Thank you, Aaron Cresswell
35 years old left back Aaron Cresswell is going to leave the club after eleven years at West Ham when his contract expires in June.
Cresswell, born in December 1989 in Liverpool, started his footballing career at Tranmere Rovers where he made his first-team debut in 2008 and made 70 league appearances for the club before signing for Ipswich Town in 2011. He made 138 appearances for Ipswich scoring six goals, before joining West Ham United in July 2014. He made 310 league appearances for the Hammers and scored 10 league goals. His international debut for England took place in November 2016 in a friendly against Spain. Cresswell played three times for England.
In this emotional video clip he looks back on his eleven years with West Ham, describing his time there as an incredible journey.
Thank you, Aaron!
PS: Vladimir Coufal also has to leave West Ham by the end of this season. Here‘s his farewell ▶️Instagram
PPS: Lukasz Fabianski is the third player whose contract expired. Here is his farewell ▶️Instagram
Vor 40 Jahren…
…stand der SK Rapid im Europacup-Finale. Am 15. Mai 1985 spielten die Grün-Weißen in Rotterdam gegen Everton.
Mit einem Fan-Autobus fuhren wir damals wie 10.000 weitere Rapid-Anhänger von Wien nach Rotterdam. In der Stadt waren viele Everton-Fans mit ihren blau-weißen Schals und Kappen, die Stimmung war gut und voller Vorfreude auf das Finale im „de Kuip“-Stadion.
Bis zur Halbzeit stand es 0:0, in der 58. Minute musste Rapid dann aber doch das 0:1 hinnehmen, in der 62. Minute folgte der zweite Gegentreffer.
Kurz vor Schluss konnte Hans Krankl nach Zuspiel von Zlatko Kranjcar auf 1:2 verkürzen, bald nach diesem Tor lief aber Rapid in einen Konter. Das 1:3 in der 88. Minute entschied das Spiel endgültig und der Tabellenführer der englischen First Division und spätere Meister 1984/85 holte sich in dieser Saison auch den Triumph im Cup der Cupsieger!
Wenn aber Antonin Panenka fit gewesen und nicht bloß kurz vor der Rapid-Viertelstunde eingewechselt worden wäre, wer weiß, wie das Match dann ausgegangen wäre!
(oben) Pacult, Brauneder, Kranjcar, Garger, Krankl
(vorne) Lainer, Hrstic, Weber, Feurer, Weinhofer, Kienast
Zwei Wochen später kam es dann in der selben Saison im Brüsseler Heysel Stadion zu der von englischen Anhängern ausgelösten Massenpanik im Meistercup-Finale FC Liverpool – Juventus Turin, die 39 Todesopfer forderte und bei der Hunderte verletzt wurden. Daraufhin wurden die englischen Klubs auf unbestimmte Zeit von den europäischen Cupbewerben ausgeschlossen und Everton blieb die Teilnahme am Meistercup verwehrt, obwohl man nach 1985 auch noch 1987 die englische Meisterschaft gewann. Die Sperre der englischen Vereine dauerte fünf Jahre, Everton wurde seither nur noch einmal FA-Cupsieger (1995), einmal verloren die Toffees mit David Moyes als Manager das FA Cup-Finale: 2009 gegen Chelsea (1:2). Moyes gewann erst mit West Ham erstmals “silverware“ in der Conference League 2023. Seit Jänner 2025 trainiert er wieder Everton.
So bitter die Niederlage gegen Everton bei dem weitgehend friedlich verlaufenen Finale 1985 für den SK Rapid auch war, man konnte mit erhobenem Haupt zurück nach Wien fahren und wurde vom damaligen Bürgermeister Helmut Zilk am Rathausplatz geehrt: “Wir waren traurig, sind aber trotzdem stolz auf euch, weil ihr unseren Fußball würdig vertreten habt,“ sagte der Bürgermeister zu Rapids Trainer Otto Baric.
Europacup der Cupsieger, Finale:
Everton FC – SK Rapid 3:1 (0:0), 15. 5. 1985
Feyenoord-Stadion, 45.000, SR Casarin (Italien)
Everton FC: Southall; Stevens, Mountfield, Ratcliffe, van den Hauwe; Steven, Reid, Bracewell, Sheedy; Sharp, Gray
SK Rapid: Konsel; Weber; Lainer, Garger, Kienast, Brauneder; Hrstic, Kranjcar, Weinhofer (68. Panenka); Pacult (60. Gröss), Krankl
Tore: 1:0 (58.) Gray, 2:0 (72.) Steven, 2:1 (85.) Krankl, 3:1 (88.) Sheedy
Gelb: Weber; Stevens
Man Utd 0 West Ham 2
This was the Hammers’ first league win at Old Trafford since 2006-07, ending a run of 16 league trips there without a win (D3 L13). On Sunday, Soucek and again Jarrod Bowen, the Hammers‘ top scorer with his eleventh goal, helped West Ham to gain their first win since February. The Irons had not won in their past eight league games.
And with Tottenham also losing this weekend, West Ham have now surpassed ManUtd as well as Spurs in the table. It seems unbelievable, but it is true that one of these clubs can play in the Champions League next season by winning the Europa League final!
West Ham, though itself having a bad season, have secured their first double over Manchester United in eighteen years with this win at Old Trafford. And the “Red Devils” have now equalled their worst Premier League run of seven games without a win, back in 1992. This could be their worst league campaign since they were relegated from the top flight in the 1973-74 season.
At West Ham change is on its way: it has been confirmed this week that veterans Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal and Lukasz Fabianski, together with Danny Ings are going to leave the club when their contracts expire by the end of the season. Manager Graham Potter now has to attempt a transition out of the squad that famously won the Uefa Conference League in 2023, a feat that his predecessor Lopetegui already failed at.
EFL Play-Offs: When and who?
In a season in which West Ham’s performances were not much cause for celebration, the football fans’ attention was drawn to the lower leagues from time to time, and RapidHammer watched two EFL games live in London this season, Wimbledon AFC v Barrow in League Two in March (2-2) and last Saturday the League One game Charlton Athletic v Burton Albion (3-1).
The respective home teams of these games, Charlton and Wimbledon, both play in the EFL play-offs, joined by 10 other teams, within this and the following week.
On Friday two of the first legs of the six EFL semifinals have already been played (dates and results cf. below).
The clubs which beat their opponents in the two-legged semifinals will play in the following EFL play-offs at Wembley:
Championship: Saturday 24 May
League One: Sunday 25 May
League Two: Monday 26 May
These are the play-off semifinals this season (results will be updated):
League TwoNotts County v AFC Wimbledon (first leg: 0-1, second leg: 0-1)Chesterfield v Walsall (first leg: 0-2, second leg: 1-2)
(already promoted: Doncaster Rovers, Port Vale, Bradford City)
League One
Leyton Orient v Stockport County (first leg: 2-2, second leg: 1-1; penalties 4-1) Wycombe Wanderers v Charlton Athletic (first leg: 0-0, second leg: 1-0)
(already promoted: Birmingham City, Wrexham)
ChampionshipBristol City v Sheffield United (first leg: 0-3, second leg 0-3)Coventry City v Sunderland (first leg 1-2, second leg 1-1 a.e.t.)
(already promoted: Leeds United, Burnley)
Austrian Irons on tour
Video ▶️ https://youtu.be/WAI6bfs70Gw
Austrian West Ham supporters club “Austrian Irons” made their first joint trip of eleven fans coming over to London to watch the game vs. Tottenham and make a pitch side tour at London Stadium. By chance we popped into former Austrian national team and Rapid player Roman Wallner, revisited the area of the former Boleyn Ground at Upton Park and had a brilliant time on Saturday and Sunday. The game ended 1-1, West Ham were unable to surpass Spurs in the Premier League table, but the trip itself was a full success! Come on you Irons!
Wolfsberg ÖFB-Cupsieger
Das Team von Rapid-Legende Didi Kühbauer gewann durch ein Tor der kurz zuvor für Ballo eingewechselten Nummer 7, Angelo Gattermayer (77. Minute) den österreichischen Fußballcup.
WAC siegt 1:0 in Klagenfurt gegen TSV Hartberg
Für WAC-Coach Didi Kühbauer ist es der erste Titel als Trainer. “Wenn mir jemand gesagt hätte, dass ich den ersten Titel als Trainer mit dem WAC hole, dann hätte ich ihn einliefern lassen”, sagte der glückliche Erfolgstrainer.
Als Spieler wurde Kühbauer mit Rapid Wien österreichischer Meister 1996 und Cupsieger 1995 (Rapids letzter Cupsieg). 1996 stand Didi mit Rapid im Europacupfinale. 2006 kam er auch mit Mattersburg ins ÖFB-Cupfinale. Kühbauer ist Teil des Rapid Teams des Jahrhunderts. Von Oktober 2018 bis November 2021 war er Trainer des SK Rapid.
Didi Kühbauer: “Das größte, was ich als Trainer erleben kann!“
Nun hat der Burgenländer im 90. ÖFB-Cupfinale sensationell den österreichischen Cuptitel mit dem Wolfsberger AC errungen und hätte sogar noch Chancen auf den österreichischen Meistertitel. Derzeit liegen die Kärntner vier Runden vor Meisterschaftsende drei Punkte hinter Austria Wien und Sturm Graz, vor RB Salzburg und Rapid.
Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Didi!
Dominik Baumgartner, WAC – Kapitän und Bruder von Nationalteamspieler Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig), stemmte als Erster den Pokal in Klagenfurt (oben)
Liverpool vs Tottenham 5-1
Liverpool have secured the Premier League title with this win! New manager Arne Slot can celebrate the English championship in his first season in charge after Jürgen Klopp’s departure. Klopp had won the Premier League in 2019/20.
Wrexham promoted…
…West Ham safe from relegation, and Crystal Palace in FA Cup final!
The season is nearing its end in the English Football League. Wrexham gained back-to-back promotions with a 3-0 win over Charlton at their Racecourse Ground on Saturday. With this victory Wrexham secured second place in League One behind Birmingham and will play in the Championship next season.
In the Premier League West Ham lost 2-3 at Brighton the same afternoon, but with Ipswich also being defeated by Newcastle, the Hammers are safe from relegation despite not having won in two months or seven games now. Being on only 36 points from 34 games is very disappointing for the east London side , but with a derby against Tottenham ahead, the Hammers could still climb up the table next weekend if they beat Spurs.
“We have four big games to end the season,” said a disappointed Jarrod Bowen after West Ham had been in a winning position with 2-1 up in the 83rd minute and not picked up any points due to two late goals.
“We have Tottenham next week, which is a big derby for us, so we have to bounce back.”
Later that evening Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace defeated Aston Villa 3-0 in the FA Cup final and will play Nottingham Forest or Manchester City in the final. What a feat for the Eagles! 🦅 Glasner‘s team had a disastrous start into the season and were without a win in eight games, but with chairman Steve Parish placing his trust in Glasner, they managed to turn the season around completely and now have the chance to win silverware. Glasner has already won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, but Crystal Palace, founded in 1905, have not yet won any major trophy in their history. The biggest successes in the club’s history were reaching the FA Cup final in 1990 and 2016 and finishing third in the English First Division in the 1990/91 season.
In League Two Wimbledon lost at home to Port Vale that have secured automatic promotion to League One with this win. Wimbledon is going to play Grimsby Town next week and must not lose this last game of the campaign if they want to keep their place in the play-offs.
Cup win for Academy of Football
West Ham United were crowned U18 Premier League Cup champions 2024/25 following a 2-1 victory over Reading at Select Car Leasing Stadium on Tuesday evening.
This win comes only two years since the young Hammers in 2022/23 won the FA Youth Cup by defeating Arsenal 5-1 in the final at Emirates Stadium. The same season Kevin Keen’s U18 were also champions of the Premier League South Division.
What a wonderful achievement for the young Irons. West Ham United U18s lead coach Lauris Coggin hailed the Academy of Football values shown by his young players who made history again by lifting the Premier League Cup in 2025 for the first time:
“It means so much,” he reflected. “I’ve seen a lot of their journey. Not just us as staff and players, but the whole Academy, to win it at the end of a long competition is a fantastic feeling for everyone.”
Reading U18s 1-2 West Ham United U18s
West Ham United U18s: Awesu, Medine, Adiele, Mayers, Oyebade ©, Golambeckis, Kamara (Caliste 36), Hargan, Ajala, Sowunmi, Landers
Subs not used: Hooper (GK), Nwosu, Beckford, Balogun
Goals: Ajala 17, 77
EXTRA TIME 
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