 1964 were all born and raised in England. In each tie from the third round, only English players had worn the Hammers over their hearts. This title tells the tale of West Ham United's two 1960's cup winning teams that was made up entirely of English players.

This book is a fascinating and entertaining mixture of the history and characters of the darts world. It features player profiles, trivia – including players' walk-on music, quickest matches, longest matches, 9-dart finishes, the most loved and hated players and celebrity fans – as well as a treasure trove of statistical information. As such, all the tension, glory, complexity and irony of the ‘art of the arras’ is portrayed. Funny, interesting and perplexing, the reader will smile, reminisce, laugh and occasionally experience bewilderment as the spirit of the oche is brought to life. The wit and skill of players is mixed with expressions of frustration, pain, confusion and anguish. Fighters, moaners, clowns and philosophers rub shoulders between the pages, creating an atmosphere that anyone who has either watched or played the game will recognise. With this book, Brian Belton hits the bullseye of a simple passion that has enjoyed a massive resurgence of popularity in recent years.

The 1967 World Club Championship decider between Celtic and Racing Club of Buenos Aires was one of the most violent and controversial matches of all time. Three Celtic players and two from Racing Club were sent off in total. The game descended into farce, with the Uruguayan police forced to take to the pitch with batons to separate brawling players. Pictures released of the match met with shock worldwide, but while an embarrassed Jock Stein fined his players, those from Racing Club were rewarded with a new car each! This book tells the story of a real clash of two very different footballing cultures.

This book tells the fascinating story of West Ham United Football Club during the First World War, charting the relationship between war and football by following the pursuits of West Ham from 1913/14 to 1918/19. In many ways, it was their success in wartime competitions that led to them being accepted into the Football League in 1919, paving the way for subsequent FA Cup and League success. As well as a football story, this book is about the impact of the war on Britain. It documents the social implications of war on Londoners and the social and political influence of football, the armed forces and civilians alike. Looking closely at the 13th Service Battalion, also known as the ‘West Ham Pals’, the book includes such players as George Kay, Ted Hufton, and their manager and coach, Syd King and Charlie Paynter respectively.

This book presents a look at one of the first major railway disasters in Britain, the fall of the Dee bridge in May 1847, which occurred just outside Chester with the loss of five lives. The main line from Holyhead to Chester had only been opened six months before, and the chief engineer Robert Stephenson was slated nationally (almost being accused of manslaughter) as his cast-iron bridge had failed so catastrophically. Luckily, only a local train was passing and so few lives were lost. Full of detailed technical insight and illustrated with a wealth of contemporary material, this informative book will be of great use for engineering students and historians, as the Dee bridge is an often cited case study of bridge failure along with the Tay and Tacoma Narrows bridges. It will also appeal to interested locals, and railway enthusiasts.

Few people associate baseball with Great Britain, but for a brief period in the 1930s, America's pastime nearly gained a foothold with the British populace. Though never as popular as the beloved football clubs, or even greyhound races, baseball teams like the West Ham Hammers developed intense local followings, and played some excellent baseball--in 1936, the Hammers defeated the U.S. Olympic team. The outbreak of World War II ended the rising popularity of baseball among Britons, but speculation remains that, under different circumstances, British baseball could have flourished. This book traces the history of baseball as a popular British sport, concentrating on one particularly successful and notable team, the West Ham Hammers. It places the West Ham club within the historical context of 1930s Great Britain, and covers team management, major players (e.g., Roland Gladu, the "Canadian Babe Ruth"), and the fans, many of whom still cling fondly to faded memories of the club and West Ham Stadium. Eight appendices include team rosters, British baseball rules, and year-by-year records from 1890 to 2005.

In 1938 Arthur George Wilkinson became the first West Ham speedway rider to win the World Championship, and he remains one of the great names of the sport today. Bluey, as the diminutive Australian was universally known, carved his name into the annals of speedway history with a mixture of will, concentration, boldness and power that has rarely been matched by other riders.Wilkinson's story is set in the 1930s, the early days of oval motorcycle racing in Australia and Britain. This was West Ham's golden era, culminating in their Championship year of 1937, and the period in which the 'Custom House Comet' became a legend. Brian Belton is an East End native, whose family have supported West Ham speedway from the very beginning. In this book he brings to life that Claret and Bluey decade which is now part of the history and folklore of London's Docklands.

The genesis of West Ham United Football Club is probably the most fascinating of any professional side. The team that would become the pride of East London and pioneers of the modern game first came into the world as Thames Ironworks. Its players were the tough hammer-men who burnt and beat rivets into some of the greatest ships ever built, including the mighty HMS Warrior, a seagoing war-machine, which was, like the company that built it and its football club, ahead of its time. This is a tale of how philanthropy, religious beliefs, Corinthian ethics, entrepeneurial enterprise and the enthusiasm of working people for a game made a sporting institution that would come to embody the culture and history of the Docklands.