In 2012, Sir Geoff Hurst sold his 1966 World Cup-winner’s medal to West Ham for a reported £150k. The club had already acquired Bobby Moore’s collection of memorabilia for £1.45m, including his winner’s medal, and persuaded Martin Peters to sell them his medal as well.
Upon selling the medal, Hurst said, “It was always my intention to leave it to my three daughters, yet how do you divide a medal three ways? So, as a family, we decided to place it in a museum and invest the proceeds for the girls.”
Fast forward to 2024: West Ham have been tenants at the London Stadium since the summer of 2016, yet there are no signs of a museum for fans to visit and see the medals, alongside other club memorabilia.
Initially, West Ham opened a museum at Upton Park on 23rd October 2002, inviting Roberta Moore, Dean Moore, Martin Peters, Brian Dear, and Patrick Hills, a descendant of Arnold Hills, founder of Thames Ironworks in 1895. However, the museum closed when the club vacated the ground. Some items were auctioned, and the majority are now stored in a vault.
A club museum was mentioned in the original London Stadium proposal during the tender process but was omitted during the second tender.
Having visited Manchester City’s museum at the Etihad Stadium and Real Madrid’s museum at the Bernabéu, it seems odd that the world’s 18th richest club (based on revenue), steeped in history, has not incorporated a museum into the stadium tour or established one in the local area.
I booked the London Stadium tour in 2016 with my dad, and it was a fantastic experience, though the one thing missing was a museum.
In September 2021, West Ham unveiled a statue at the London Stadium paying tribute to Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, and Martin Peters, as well as the club’s 1965 European Cup Winners’ Cup victory. At the time, Mark Noble commented, “It’s important we respect and remember the players who have brought this club to the forefront of world football – and those three most certainly have.”
Sadly, the medals remain in a vault, contradicting the reasons they were purchased by the club.
Hopefully, in the future, West Ham will find a solution that allows fans to experience the legacy and history of this great club.
