The Great Escape by Hammers
THINK of The Great
Escape and you probably imagine Christmas in front of the telly, watching Steve McQueen hurdling over barbed-wire fences on that motorbike.
Unless you remember the 2006-07 Premier League season that is.
Because, with nine games remaining, there seemed no way West Ham could stay up.
Defeat by Tottenham, after the Irons had led 2-1 with five minutes left, set Alan Curbishley’s team 10-points adrift of safety with only nine games left.
Worse, they had to end the season at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were champions – but the Hammers still needed a point to ensure safety.
Wigan would survive, if they took maximum points at Bramall Lane in a relegation battle with Sheffield United, and West Ham were beaten.
Wigan were 2-1 up at half-time, while, at Old Trafford, the scoreline was somehow goalless, as the game entered the second minute of injury time.
The Irons had needed several goalline clearances and acrobatics from keeper Robert Green to keep out the home side – and it was Green’s clearance that set up the opening goal.
Carlos Tevez and Bobby Zamora linked up to give the former a sight of goal.
Wes Brown’s challenge sent the ball looping in the air and keeper Edwin van der Sar racing from his goalline – but Tevez got there a split-second before him and coolly nudged a shot under his body.
After the break, Ferguson threw on Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo for the last 30 minutes.
But West Ham held on resiliently and, at the final whistle, both sets of supporters celebrated.
United as champions, the Hammers for staying up – and so were Wigan after they won at Bramall Lane to send the Blades down to the Championship.
Move over, McQueen.