True Colours: The Kit Worn During West Ham's Best Premier League Finish

Heritage
02 Oct 2020
3 Minutes
With West Ham United visiting King Power Stadium on Sunday (12pm BST kick-off), LCFC.com remembers a truly iconic kit from the Hammers' collection.

West Ham's 1998/99 campaign ended with the club's highest top flight position since the formation of the Premier League, as they finished the season in fifth.

It would be the final year that Pony would manufacturer the Londoners' kit and they produced a traditional claret and blue home shirt with a large, open collar, white shorts and claret socks.

The strip featured light blue sleeves and was sponsored for the first time by Dr Martens, who would remain as West Ham's shirt sponsor until 2003.

After finishing 1997/98 eighth in the table, manager Harry Redknapp oversaw a mini overhaul of the squad in the summer months, with several new arrivals, including the capture of former Arsenal striker Ian Wright.

Then the Gunners' all-time record goalscorer and an England international, Wright moved to Upton Park in July 1998 for a reported fee in the region of £500,000.

Ian Wright made his mark on his league debut for the Hammers, scoring in victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

West Ham and Wright got off to the perfect start as he scored the only goal at Hillsborough in victory over Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day of the new campaign.

And following goalless draws with Manchester United and Coventry City, Wright would score twice more against Wimbledon, though they came in a 4-3 home defeat at Upton Park.

Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop also signed for the club, as did ex-Liverpool defender Neil Ruddock and French midfielder Marc Keller.

Coming through the West Ham ranks, meanwhile, was youngster Joe Cole, who played his first eight league games during the 1998/99 season, alongside fellow Academy graduates, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard.

The trio of young English emerging talents helped West Ham to make a strong start to the season and, following a run of three consecutive wins in November, over Leicester City, Derby County and Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham were as high as second.

Rio Ferdinand was one of three West Ham Academy graduates who impressed during the 1998/99 season.

But after six defeats from the next nine league games, as well as bowing out of the FA Cup and League Cup to lower league opposition, the Hammers' season threatened to derail.

Redknapp brought in Paulo Di Canio to replace outgoing forward John Hartson, and the Italian would go on to become a cult hero in east London, making 148 Premier League appearances during his four years at the club, scoring 63 times.

Di Canio netted his first West Ham goal in a 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers in February, while Cameroon international Marc-Vivien Foé and defender Scott Minto also arrived at Upton Park midway through the campaign.

Memorable victories over Chelsea - a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge - and Newcastle United followed, while Redknapp's side also recorded their biggest margin of victory by beating Derby County 5-1 in April.

The Hammers finished the league season with a 4-0 home victory over Middlesbrough to secure their highest league position since finishing third in the First Division in 1986 and also qualified for the Intertoto Cup.

The January signing of Paulo Di Canio helped West Ham move back up the table in the second half of the season.

On 24 August, 1999, now wearing their new kit, manufactured by Fila, the Hammers defeated Ligue 1 outfit Metz 3-1 in the second leg of the Intertoto Cup Final at Upton Park.

The Londoners booked their place in the 1999/00 UEFA Cup thanks to goals from Trevor Sinclair, Lampard and Paulo Wanchope, despite trailing 1-0 from the first leg.

West Ham went on to beat Croatian outfit NK Osijek in the first round of the UEFA Cup, but bowed out in round two, falling to defeat against Steaua Bucharest.

In the league, meanwhile, Redknapp's side finished the 1999/00 season in a respectable ninth position, level on points with eighth-placed Leicester City.