West Ham United play Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this Friday. We have taken this opportunity to look at some of the best players who have represented both clubs. Like this season, many of these players have been involved in relegation battles in English soccer's top flight for both teams.
The top five West Ham and Wolves players
5. Bobby Gould
Bobby Gould is best remembered for his time as a manager, with notable stints in charge of Wales and Wimbledon, with whom he won the FA Cup. However, he was a very good player himself, too. He won the FA Cup with West Ham in 1975. He scored in the third round win over Southampton, and featured in both semi-final ties against Ipswich. However, he was on the bench in the final as the Hammers beat Fulham.
In total, he scored 16 goals in 57 games for West Ham. He was also a notable goalscorer for Wolves. He had two spells at Molineux and scored 27 goals in 69 matches. He won the Football League Second Division with them in the 1976/77 campaign.
4. Carlton Cole
Carlton Cole had just a brief loan spell at Wolves from Chelsea. He scored the winner for the club against Norwich City in the First Division. However, after making just seven appearances, he was then recalled by Chelsea.
Cole's contribution to West Ham was immense; he played 293 times for them, scoring 67 goals with 30 assists. Notably, he scored in the playoff final at Wembley in 2012 to help the Hammers secure their place back in the Premier League.
3. Craig Dawson
Craig Dawson joined West Ham initially on loan from Watford in 2021. It appeared an underwhelming signing at the time, but Dawson soon became a fan favorite. He was a threat from set-pieces, as the center-back scored nine goals, with two assists in 87 games for the Hammers.
This was during a spell where the Hammers were regulars in Europe under David Moyes. He also received a Europa Conference League winners' medal despite leaving the club for Wolves halfway through that campaign. He had played in four of West Ham's group games and scored in a victory over Silkeborg.
His motivation for moving to Wolves was to return to be closer to his family. He played 61 times for Wolves and left them at the end of last season. He is now 35, and it appears that Wolves were to be his final club.
2. Paul Ince
Paul Ince is not the most popular amongst West Ham fans due to his controversial transfer to Manchester United in 1989. However, he was a good player for the club. He scored 11 goals in 86 games for West Ham and won Hammer of the Year in his final season.
After playing for Man United, Inter Milan, Liverpool, and Middlesbrough, Ince arrived at Molineux. He helped them gain promotion to the Premier League via the First Division playoffs in 2003. He set Nathan Blake's goal in a 3-0 victory over Sheffield United at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He made 127 appearances for Wolves, scoring 12 times, with five assists.
1. Matt Jarvis
Matt Jarvis was a pacy winger for both Wolves and West Ham. He played 175 times for Wolves, and his final season was his most emphatic. Despite being part of a side that was relegated from the Premier League, Jarvis still managed to score eight goals with four assists in 37 games.
This led to the Hammers paying £10.75 million for his services, which was a club record buy at the time. He helped West Ham establish themselves back in the Premier League, as he supplied many crosses for Andy Carroll. West Ham had a big threat on either wing, as Stewart Downing arrived at the club from Liverpool.
Jarvis would play 90 times for West Ham, scoring six goals with six assists. One of his most notable goals was the equalizer in a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.