Ted MacDOUGALL

Ted MacDougall is pictured above playing for West Ham United during their

4-3 win against Southampton.

MacDougall was signed by West Ham from Manchester United for a club record fee of

£170,000 in February 1973, as a replacement for Geoff Hurst, who had left at the end

of the previous season. The Scottish striker made his debut for the Hammers in a 0-0

draw against Sheffield United at Bramhall Lane in March 1973. He netted his first goal

in his Upton Park debut, a 2-1 win against Manchester City a week later, and scored

four goals for West Ham in his first five appearances.

The Hammers finished in a creditable sixth place in the First Division by the end of his

first season, with MacDougall’s goals providing valuable support to his striking partner

Pop Robson, the division’s top scorer. However, in his second season at West Ham MacDougall

managed only one goal in his ten appearances, as his relationship with manager Ron Greenwood

became increasingly strained. He was sent off for his involvement in an incident with Burnley’s

Doug Collins in another Upton Park defeat in October 1973.

But his days at Upton Park were well and truly numbered after a post-match bust up with Billy Bonds,

who had questioned his commitment following a 4-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road in

November 1973. A month later with the Hammers at the bottom of the First Division table,

he was sold to Norwich City as part of the deal that brought Graham Paddon to Upton Park.

In total MacDougal played twenty-five games for the Hammers, scoring six goals in his ten

months with the club.  (Mark Matthews)