1975 FA Cup Final: West Ham vs Fulham

West Ham 2 - 0 Fulham

• West Ham
  • A. Taylor 60'
  • A. Taylor 64'
• Fulham

Wembley - Saturday 3rd May

Attendance: 100,000

Match Referee: A Holland

Team Line-ups:

The Hammers won only thirteen of their forty‑two League games during the 1974‑5 season, while Fulham averaged exactly one point per match in the Second Division. Yet, such is the fickleness of Cup fortune that, against all the odds, two moderate sides fought their way to the Final.

It was a Final abounding in personalities. Alec Stock and Ron Greenwood had already tasted Cup success at Wembley as managers and Fulham could boast two ex‑England captains in Mullery and Moore.

Fulham looked to be the better side in a dull first half, with the ball rarely in either penalty‑area except when defenders passed nervously back to their goalkeepers. Lacey went close with powerful headers from Conway's corner kick and Mullery's free‑kick. At the other end Brooking's cracking volley from thirty‑five yards soared high over the bar.

West Ham slowly but surely increased the pressure after the interval, and made the vital breakthrough on the hour. Mellor parried Jennings' awkwardly swerving shot and the rebound was gratefully slammed home from six yards by Alan Taylor.

West Ham scored an almost identical goal four minutes later. Mellor failed to make a clean catch from Paddon's hard shot and Taylor again put the ball in.

In a most sporting Final, intelligently refereed by Pat Partridge, neither trainer set foot on the pitch.

Arsenal v W. HAM 0‑2; Ipswich T v Leeds Utd 0‑0, 1‑ 1, 0‑0, 3‑2; Birmingham C v Middlesbro 1‑0; Carlisle Utd v FULHAM 0‑1

W. HAM v QPR 2‑1; Arsenal v Leicester C 0‑0, 1 ‑1, 1 ‑0; Ipswich T v Aston Villa 3‑2; Derby Co v Leeds Utd 0‑1; Birmingham C v Walsall 2‑1; Peterborough Utd v Middlesbro 1‑1, 0‑2; Mansfield T v Carlisle Utd 0‑1; Everton v FULHAM 1‑2

W. HAM v Swindon T 1 ‑1, 2‑1; QPR v Notts Co 3‑0; Coventry C v Arsenal 1‑1, 0‑3; Leatherhead v Leicester C 2‑3; Ipswich T v Liverpool 1 ‑0; Aston Villa v Sheff Utd 4‑1; Derby Co v Bristol R 2‑0; Leeds Utd v Wimbledon 0‑0, 1‑0; Chelsea v Birmingham C 0‑1; Walsall v Newcastle Utd 1‑0; Stafford Rangers v Peterborough Utd 1‑2; Middlesbro v Sunderland 3‑1; Bury v Mansfield T 1‑2 Carlisle Utd v WBA 3‑2; Plymouth Arg v Everton 1‑3; FULHAM v Nott'm Forest 0‑0, 1‑1. 1‑1, 2‑1

Southampton v W. HAM 1‑2; Swindon T v Lincoln C 2‑0; Southend v OPR 2‑2, 0‑2; Notts Co v Portsmouth 3‑ 1; Coventry C v Norwich C 2‑0; Arsenal v York C 1‑ 1, 3‑ 1; Leicester C v Oxford Utd 3‑1; Brighton & H Alb v Leatherhead 0‑1; Wolves v Ipswich T 1‑2; Liverpool v Stoke C 2‑0;Oldham Ath v Aston Villa 0‑3; Sheff Utd v Bristol C 2‑0; Orient v Derby Co 2‑2,1‑2, Blackburn R v Bristol R 1‑2; Leeds Ltd v Cardiff C 4‑1; Burnley v Wimbledon 0‑1; Chelsea v Sheff Wed 3‑2;Luton T v Birmingham C 0‑1; Man Utd v Walsall 0‑0, 2‑3; Man C v Newcastle Utd 0‑2; Stafford Rangers v Rotherham Utd 0‑0, 2‑0; Peterborough Utd v Tranmere R 1‑0; Wycombe Wand v Middlesbro 0‑0, 0‑1; Sunderland v Chesterfield 2‑0; Bury v Millwall 2‑2, 1‑1, 2‑0; Mansfield T v Cambridge Utd 1‑0; PNE v Carlisle Utd 0‑1; Bolton Wand v WBA 0‑0, 0‑4; Plymouth Arg v Blackpool 2‑0; Everton v Altrincham 1‑1, 2‑0; Nott'm Forest v Spurs 1 ‑1, 1 ‑0; FULHAM v Hull C 1‑1, 2‑2, 1 ‑0