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A look back at 25 years of the Hammers
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Hammers boss Peter Thorogood entered his third season since re-taking the helm at the Arena Raceway by surprising almost everyone - he announced his side early!
The long-time Hammers man changed tack from his usual policy of last minute pre press day signings - and sorted his side out with some time to spare. Since the end of the 1997 season, Hammers fans had clinged to the hope that the legendary Andrew Silver - such a cult hero during his spell with the club in 1986 and 1987 - could be persuaded to return to the saddle.
Although this was not to be the case, Thorogood understood that the Hammers needed strengthening at the top end of the side. He cited his intention to sign an out-andout number one rider - someone who could perform at all tracks and score heavily both home and away. That rider was to be Ipswich asset Leigh Lanham.
Plucked from under the noses of the Isle of Wight and still only 21, Lanham was a vastly talented rider who would hopefully fill that role with consummate ease. The current British Under-21 Champion, he would be joined by another newcomer - Kent grasstracker Matt Read on a full contract.
Read had caused a sensation when he partnered Jan Pedersen to victory in the previous season's memorial pairs meeting. With those two signed and sealed, the remainder of the side was completed with those who had performed for the Hammers in 1997 - Skipper Troy Pratt, Colin White, Jan Pedersen, Nathan Morton and Paul Lydes-Uings.
It was a very attractive looking side which Thorogood could justifiably be proud of - off track at least. Of the remainder of the 1997 outfit, David Mason moved on a full transfer to Newport and Tommy Palmer joined Sheffield.
The year got off to the worst possible start when teenager Read broke his hand on press and practice day. And it got worse from there - the season opening Essex Championship, which had attracted a very healthy first night attendance - was abandoned when the track doctor failed to turn up.
Thorogood was despondent - even more so when the following two home meetings were rained off. The Hammers finally got their season underway with a heavy defeat at Peterborough - and followed that up with a Pedersen-inspired win over Reading as the home season moved into gear.
There were fears in April over the fitness of new number one Lanham, who crashed heavily during the Purfleet staging of the British Under-21 championship. Thankfully for both he and the Hammers, Lanham was fit to take his place in the side the following week against Peterborough. That meeting saw the debut of Read, who kicked his season into life with four rides from the tough number two position.
The shining light early on turned out to be Pedersen, who claimed an 18-point maximum against Newcastle in May. His purple patch helped the Hammers' cause considerably as Pratt's early form was patchy and Read fought his fitness battle. The month of May saw the Hammers grab their first away points of the season - at Newport - despite a wagging tail.
Amazingly, the Wasps would avenge that defeat by claiming the points at Purfleet - much to the dismay of the Hammers home faithful. By this time they had lost the services of Morton with a broken wrist - and Thorogood wasted no time in swooping for talented Peterborough 16-year old Oliver Allen on a short term loan.
He formed a powerful reserve partnership with Read - moving down the team with the introduction of the new averages - and would add some needed steel to a stuttering Hammers side. It had the required effect early on as the Hammers claim June home wins over Stoke and put up decent showings at Exeter, Edinburgh and Berwick - before claiming another win at Newport.
Lanham had started to show that he was the top man that Arena had been looking for - but his increase in scoring power was nullified by a loss of form by Pratt. He'd lost his trademark starting ability and looked particularly vulnerable around his own Purfleet bowel. His drop in average - and subsequent improvement from Colin White - saw him move to second string for the first time since 1994.
But any hoped for improvement in Pratt's scoring was to prove false as his form actually got worse. This continued until the rider himself dropped a huge bombshell on Thorogood, the club and the fans when he announced his retirement from the sport at the beginning of July. Everybody was stunned - none more so than the Hammers boss, who had signed him as a raw junior almost ten years previous. Sadly, Pratt's career ended on a low note when he failed to score in an away defeat at Reading.
With Oliver Allen's loan deal terminated, Thorogood moved in for Paul Clews, but missed out as the rider chose to go to Reading instead. There was also no sign of a replacement for Pratt, Thorogood opting to use the rider replacement facility instead, which was to prove a bone of contention among fans for the rest of the year. Gaps in the reserve berth were plugged by the signing of Gavin Hedge and Anthony Barlow, although neither were to make any impression.
There was further calamity for Thorogood to deal with in August when he lined up John Wainwright for a return to Hammers colours - only for the rider to decline. With the loss of the rider replacement facility for Pratt, the patience of the fans finally broke when Hammers lost by a considerable margin at home to Reading.
Shouts of "Sign someone to strengthen the side, Thorogood!" incensed the Arena boss, who took to the mike after the meeting to retaliate. The Hammers boss pleaded that no-one was available for him to sign, with new Skipper Colin White backing him up as the fans began to express further opinions.
Although the Hammers were to make the Fours finals at Peterborough, a season that promised so much was by now over at Purfleet. Pratt was never properly replaced, although David Mason was to return in September to plug the hole in the side. Far too little, too late for the Hammers to make the end-of-season play-offs.
Although 1998 will not be remembered with any great fondness by Hammers followers, it did through up some highlights. Colin White had a great season and held the team together when he was appointed captain. Likewise Jan Pedersen, who remained as popular as ever with the home faithful. Despite a drop in form towards the end of the year, he'd upped his average and narrowly missed out on qualification for the PLRC - the honour of which went to Lanham.
In his debut season, Leigh had proved a very shrewd acquisition with some thrilling home shows countered with some good away displays and a long Silver Helmet run.
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