173-737: Benjani (or Mpenjani ) Mwaruwari (born 13 August 1978) is a former Zimbabwean professional footballer who played as a striker . Having started his career with the Jomo Cosmos , Benjani moved to Europe in 2001 to join Swiss side Grasshopper Club Zürich , before moving to Auxerre a year later. He signed with Premier League club Portsmouth in 2006, then went on to play in England's top flight for Manchester City , Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers before returning to Portsmouth in 2011. The following year, he returned to South Africa with Chippa United and then
346-511: A Kevin Nolan goal. The highlight of the first half of the season was a 3–1 home win against reigning European champions Chelsea on 1 December 2012 which saw them in eighth position and 12th at the end of the year. On 22 March 2013, West Ham secured a 99-year lease deal on the Olympic Stadium , with it planned to be used as their home ground from the 2016–17 season. Tenth place was secured at
519-568: A pitch in the Upton Park area in the guise of the Boleyn Ground stadium in 1904. West Ham's first game in their new home was against fierce rivals Millwall (themselves an Ironworks team, albeit for a rival company) drawing a crowd of 10,000 and with West Ham running out 3–0 winners, and as the Daily Mirror wrote on 2 September 1904, "Favoured by the weather turning fine after heavy rains of
692-601: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
865-407: A 1–0 win over Arsenal, and on the last day of the season defeated newly crowned League Champions Manchester United 1–0 with a goal by Tevez to finish 15th. In the 2007–08 season , West Ham remained reasonably consistently in the top half of the league table, with Freddie Ljungberg in the team, despite a slew of injuries; new signing Craig Bellamy missed most of the campaign, while Kieron Dyer
1038-438: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
1211-506: A blocked blood vessel in his brain. As Roeder needed medical help and recuperation, former stalwart Trevor Brooking stood in as caretaker manager. Despite not losing another game, the Hammers were relegated on the last day of the season at Birmingham City , with a record high for a relegated club of 42 points from a 38-game season. Ten seasons of top-tier football were over. Many top players, including Joe Cole , Di Canio and Kanouté, all left
1384-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
1557-564: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
1730-497: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
1903-572: A first European quarter-final in 41 years, followed by a 4–1 aggregate win over Lyon for a first such semi-final since 1976. Playing the same opposition they met in their 1976 European Cup Winners' Cup semi-final, Eintracht Frankfurt , the Hammers were knocked out of the Europa League, following a 3–1 aggregate loss to the German side. At the end of the 2021–22 Premier League season, West Ham confirmed
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#17330853451352076-478: A four-year deal to become the next manager of West Ham subject to a work permit . West Ham's form continued to be poor with the team seldom outside the relegation zone, placing Grant's future as manager under serious doubt. A 4–0 Football League Cup quarter-final win over Manchester United was an otherwise bright spot in a disappointing season. West Ham's form in the Premier League did not affect their form in
2249-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
2422-444: A home game against West Ham United . He then made amends for his miss scoring in the 4–1 victory over Newcastle United to bring his total to eight for the season. He then scored his ninth of the season, albeit a consolation goal in a 4–1 defeat at Liverpool . On 19 January 2008, Benjani earned his second Portsmouth hat-trick, scoring all of his side's goals in a 3–1 victory over Derby County at Fratton Park . This took his tally for
2595-628: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
2768-484: A major coup on the last day of the transfer window after completing the signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano . The club was eventually bought by an Icelandic consortium, led by Eggert Magnússon , in November 2006. Manager Alan Pardew was sacked after poor form during the season and was replaced by former Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley . The signings of Mascherano and Tevez were investigated by
2941-519: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
3114-458: A new contract in 2024, having led West Ham to three consecutive European seasons for the first time in their history, reaching at least the quarter-finals of each. On May 23, the club named Julen Lopetegui as his replacement. The Thames Ironworks Team (1895–1900) used the Union Flag as its badge. The principal element of the badge is the crossed pair of rivet hammers, tools that were used in
3287-400: A one-year deal. His first match was against Reading on 16 August 2011 as a 75th-minute substitute. He scored his first goal in his second spell for Portsmouth in a 3–2 defeat at home to Peterborough United on 27 September 2011. Benjani, however, played less under manager Michael Appleton and could not produce his form like he did in his previous spell at Portsmouth. After a poor season, Benjani
3460-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
3633-430: A permanent deal. After a month of being a free agent and considering his options, it was revealed that Benjani was training with Premier League team Blackburn Rovers in the hopes of earning a deal with the club. On 27 August, he signed a one-year deal with Blackburn, with an option of a further year at Ewood Park . He made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Fulham at Ewood Park on 18 September, replacing Nikola Kalinić in
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#17330853451353806-478: A place away from the day-to-day affairs of the club on the West Ham board. This would have allowed them to appoint Redknapp as manager. Bonds refused the post offered and walked away from the club. His accusations of deceit and manipulation by the board and by Redknapp have continued to cause ill-feeling. Peter Storrie claimed that they had handled the situation correctly, saying, "If Harry had gone to Bournemouth, there
3979-478: A player often quoted as one of the biggest failures in the Premier League. His first season in charge saw West Ham fighting the threat of relegation until the last few weeks, while his third season would also see another relegation battle. Always willing to enter the transfer market, Redknapp bought in the winter transfer window John Hartson and Paul Kitson , who added the impetus needed at the season's end. In 1999, West Ham finished fifth, their highest position in
4152-423: A prolonged battle against relegation. They finally secured their survival with two games remaining by defeating Wigan 3–2. The club managed to take 35 points from 38 games, seven fewer than the total they had when relegated seven years prior. On 11 May 2010, two days after the end of the 2009–10 season, West Ham announced the termination of Zola's contract with immediate effect. On 3 June 2010, Avram Grant signed
4325-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
4498-492: A second spell in charge a day later. On 22 July 2020, the club secured their Premier League status for another season, following a 1–1 draw away to Manchester United. Ahead of the 2020–21 season , West Ham's ownership attracted criticism, including from club captain Mark Noble who publicly criticized the sale of academy graduate Grady Diangana . Despite losing the opening two games of the season, West Ham's form improved and by
4671-502: A second successive season of European football, qualifying for the UEFA Europa Conference League after finishing seventh. The season was also notable for being Mark Noble's final as a West Ham player, with the midfielder retiring from football after 18 years as a first team player at the club, making 550 appearances in all competitions, scoring 62 times. By finishing 7th in the 2021–22 Premier League, West Ham qualified for
4844-567: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
5017-459: A sixteen-pound sledgehammer and then use his sledgehammer to hold the rivet in place while the men on the other side flattened the other end of the rivet. Outside the ship, exposed to the elements, two men with rivet hammers – one right-handed, one left-handed – would hammer the protruding and still glowing rivet flat, so securing one of the many points necessary to link each of the ship's large plates. The crossed hammers were also incorporated into
5190-405: A team featuring a number of works employees. Thomas Freeman was a ships fireman and Walter Parks, a clerk. Johnny Stewart , Walter Tranter and James Lindsay were all boilermakers. Other employees included William Chapman, George Sage and Fred Chamberlain, as well as apprentice riveter Charlie Dove , who was to have a great influence on the club's future at a later date. Thames Ironworks won
5363-523: A total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting
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5536-554: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
5709-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
5882-415: Is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for
6055-450: Is always going to be difficult. As a player, though, you take it as it comes. It was a hard time for me last season and it was difficult, but that is life. At the moment, I don't know whether I'm going to play on. I'm looking for a club, but if it doesn't happen I will find something else to do. On 1 October 2012, it was announced that Benjani had joined Supersport United on a one-year deal. The deal later collapsed. On 27 February 2013, it
6228-463: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
6401-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
6574-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
6747-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
6920-800: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
7093-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
Benjani Mwaruwari - Misplaced Pages Continue
7266-579: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
7439-451: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
7612-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
7785-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
7958-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
8131-521: The 2014–15 Premier League , one place higher than the previous season. Minutes after the last game of the season, on 24 May 2015, the club announced that Allardyce's contract would not be renewed and that they were seeking a new manager. By winning the Premier League Fair Play table for 2014–15, West Ham qualified for the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League , entering at the first qualifying round. On 9 June 2015, former West Ham player Slaven Bilić
8304-458: The 2022–23 Europa Conference League , entering at the play-off stage . The 2022–23 campaign was a mixed bag for the Hammers . The club finished 14th in the Premier League, only securing their Premier League status with two games remaining and exiting the League Cup to lower league opposition in a season that saw manager David Moyes come under pressure. In January 2023, Mark Noble returned to
8477-745: The Bidvest Wits . From 1999 to 2010, Benjani played a total of 31 times for the Zimbabwe national team and played at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations . After his retirement, he became the national team's assistant coach. He is currently working with the Plymouth Argyle Academy as part of the Premier League player-to-coach initiative. Benjani came to Jomo Cosmos after impressing in a friendly match between South Africa and Zimbabwe in 1999. There, he met his mentor Jomo Sono . Two years later, he
8650-515: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
8823-675: The European Cup Winners' Cup the following year. During the 1966 World Cup , key members of the tournament winners England were West Ham players, including the captain, Bobby Moore ; Martin Peters (who scored in the final); and Geoff Hurst , who scored the first hat-trick in a World Cup final. All three players had come through the youth team at West Ham. There is a "Champions" statue in Barking Road , opposite The Boleyn Tavern , commemorating West Ham's "three sons" who helped win
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#17330853451358996-528: The Football League in 1919. It was promoted to the top flight in 1923, when it was also losing finalist in the first FA Cup final held at Wembley . In 1940, the club won the inaugural Football League War Cup . West Ham United has won five major honours in its history. Domestically, it has been winner of the FA Cup three times (1964, 1975 and 1980) and runner-up twice (1923 and 2006). In European competitions,
9169-619: The Premier League , the top tier of English football . The club plays at the London Stadium , having moved from their former home, the Boleyn Ground , in 2016. West Ham United was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. It moved to the Boleyn Ground, which remained its home ground for more than a century, in 1904. The team initially competed in the Southern League and Western League before joining
9342-712: The West Ham Charity Cup , contested by clubs in the West Ham locality, in 1895, then won the London League in 1897. They turned professional in 1898 upon entering the Southern League Second Division, and were promoted to the First Division at the first attempt. The following year they came second from bottom, but had established themselves as a fully-fledged competitive team. They comfortably fended off
9515-620: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
9688-412: The 1966 World Cup: Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters. Also included on the statue is Everton 's Ray Wilson . After a difficult start to the 1974–75 season, Greenwood moved himself "upstairs" to become general manager and, without informing the board, appointed his assistant John Lyall as team manager. The result was instant success – the team scored 20 goals in their first four games and won
9861-424: The 4–5–1 formation by Luigi Pieroni . While at Auxerre, Benjani scored the opening goal in the 2005 Coupe de France final as they defeated Paris St Germain . He also played as a substitute in the final as they won the tournament two years earlier in 2003 . On 5 January 2006, English Premier League club Portsmouth signed him from Auxerre for £ 4.1 million after Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger recommended
10034-507: The 65th minute of the game. He made his first start for Blackburn against Aston Villa in the third round of the League Cup , at Villa Park on 22 September. He scored the first goal, a glancing header, in Blackburn's home game to Chelsea , on 30 October in the 21st minute, in a 2–1 defeat playing 46 minutes and being substituted by fellow striker Jason Roberts . He made his 10th appearance for
10207-498: The FA Cup, becoming the last team to win the FA Cup with an all-English side when they beat Fulham 2–0 in the 1975 final. The Fulham team included two former England captains , Alan Mullery and West Ham legend Bobby Moore. Lyall then guided West Ham to another European Cup Winners' Cup final in 1976, though the team lost the match 4–2 to Belgian side Anderlecht . Greenwood's tenure as general manager lasted less than three years, as he
10380-570: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
10553-486: The First Division but retained their status for ten years and reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1933. In 1932, the club was relegated to the Second Division and long-term custodian Syd King was sacked after serving the club in the role of manager for 32 years, and as a player from 1899 to 1903. Following relegation, King had mental health problems. He appeared drunk at a board meeting and killed himself soon after. He
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#173308534513510726-482: The First Division in 1981, and finished in the top ten of the First Division for the next three seasons before achieving their highest-ever league finish of third in 1985–86; a group of players which came to be known as The Boys of 86 . However, the Hammers suffered relegation again in 1989, which resulted in Lyall's sacking. He was awarded an ex gratia payment of £ 100,000 (equivalent to £314,000 in 2023) but left
10899-434: The First Division. Now back in the top flight, Bonds saw West Ham through one of their most controversial seasons. With the club planning to introduce a bond scheme , there was crowd unrest. West Ham finished last and were relegated back to the Second Division after only one season. However, they rebounded strongly in 1992–93. With Trevor Morley and Clive Allen scoring 40 goals, they guaranteed themselves second place on
11072-861: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
11245-464: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
11418-470: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
11591-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
11764-713: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
11937-475: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
12110-631: The Mid-Somerset football league. He is now an academy coach with Plymouth Argyle . Benjani is a former captain of the Zimbabwe national team , having taken the armband from former Coventry City, Birmingham, Sheffield United and Huddersfield Striker Peter Ndlovu when he retired from international football after the 2006 African Cup of Nations . He is the third Zimbabwean to play in the Premier League after goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar , who played for Liverpool , and Peter Ndlovu , who played for Coventry City and Sheffield United amongst others. During
12283-645: The Premier League, who were concerned that details of the transfers had been omitted from official records. The club was found guilty and fined £5.5 million in April 2007. However, West Ham avoided a points deduction which ultimately became critical in their avoidance of relegation at the end of the 2006–07 season . Following on from this event, Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan , supported by other sides facing possible relegation, including Fulham and Sheffield United , threatened legal action. West Ham escaped relegation by winning seven of their last nine games, including
12456-427: The Premier League. On 29 September 2007, Benjani scored three goals for Portsmouth in a 7–4 win over Reading , which broke the record for the most goals scored in a Premier League match. After Portsmouth's visit to Wigan on 20 October, Benjani became the Premier League's top scorer. Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp banned Benjani from taking any further penalties after he missed a spot-kick in second-half injury time in
12629-771: The Thames, Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company , by foreman and local league referee Dave Taylor and owner Arnold Hills and was announced in the Thames Ironworks Gazette of June 1895. Thames Ironworks was based in Leamouth Wharf in Blackwall and Canning Town on both banks of the River Lea , where the Lea meets the Thames . Thames Ironworks built many ships and other structures,
12802-530: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
12975-452: The ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at
13148-456: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
13321-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
13494-525: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
13667-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
13840-404: The challenge of local rivals Fulham in a relegation play-off, 5–1 in late April 1900 and retained their First Division status. The team initially played in full dark blue kits, as inspired by Mr. Hills, who had been an Oxford University " Blue ", but changed the following season by adopting the sky blue shirts and white shorts combination worn from 1897 to 1899. Following growing disputes over
14013-732: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
14186-420: The club and these are hard times. For me the fans are the key to the club and everything that happens. So it's tough to see them going through a difficult time, for me. It's hard for the players, but I feel more for the fans than I do the rest of the team. But I have so much love for the fans, and I want them to know that. The injuries are fine and I feel good. If you don't play for a long time, like last season, it
14359-411: The club as a substitute against West Ham in a 1–1 draw on 18 December. Also against West Ham he miss kicked a clear shooting opportunity which fell to captain and New Zealand skipper Ryan Nelsen who also sliced it but in the end he scored with the ball deflecting in off his thigh. On 5 January 2011, he scored two goals against Liverpool in a 3–1 win at Ewood Park . On 21 July 2011, Benjani declined
14532-475: The club as sporting director. Despite the troubles in West Ham's domestic campaign, they excelled in the Europa Conference League. The club progressed to the final unbeaten, winning 13 games and drawing just once. They went on to win the competition, defeating Fiorentina 2–1 in the final to claim their first major trophy since 1980 and their first European trophy in 58 years. Moyes was not offered
14705-578: The club has reached three major European finals winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965 , finishing runner-up in the same competitions in 1976 , and winning the second edition of the Europa Conference League in 2023 . The club has also won one minor European trophy by winning the Intertoto Cup in 1999. West Ham United is one of eight clubs never to have fallen below the second tier of English football, spending 66 of 98 league seasons in
14878-517: The club in what Lyall described as "upsetting" circumstances, meriting only 73 words in a terse acknowledgement of his service in the club programme. Lyall left West Ham after 34 years' service. After Lyall, Lou Macari briefly led the team, though he resigned after less than a single season in order to clear his name of allegations of illegal betting while manager of Swindon Town . He was replaced by former player Billy Bonds . In Bonds' first full season, 1990–91 , West Ham again secured promotion to
15051-467: The club's training ground until 11:10 pm, leaving insufficient time to complete a move before the midnight deadline. Portsmouth had already confirmed the signing of Benjani's replacement, Jermain Defoe from Tottenham Hotspur . A transfer was completed for Benjani to move to Manchester City on 5 February 2008 for a fee of £3.87 million on a two-and-a-half-year deal. Further payments could be made if
15224-430: The club. The next season, now in the second tier, Roeder resumed his stint as manager. Results were still poor, however, and after an away defeat to Rotherham United , he was sacked on 24 August 2003. Brooking again took over as caretaker. He lost only one game, a 2–0 away defeat to Gillingham and is known as "the best manager West Ham never had." Former Crystal Palace player and manager of Reading Alan Pardew
15397-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
15570-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
15743-405: The emerging vessel and two outside. Inside the ship one member of the team would heat the rivets till they were white hot and, using Iron Fingers ( blacksmith 's tongs ), throw them to a second person, known as a "catch-boy" or "putter-in", who would pick the rivet up and place it the hole, also using tongs. The third person was known as the "holder-on" and he would then smash the rivet home with
15916-457: The end of November, the club sat in fifth place. The club would not drop out of a European spot for the rest of the season and went on to qualify for the 2021–22 UEFA Europa League group stages after finishing in 6th. Moyes signed a new three-year contract on 12 June 2021. West Ham won their first three games of the year 2022, temporarily elevating the club to fourth place in the Premier League. The team beat Sevilla 2–1 on aggregate to reach
16089-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
16262-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football
16435-494: The end of the season with nine home wins and only three away from home. Only 11 away goals were scored, the lowest of the entire league. In 2013–14 , West Ham finished 13th in the Premier League. They also reached the semi-finals of the League Cup before losing 9–0 on aggregate to eventual cup-winners Manchester City . A feature of the season were the criticisms of manager Sam Allardyce by supporters relating to his perceived negative playing tactics. West Ham finished 12th in
16608-424: The enquiry also has identified concerns regarding the role of (agent) Teni Yerima and (third party) Ralph N'Komo." Benjani failed to score in his first fourteen games for the club, but became a crowd favourite because of his high workrate and assists for other players. Benjani finally got his first goal for Portsmouth against Wigan Athletic on 29 April 2006 in a 2–1 victory which saw Portsmouth avoid relegation from
16781-437: The fixture has gained notoriety for frequent incidents of football hooliganism . West Ham adopted their claret and sky blue colour scheme in the early 1900s, with the most common iteration of a claret shirt and sky blue sleeves first emerging in 1904. The earliest generally accepted incarnation of West Ham United was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks F.C. , the works team of the largest and last surviving shipbuilder on
16954-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
17127-514: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
17300-517: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
17473-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
17646-441: The goal out of respect for his former club, stating in a post match interview that he would never celebrate a goal against Portsmouth because the club and its fans had been so good to him. His next goal came in the 3–2 home loss against Fulham . After a lengthy thigh injury, Benjani made a goal scoring return for the reserves, before following this up days later by making an impact as a second half substitute , scoring what would be
17819-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
17992-483: The ground as well as pitch invasions and crowd trouble inside Upton Park . In August 2009, the financial concerns of Icelandic owners parent companies left the current owners unable to provide any funds until a new owner was found. The club's shirt sponsor SBOBET provided the club with help to purchase a much needed striker, the Italian Alessandro Diamanti . West Ham had a poor season which involved
18165-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
18338-490: The highest number of goals in a season (65), the fewest games lost in a season (8) and the lowest number of away defeats (5). The season also marked the last season where the team played at the Boleyn Ground, with them moving to the London Stadium from next season - ending their 112-year stay at the stadium. Following Manchester United's win in the 2016 FA Cup final , West Ham took their Europa League place and qualified for
18511-654: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
18684-491: The job, Chairman Brown recruited from within the club, appointing reserve team coach Glenn Roeder as manager on 9 May 2001. He had already failed in management with Gillingham , where he lost 22 of the 35 games he managed, and Watford . His first big signings were the return of Don Hutchison for £5 million (equivalent to £10.4 million in 2023) and Czech centre back Tomáš Řepka . Finishing seventh in his first season Roeder, in his office at Upton Park , suffered
18857-697: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
19030-438: The last day of the season with a 2–0 home win against Cambridge United , and with it promotion to the Premier League . With the team in the Premier League, there was a need to rebuild the team. Oxford United player Joey Beauchamp was recruited for a fee of £1.2 million (equivalent to £3.1 million in 2023). Shortly after arriving at the club, however, he became unhappy, citing homesickness from his native Oxford as
19203-459: The loss, West Ham announced the sacking of manager Avram Grant just one season into his tenure. On 1 June 2011, Sam Allardyce was appointed as manager as Grant's replacement. The club finished third in the 2011–12 Football League Championship with 86 points and took part in the play-offs. They beat Cardiff City in the play-off semi-final 5–0 on aggregate to reach the final against Blackpool at Wembley on 19 May 2012. Carlton Cole opened
19376-644: The managership of John Lyall. Over 134 players passed through the club while he was manager, producing a net transfer fee deficit of £16 million, despite the £18 million sale (equivalent to £38.3 million in 2023) of Rio Ferdinand to Leeds United in 2000. Some were notably successful, such as the signings of Stuart Pearce , Trevor Sinclair , Paolo Di Canio , John Hartson , Eyal Berkovic and Ian Wright . Meanwhile, some were expensive, international players who failed at West Ham, such as Florin Raducioiu ; Davor Šuker , who earned as much in wages as
19549-789: The media. West Ham United joined the Western League for the 1901 season while also continuing to play in the Southern Division 1. In 1907, West Ham were crowned the Western League Division 1B Champions, and then defeated 1A champions Fulham 1–0 to become the Western League Overall Champions. The reborn club continued to play their games at the Memorial Grounds in Plaistow (funded by Arnold Hills) but moved to
19722-607: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
19895-569: The morning, West Ham United began their season most auspiciously yesterday evening; when they beat Millwall by 3 goals to 0 on their new enclosure at Upton Park." In 1919, still under King's leadership, West Ham gained entrance to the Football League Second Division , their first game being a 1–1 draw with Lincoln City , and were promoted to the First Division in 1923, also making it to the first ever FA Cup final to be held at
20068-592: The most famous being HMS Warrior . The last ship built there was the dreadnought HMS Thunderer in 1912 and the yard shut soon after. The repair yard of the Castle Shipping Line was a very near neighbour and their work team, initially known as the Castle Swifts , would informally merge with the Thames Ironworks own team. The team played on a strictly amateur basis for 1895 at least, with
20241-525: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
20414-516: The new contract terms offered to him by Rovers and left the club. In August 2011, he began training with Conference National side Stockport County who were managed by Benjani's former Manchester City teammate Dietmar Hamann . On 13 August 2011 (his 33rd birthday), it was announced that Benjani had re-signed for Portsmouth. He was unveiled to the crowd at Fratton Park before the Championship clash against Brighton & Hove Albion after signing
20587-462: The new manager on a three-year contract. In his first season in charge, the Hammers finished 10th, once again suffering from inconsistent form. However, after a poor first half to the following season, Pellegrini was sacked in December 2019 with the team only one point above the relegation zone. His last game in charge was a 2–1 home loss to Leicester City. He was replaced by David Moyes, who returned for
20760-469: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is a professional football club based in Stratford , East London , England. The club competes in
20933-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
21106-441: The old Wembley Stadium . Their opponents were Bolton Wanderers . This was also known as the " White Horse final ", so named because an estimated 200,000 people came to see the match and the crowd was spilling out on to the pitch, which had to be cleared prior to kick-off by "Billie", a giant white horse (actually grey) being ridden by PC George Scorey . The cup final match itself ended 2–0 to Bolton. The team enjoyed mixed success in
21279-490: The opposite direction. Whitbread was valued at £750,000 (equivalent to £1.8 million in 2023) in the deal. Assistant manager Harry Redknapp was also now taking a bigger role in the transfer of players, with the club's approval. With rumours of his old club AFC Bournemouth being prepared to offer him a position, the West Ham board and their managing director, Peter Storrie , made a controversial move. The board were anxious not to lose Redknapp's services and offered Bonds
21452-461: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
21625-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
21798-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
21971-505: The player makes up to 75 senior starts which would raise the fee to a total of £7.6 million. His wage was reported at £50,000 a week His debut came on 10 February 2008 against rivals Manchester United in a 2–1 victory to City. He scored the second goal from a header in his first Manchester derby . His first goal at the City of Manchester Stadium was against his former club Portsmouth on 20 April 2008, although Benjani refused to celebrate after
22144-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
22317-543: The player to Harry Redknapp . This transfer from Auxerre to Portsmouth in January 2006 is one of those about which the Stevens inquiry report in June 2007 expressed concerns: "Agent Willie McKay acted for the selling club, Auxerre, in the transfer of Benjani and, for the same reason as above" (still awaiting clarification) "the inquiry is not prepared to clear these transfers at this stage." "In relation to Benjani's transfer,
22490-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
22663-457: The playoff final only to lose to Crystal Palace. His signings of Bobby Zamora , Matthew Etherington and veterans Chris Powell and Teddy Sheringham saw West Ham finishing sixth and subsequently beat Preston North End 1–0 thanks to a Zamora goal in the 2005 playoff final , securing a return to the Premier League. After ensuring promotion, Pardew said, "It's a team effort. We defended well and we're back where we belong." On their return to
22836-414: The reason. Bonds in particular found this attitude hard to understand compared to his own committed, never-say-die approach; providing for Bonds' further evidence of the decay in the modern game and modern player. Fifty-eight days later, Beauchamp was signed by Swindon Town for a club-record combined fee of £800,000 (equivalent to £2.1 million in 2023), which included defender Adrian Whitbread going in
23009-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
23182-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
23355-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
23528-409: The revenue gained from one entire stand and yet made only eight appearances; Christian Bassila , who cost £720,000 (equivalent to £1.5 million in 2023) and played only 86 minutes of football; Titi Camara ; Gary Charles , whose wages amounted to £4.4 million (equivalent to £9 million in 2023) but made only three starts for the club; Rigobert Song ; Paulo Futre ; and Marco Boogers ,
23701-534: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
23874-502: The run up to the 2006 African Cup of Nations , Benjani provided the funding for the senior national team's stay in France when they were preparing for the competition. Benjani retired from international football on 11 October 2010, following Zimbabwe's 0–0 draw with Cape Verde . He gained 24 international caps, scoring four goals. Auxerre Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer ,
24047-527: The running and financing of the club, in June 1900 Thames Ironworks F.C. was disbanded, then almost immediately relaunched as West Ham United F.C. — reflecting the West Ham , London district where they played — on 5 July 1900 with Syd King as their manager and future manager Charlie Paynter as his assistant. Because of the original "works team" roots and links (still represented upon the club badge), they are still known as "the Irons" or "the Hammers" amongst fans and
24220-440: The scoring, and although Blackpool equalised early in the second half, Ricardo Vaz Tê scored the winner for West Ham in the 87th minute. West Ham, on their return to the Premier League, signed former players James Collins and George McCartney on permanent deals, as well as record signing Matt Jarvis and Andy Carroll on loan. They won their first game of the season, on 18 August 2012, 1–0 against Aston Villa thanks to
24393-481: The season to 12 and subsequently resulted in him revising his target for the season, which had been 10. Benjani's goalscoring form during the first half of the 2007–08 season cemented Manchester City manager Sven-Göran Eriksson 's interest in the striker, and on 31 January 2008 he had a bid of around £7.6 million accepted for the transfer of the player. However, it was revealed that Benjani had missed two successive planes to Manchester, meaning he did not arrive at
24566-543: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
24739-487: The shipbuilding industry. The Blackwall and Canning Town neighbourhoods surrounding the Thames Ironworks echoed to the sound of hammers; steam hammers , sledge hammers and rivet hammers. Seven large mechanical steam hammers would punch small holes near the edges of the iron plates which would be joined to build the ships. The plates would be put in place and fixed together with rivets by teams of five, three inside
24912-415: The third qualifying round of the 2016–17 edition . At the end of the first season at the London Stadium , the team finished 11th, along with having to deal with the departure of star man Dimitri Payet . However, the team suffered a poor start to the following season, taking only two wins in their opening 11 games. Following a 4–1 defeat to Liverpool at home and with the team threatened by relegation, Bilić
25085-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
25258-531: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
25431-458: The top division, West Ham finished in ninth place, The highlight of the 2005–06 season , however, was reaching the FA Cup final and taking favourites Liverpool to a penalty shootout after a 3–3 draw. West Ham lost the shootout, but nonetheless gained entry to the following season's UEFA Cup as Liverpool had already qualified for the Champions League . In August 2006, West Ham completed
25604-472: The top flight since 1986. They also won the Intertoto Cup beating French club Metz to qualify for the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup . Things began to falter for Redknapp with the sale of Ferdinand to Leeds in November 2000. Redknapp used the transfer money poorly with purchases such as Ragnvald Soma , who cost £800,000 (equivalent to £1.7 million in 2023) and played only seven league games, Camara, and Song. Redknapp felt he needed more funds with which to deal in
25777-457: The top flight, up to and including the 2023–24 season . The club's highest league position to date came in 1985–86 , when it achieved third place in the then First Division . Three West Ham players were members of the 1966 World Cup finals-winning England team: captain Bobby Moore and goalscorers Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters . The club has a long-standing rivalry with Millwall , and
25950-413: The top level of English football in 1958. With the considerable input of player Malcolm Allison , Fenton helped develop both the initial batch of future West Ham stars and West Ham's approach to the game. Ron Greenwood was appointed as Fenton's successor in 1961 and soon led the club to two major trophies, winning the 1964 FA Cup Final . The team was led by the young Bobby Moore . West Ham also won
26123-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
26296-493: The transfer market. Chairman Brown lost patience with Redknapp due to his demands for further transfer funds. In June 2001, called to a meeting with Brown expecting to discuss contracts, he was fired. His assistant Frank Lampard left too, making the sale of his son, Frank Lampard Jr. , inevitable; in the summer of 2001, he joined Chelsea for £11 million (equivalent to £23 million in 2023). With several names, such as former player Alan Curbishley , now linked with
26469-597: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
26642-636: The two domestic cups. The Hammers reached the semi-final of the League Cup before being eliminated by eventual winners Birmingham City as well as the quarter-final of the FA Cup before a 2–1 defeat at eventual runners-up Stoke City . On 15 May 2011, West Ham's relegation to the Championship was confirmed after a comeback from Wigan at the DW Stadium . With West Ham leading 2–0 at half-time through two Demba Ba goals, Wigan battled back to win 3–2 thanks to an added-time strike from Charles N'Zogbia . Following
26815-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
26988-561: The winning goal in City's 3–2 win over Twente . He scored again in the UEFA Cup with an away goal against Schalke 04 . His former club Portsmouth were fined £15,000 for his transfer to and from the club, after they were found to have breached transfer rules. Benjani entered talks with Hull City over a transfer to the club in August 2009, but negotiations ended after he failed to agree personal terms. He
27161-510: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
27334-421: Was a good chance Bill would have resigned anyway, so we were in a no-win situation. We're sad that Bill is going, and it's a big blow but it's time to move on and we have appointed a great manager." Redknapp became manager on 10 August 1994. Redknapp's seven years as manager was notable for the turnover of players during his tenure and for the level of attractive football and success which had not been seen since
27507-429: Was also linked with a return to former club Portsmouth as well as West Ham and Stoke City of the Premier League and League Two club Notts County . Under new Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini , Benjani started his first game of the 2009–10 season in a third round FA Cup tie away to Middlesbrough on 2 January 2010, during which he scored the only goal just before half-time in a 1–0 win. On 8 June 2010, it
27680-409: Was announced that Benjani had joined Chippa United on a deal until the end of the season. Chippa United Head of Communication, Lukanyo Mzinzi confirmed that Benjani would move to Chippa, and revealed they have the option to renew Benjani's contract, that expires at the end of the current season. He made his debut on 6 March 2013 against Kaizer Chiefs . In 2020, he was the coach for Evercreech Rovers in
27853-460: Was announced that Benjani's contract had expired and that he would be leaving the club, along with Sylvinho , Karl Moore and Martin Petrov . On 2 February 2010, Benjani moved to Sunderland on loan until the end of the season, after the Premier League confirmed that the paperwork had been completed before the transfer deadline. On 18 May 2010, Steve Bruce confirmed that Benjani would not be offered
28026-419: Was appointed as manager on a three-year contract. In Bilić's fourth game in charge, the team won at Anfield for the first time in 52 years, beating Liverpool 0–3, with goals from Manuel Lanzini , Mark Noble and Diafra Sakho . At the end of the season, West Ham finished 7th in the Premier League. The team broke several records for the club in the Premier League era, including the highest number of points (62),
28199-437: Was appointed to manage England in the wake of Don Revie 's resignation in 1977. In 1978, West Ham were again relegated to the Second Division, but Lyall was retained as manager and led the team to victory in the 1980 FA Cup final with a 1–0 win against Arsenal , the most recent time a team from outside the top flight has won the FA Cup. They reached the final by defeating Everton in the semi-final. West Ham were promoted to
28372-527: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
28545-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
28718-541: Was former Chelsea striker Gianfranco Zola , who took over on 11 September 2008 to become the club's first non-British manager. In the 2008–09 season , West Ham finished ninth, a single place improvement. In the 2009–10 season , West Ham started strongly with a 2–0 win over newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers , with goals from Mark Noble and newly appointed captain Matthew Upson . A League Cup match against old rivals Millwall brought about violent riots outside
28891-548: Was lined up to be the next bench boss. Reading and their chairman, John Madejski , however, were reluctant to let him leave. After serving a period of notice and gardening leave, and with West Ham paying Reading £380,000 (equivalent to £759,000 in 2023) in compensation, he was appointed manager on 18 October 2003, their tenth manager. Pardew set out to rebuild the side bringing in Nigel Reo-Coker , Marlon Harewood and Brian Deane . In his first season in charge, they made
29064-497: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
29237-402: Was not offered a new contract and was subsequently released. After his release, Benjani wrote a goodbye message to Portsmouth fans, saying: The times at Pompey were the best for me. It's sad to be going and, of course, it's hard to leave. It's hard to leave any team, but Portsmouth isn't just any team to me. I've never been anything but happy at Portsmouth. It's been a hard season for everyone at
29410-527: Was out from August 2007. The last game of the season, at the Boleyn Ground , saw West Ham draw 2–2 against Aston Villa , ensuring a tenth-place finish three points ahead of rivals Tottenham Hotspur . It was a five-place improvement on the previous season, and most importantly West Ham were never under any realistic threat of relegation. After a row with the board over the sale of defenders Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney to Sunderland , manager Alan Curbishley resigned on 3 September 2008. His successor
29583-421: Was replaced with his assistant manager Charlie Paynter , who himself had been with West Ham in a number of roles since 1897 and who went on to serve the team in this role until 1950 for a total of 480 games. The club spent most of the next thirty years in the second division, first under Paynter and then later under the leadership of former player Ted Fenton . Fenton succeeded in getting the club promoted back to
29756-426: Was sacked on 6 November 2017. He was replaced by former Sunderland boss David Moyes on a contract until the end of the season. The team battled inconsistent form for the rest of the season but managed to avoid relegation and finish 13th. Moyes was not offered a new contract and left the club on the expiration of it on 16 May 2018. On 22 May 2018, the club appointed former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini as
29929-570: Was voted PSL Player of the Season and PSL Players' Player of the Season . Benjani was loaned to Swiss club Grasshopper Club Zürich in 2001. In 2002, Guy Roux took him to Auxerre . Benjani had a good run at the start, capitalising from Djibril Cissé 's absence, becoming top goalscorer in Ligue 1 . Roux never played the two together, and eventually Benjani found himself surplus to requirements under Roux's successor, Jacques Santini , this time forced out of
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