# 1956–57 West Ham United F.C. season

The 1956–57 season was West Ham's seventeenth season in the Second Division since their relegation in season 1931–32. The club were managed by Ted Fenton and the team captain was Noel Cantwell.

## Season summary

West Ham finished eighth and were at no time in either of the top two, promotion places. John Dick was the top scorer with 13 goals in all competitions. Top scorers in the league were Billy Dare and Eddie Lewis with eight goals. Malcolm Musgrove made the most appearances; 44 in all competitions. West Ham made the fourth round of the FA Cup before being eliminated by Everton.

### Second Division

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| 6 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 84 | 60 | 1.400 | 48 |
| 7 | Sheffield United | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 87 | 76 | 1.145 | 46 |
| 8 | West Ham United | 42 | 19 | 8 | 15 | 59 | 63 | 0.937 | 46 |
| 9 | Bristol Rovers | 42 | 18 | 9 | 15 | 81 | 67 | 1.209 | 45 |
| 10 | Swansea Town | 42 | 19 | 7 | 16 | 90 | 90 | 1.000 | 45 |

## Results

West Ham United's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 18 August 1956 | Fulham | A | 4–1 | 25,809 | Grice, Dare, Tucker |
| 20 August 1956 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–3 | 19,727 | Tucker |
| 25 August 1956 | Swansea City | H | 1–2 | 17,067 | Tucker |
| 27 August 1956 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–0 | 15,003 | Blackburn, Dick |
| 1 September 1956 | Lincoln City | A | 2–0 | 13,131 | Stroud (2) |
| 3 September 1956 | Liverpool | H | 1–1 | 25,671 | O'Farrell |
| 8 September 1956 | Rotherham United | H | 1–1 | 19,448 | Dare |
| 15 September 1956 | Port Vale | A | 0–0 | 17,582 | |
| 22 September 1956 | Barnsley | H | 2–0 | 19,412 | Dare, Dick |
| 29 September 1956 | Sheffield United | A | 0–1 | 23,529 | |
| 6 October 1956 | Leyton Orient | A | 2–1 | 24,685 | Musgrove, Willsemse (og) |
| 13 October 1956 | Huddersfield Town | H | 0–2 | 22,643 | |
| 20 October 1956 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–1 | 24,404 | Dick |
| 27 October 1956 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–1 | 17,579 | |
| 3 November 1956 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–3 | 13,071 | |
| 10 November 1956 | Stoke City | H | 1–0 | 17,668 | Tucker |
| 17 November 1956 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–3 | 31,513 | Tucker |
| 24 November 1956 | Leicester City | H | 2–1 | 19,789 | Lewis, Tucker |
| 1 December 1956 | Bury | A | 3–3 | 8,757 | Musgrove, Dick, Parker |
| 8 December 1956 | Notts County | H | 2–1 | 14,875 | Roy Smith, Dick |
| 15 December 1956 | Fulham | H | 2–1 | 18,119 | Bond, Musgrove |
| 22 December 1956 | Swansea City | A | 1–3 | 12,091 | Lewis |
| 25 December 1956 | Nottingham Forest | H | 2–1 | 16,300 | Lewis, Musgrove |
| 29 December 1956 | Lincoln City | H | 2–1 | 17,790 | Dare (2) |
| 12 January 1957 | Rotherham United | A | 1–0 | 11,090 | Musgrove |
| 19 January 1957 | Port Vale | A | 1–0 | 17,229 | Dick, John Smith |
| 2 February 1957 | Barnsley | A | 2–1 | 15,931 | Dare, Dick |
| 9 February 1957 | Sheffield United | H | 3–2 | 22,130 | Cantwell, John Smith, Lewis |
| 16 February 1957 | Leyton Orient | H | 2–1 | 27,182 | Lewis, Lansdowne |
| 23 February 1957 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–6 | 25,284 | John Smith, Lewis |
| 2 March 1957 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–2 | 22,354 | Lewis |
| 9 March 1957 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–2 | 14,026 | Allison |
| 16 March 1957 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–1 | 15,336 | Lewis |
| 23 March 1957 | Stoke City | A | 1–0 | 19,794 | Musgrove |
| 30 March 1957 | Middlesbrough | H | 1–1 | 15,166 | Allison |
| 6 April 1957 | Leicester City | A | 3–5 | 33,338 | Allison, Musgrove (2) |
| 13 April 1957 | Bury | H | 1–0 | 9,043 | Dare |
| 15 April 1957 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–3 | 24,251 | |
| 19 April 1957 | Bristol City | A | 1–1 | 18,317 | Allison |
| 20 April 1957 | Notts County | A | 1–4 | 17,803 | John Smith |
| 22 April 1957 | Bristol City | H | 3–1 | 9,343 | Dare, Lewis, Dick |
| 27 April 1957 | Liverpool | A | 0–1 | 36,236 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 5 January 1957 | Grimsby Town | H | 5–3 | 24,500 | Lewis, Smith (2), Dick Musgrove |
| R4 | 26 January 1957 | Everton | H | 1–2 | 55,245 | Dare |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | ENG | Malcolm Allison |
| — | FW | ENG | Alan Blackburn |
| — | DF | ENG | John Bond |
| — | DF | ENG | Ken Brown |
| — | DF | IRL | Noel Cantwell (captain) |
| — | DF | ENG | Fred Cooper |
| — | FW | ENG | Billy Dare |
| — | FW | SCO | John Dick |
| — | FW | ENG | Albert Foan |
| — | GK | ENG | Ernie Gregory |
| — | MF | ENG | Mike Grice |
| — | DF | SCO | Robert Gordon Johnstone |
| — | MF | ENG | Bill Lansdowne |
| — | FW | ENG | Eddie Lewis |
| — | MF | ENG | Andy Malcolm |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Malcolm Musgrove |
| — | DF | ENG | Andy Nelson |
| — | FW | CAN | Mick Newman |
| — | MF | IRL | Frank O'Farrell |
| — | FW | ENG | Harry Obeney |
| — | MF | ENG | Derek Parker |
| — | FW | ENG | Malcolm Pyke |
| — | MF | ENG | John Smith |
| — | FW | ENG | Roy Smith |
| — | FW | ENG | Roy Stroud |
| — | FW | ENG | Ken Tucker |
| — | MF | ENG | Doug Wragg |
| — | DF | ENG | George Wright |
| — | GK | SCO | Bob Wyllie |