# 2006–07 West Ham United F.C. season

During the 2006–07 English football season, West Ham United competed in the FA Premier League. They finished the season in 15th place.

## Season summary

West Ham started the 2006–07 campaign brightly, but slipped down the table due to off-field distractions. They were knocked out from UEFA Cup by the Italian Serie A side Palermo (4–0 on aggregate) and saw themselves dragged into the relegation zone.
Eventually an Icelandic consortium led by Eggert Magnússon bought the club on 26 November 2006. Following a poor run of form that left the club in 17th position, despite the signing of big name players Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez, the new owners sacked Alan Pardew, replacing him with former West Ham player Alan Curbishley who had recently ended a 15-year spell in charge of Charlton Athletic. West Ham won Curbishley's first game 1–0 at home against Manchester United, but went on to draw at fellow relegation strugglers Fulham, were crushed 6–0 at newly promoted Reading and were knocked out of the FA Cup by the bottom Premiership team, Watford. An end-to-end thriller at home to Tottenham Hotspur ended with West Ham losing 4–3 having been 3–2 in front with minutes to play, but the bright performance signified a change in form.
At the same time the signings of Mascherano and Tevez were being investigated by the Premier League, who were concerned that details regarding the transfers had been omitted from official records and whether the influence of MSI, led by Kia Joorabchian, breached Premier League rules regarding third party ownership of players. The media touted the idea that Tevez's contract could be terminated, possibly resulting in a deduction of points for playing an ineligible player. On 27 April 2007, West Ham pleaded guilty and were handed a record £5.5 million fine by the Premier League, but avoided a points deduction. Liverpool's signing of Mascherano was investigated and he was cleared to play after a two-week delay.
Following the verdict, Wigan Athletic's chairman Dave Whelan threatened legal action, supported by other relegation-threatened sides including Fulham and Sheffield United, saying "This is a very serious offence West Ham committed...They broke the law, told blatant lies and should have got a 10-point penalty. If we can sue West Ham or the Premier League, I am sure that will happen." Wigan's manager Paul Jewell suggested League officials had intimated they wished to see them relegated.
In a period that came to be known by the club's fans as "The Great Escape", West Ham avoided relegation by winning seven of their last nine games, including a 1–0 win over Arsenal, and on the last day of the season, defeating the Premiership champions Manchester United 1–0 (becoming the first team in the Premier League era to complete league doubles over Arsenal and Manchester United in the same season) to finish outside the relegation zone in 15th. Sheffield United, who were relegated, later sued West Ham for up to £30m, and an FA arbitration panel found in their favour. The two clubs settled out of court for an undisclosed sum in 2009.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 13 | Newcastle United | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 38 | 47 | −9 | 43 |
| 14 | Manchester City | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 29 | 44 | −15 | 42 |
| 15 | West Ham United | 38 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 35 | 59 | −24 | 41 |
| 16 | Fulham | 38 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 38 | 60 | −22 | 39 |
| 17 | Wigan Athletic | 38 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 37 | 59 | −22 | 38 |

## 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 |
| 1 | GK | NIR | Roy Carroll |
| 2 | DF | AUS | Lucas Neill |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Paul Konchesky |
| 4 | DF | WAL | Danny Gabbidon |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Anton Ferdinand |
| 6 | DF | NIR | George McCartney |
| 7 | MF | SCO | Christian Dailly |
| 8 | FW | ENG | Teddy Sheringham |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Dean Ashton |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Marlon Harewood |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Matthew Etherington |
| 12 | FW | ENG | Carlton Cole |
| 13 | MF | POR | Luís Boa Morte |
| 14 | DF | GHA | John Paintsil |
| 15 | MF | ISR | Yossi Benayoun |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Hayden Mullins |
| 18 | DF | USA | Jonathan Spector |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | DF | WAL | James Collins |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Nigel Reo-Coker (captain) |
| 21 | GK | ENG | Robert Green |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Tony Stokes |
| 23 | GK | ENG | Jimmy Walker |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Mark Noble |
| 25 | FW | ENG | Bobby Zamora |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Shaun Newton |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Calum Davenport |
| 28 | MF | ENG | Kyel Reid |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Lee Bowyer |
| 30 | DF | ENG | James Tomkins |
| 31 | GK | CZE | Marek Štěch |
| 32 | FW | ARG | Carlos Tevez |
| 33 | MF | SCO | Nigel Quashie |
| 35 | DF | ENG | Matthew Upson |
| 37 | FW | ESP | Kepa (on loan from Sevilla) |

### Left club during season

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 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Tyrone Mears (on loan to Derby County) |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Stephen Bywater (to Derby County) |
| 13 | GK | HUN | Gábor Király (on loan from Crystal Palace) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | ARG | Javier Mascherano (to Liverpool) |
| 27 | FW | ENG | Hogan Ephraim (on loan to Colchester United) |

## Statistics
### Overview

| Competition | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| Premier League | 38 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 35 | 59 | −24 | 031.58 |
| FA Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 050.00 |
| League Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 000.00 |
| UEFA Cup | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 000.00 |
| Total | 43 | 13 | 5 | 25 | 39 | 66 | −27 | 030.23 |

### Goalscorers

| Rank | Pos | No. | Nat | Name | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | UEFA Cup | Total |
| 1 | ST | 25 | | Bobby Zamora | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 2 | ST | 32 | | Carlos Tevez | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | ST | 10 | | Marlon Harewood | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | ST | 12 | | Carlton Cole | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | MF | 15 | | Yossi Benayoun | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | MF | 17 | | Hayden Mullins | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | MF | 24 | | Mark Noble | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | ST | 8 | | Teddy Sheringham | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | MF | 13 | | Luis Boa Morte | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | MF | 20 | | Nigel Reo-Coker | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | ST | 37 | | Kepa Blanco | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 39 |

### League position by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | D | L | D | L | L | L | L | L | W | W | L | L | W | L | L | L | W | D | L | L | L | D | D | L | L | L | L | L | W | W | W | L | L | W | W | W | W |
| Position | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 |

### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | UEFA Cup | UEFA Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | NIR | Roy Carroll | 16 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | ENG | Robert Green | 27 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | JAM | Tyrone Mears | 6 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | AUS | Lucas Neill | 12 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Paul Konchesky | 25 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | WAL | Daniel Gabbidon | 22 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Anton Ferdinand | 34 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | NIR | George McCartney | 25 | 0 | 16+6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | DF | SCO | Christian Dailly | 17 | 0 | 10+4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | GHA | John Paintsil | 7 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | USA | Jonathan Spector | 28 | 0 | 17+8 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | WAL | James Collins | 17 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Calum Davenport | 6 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | ENG | Matthew Upson | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||||
| 11 | MF | ENG | Matthew Etherington | 30 | 0 | 24+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | POR | Luis Boa Morte | 16 | 1 | 8+6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | ISR | Yossi Benayoun | 32 | 3 | 25+4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | ARG | Javier Mascherano | 7 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Hayden Mullins | 32 | 3 | 21+9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Nigel Reo-Coker | 39 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Mark Noble | 11 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | ENG | Shaun Newton | 5 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | ENG | Kyel Reid | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Lee Bowyer | 22 | 0 | 18+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | SCO | Nigel Quashie | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||||
| 8 | FW | ENG | Teddy Sheringham | 20 | 2 | 4+13 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Marlon Harewood | 35 | 4 | 19+13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | ENG | Carlton Cole | 21 | 3 | 5+12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | ENG | Bobby Zamora | 37 | 11 | 27+5 | 11 | 1+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | ARG | Carlos Tevez | 29 | 7 | 19+7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | ESP | Kepa | 8 | 1 | 1+7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 8 June 2006 | MF | Lee Bowyer | Newcastle United | Undisclosed |
| 15 June 2006 | DF | Jonathan Spector | Manchester United | £500,000 |
| 5 July 2006 | ST | Carlton Cole | Chelsea | Undisclosed |
| 6 July 2006 | DF | Tyrone Mears | Preston North End | £1m |
| 1 August 2006 | DF | John Paintsil | Hapoel Tel Aviv | £1m |
| 8 August 2006 | DF | George McCartney | Sunderland | £1m |
| 16 August 2006 | GK | Robert Green | Norwich City | £2m |
| 31 August 2006 | MF | Javier Mascherano | Corinthians | Undisclosed |
| 31 August 2006 | ST | Carlos Tevez | Corinthians | Undisclosed |
| 31 August 2006 | GK | Marek Štěch | Sparta Prague | Undisclosed |
| 18 November 2006 | GK | Gábor Király | Crystal Palace | Loan |
| 5 January 2007 | MF | Luis Boa Morte | Fulham | £5m |
| 9 January 2007 | MF | Nigel Quashie | West Bromwich Albion | £1.75m |
| 18 January 2007 | DF | Calum Davenport | Tottenham Hotspur | Undisclosed |
| 22 January 2007 | DF | Lucas Neill | Blackburn Rovers | Undisclosed |
| 22 January 2007 | ST | Kepa Blanco | Sevilla | Loan |
| 31 January 2007 | DF | Matthew Upson | Birmingham City | £7.5m |

### Out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 14 June 2006 | ST | Yaniv Katan | Maccabi Haifa | Loan |
| 16 June 2006 | DF | Elliott Ward | Coventry City | £1m |
| 1 July 2006 | GK | Stephen Bywater | Derby County | Undisclosed |
| 1 July 2006 | GK | Shaka Hislop | FC Dallas | Free |
| 1 July 2006 | DF | Trent McClenahan | Hereford United | Free |
| 1 July 2006 | DF | Chris Cohen | Yeovil Town | Free |
| 1 July 2006 | MF | Sekou Baradji | Tours | Free |
| 1 July 2006 | ST | Petr Mikolanda | Mladá Boleslav | Free |
| 29 July 2006 | MF | Carl Fletcher | Crystal Palace | £400,000 |
| 8 August 2006 | DF | Clive Clarke | Sunderland | £400,000 |
| 18 August 2006 | MF | Mark Noble | Ipswich Town | Loan |
| 31 January 2007 | MF | Javier Mascherano | Liverpool | Undisclosed |
| 31 January 2007 | DF | Tyrone Mears | Derby County | Loan |
| 10 March 2007 | MF | Shaun Newton | Leicester City | Loan |