Chairman Terry Brown Stadium Boleyn Ground Lowest home attendance 22,031 | Manager Alan Pardew Highest home attendance 33,482 | |
Championship 6th (Promoted via Play-offs) | ||
During the 2004–05 English football season, West Ham United competed in the Football League Championship.
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Following the previous season's First Division play-off final loss to Crystal Palace, Rob Lee, Brian Deane, Wayne Quinn and Shaun Byrne were all released from West Ham on free transfers. Their departures were closely followed by those of Kevin Horlock, who signed for Ipswich Town, and David Connolly, who left for Leicester City in a £500,000 deal. Sébastien Carole also returned to AS Monaco after his loan spell, while Richard Garcia and Elliott Ward signed new contracts.
The first signing Alan Pardew made following the end of the previous season was goalkeeper James Walker, signed on a free transfer from Walsall where he had been a folk hero. He was brought in as cover for Stephen Bywater. The following month former England international Teddy Sheringham and Sergei Rebrov both signed on free transfers, from Portsmouth and Tottenham respectively. Their arrivals were closely followed by those of Bournemouth captain Carl Fletcher for £275,000 and winger Luke Chadwick from Manchester United on a free transfer. In September Malky Mackay signed for £300,000 from Norwich City.
West Ham's biggest defeat of the season was away to Cardiff City on 2 November 2004 when they lost 1–4. The Welsh team featured former Hammer Jobi McAnuff, who created the first two goals and scored the fourth. West Ham's biggest win of the season came in their home game against Plymouth Argyle on 19 February 2005 when they won 5–0. Marlon Harewood scored the first goal by sending the keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot. The penalty was given after the defender inexplicably punched the ball away. The second was an own goal by the keeper as he fumbled a Sergei Rebrov corner into his own net. Malky Mackay lobbed the keeper from another corner to net the third. Goals four and five were scored by Teddy Sheringham. The fourth, and arguably the best of the day's goals, came when Carl Fletcher crossed for Sheringham to head home. The fifth goal was a twice-taken penalty.
West Ham only lost one of their last ten games which helped push them up from 7th and into 6th, guaranteeing a play-off spot. The club returned to the FA Premier League at the second time of asking, beating Preston North End in the 2005 Football League Championship play-off Final with a single goal from Bobby Zamora.
Results
West Ham United score shown first
First-team squad
Squad at end of seasonNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.