2004–05 West Ham United F.C. season

Following the previous season's First Division play-off final loss to Crystal Palace, Rob Lee, Brian Deane, Wayne Quinn and Shaun Byrne were all released from West Ham on free transfers. They were closely followed by Kevin Horlock, who signed for Ipswich Town, and David Connolly, who left for Leicester City in a £500,000 deal. Sébastien Carole also returned to Monaco after his loan spell, while Richard Garcia and Elliott Ward signed new contracts.

The first signing Alan Pardew made following the end of the previous season was goalkeeper James Walker, signed on a free transfer from Walsall, where he had been a folk hero. He was brought in as cover for Stephen Bywater. The following month former England international Teddy Sheringham and Serhiy Rebrov both signed on free transfers, from Portsmouth and Tottenham respectively. Their arrivals were closely followed by those of AFC Bournemouth captain Carl Fletcher for £275,000 and winger Luke Chadwick from Manchester United on a free transfer. In September, Malky Mackay signed for £300,000 from Norwich City.

West Ham's biggest defeat of the season was away to Cardiff City on 2 November 2004 when they lost 4–1. The Welsh team featured former Hammer Jobi McAnuff, who created the first two goals and scored the fourth. West Ham's biggest win of the season came in their home game against Plymouth Argyle on 19 February 2005 when they won 5–0.

West Ham only lost one of their last ten matches, which helped moved them from seventh to sixth, guaranteeing a play-off spot. The club returned to the FA Premier League at the second time of asking, defeating Preston North End in the 2005 Football League Championship play-off Final with a single goal from Bobby Zamora.

Squad at end of season[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  ENG Stephen Bywater 2 DF  CZE Tomáš Řepka 3 DF  ENG Rufus Brevett 4 MF  SCO Don Hutchison 5 DF  WAL Andy Melville 6 MF  WAL Carl Fletcher 7 DF  SCO Christian Dailly 8 FW  ENG Teddy Sheringham 10 FW  ENG Marlon Harewood 11 MF  NIR Steve Lomas 12 MF  ENG Matthew Etherington 14 MF  ENG Chris Cohen 15 DF  ENG Anton Ferdinand 16 FW  UKR Serhiy Rebrov 17 MF  ENG Hayden Mullins 18 FW  FRA Youssef Sofiane

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 MF  ENG Nigel Reo-Coker (captain) 21 DF  SCO Malky Mackay 22 DF  ENG Elliott Ward 23 GK  ENG Jimmy Walker 24 MF  ENG Mark Noble 25 FW  ENG Bobby Zamora 26 MF  ENG Shaun Newton 27 FW  ENG Greg Pearson 28 DF  AUS Trent McClenahan 30 MF  ENG Luke Chadwick 31 DF  ENG Darren Blewitt 32 FW  ENG Moses Ashikodi 34 DF  ENG Chris Powell 35 MF  WAL Gavin Williams 36 MF  ENG Hogan Ephraim

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 6 MF  ENG Michael Carrick (to Tottenham Hotspur) 9 MF  JAM Jobi McAnuff (to Cardiff City) 9 DF  ARG Mauricio Taricco (released) 19 MF  ENG Adam Nowland (to Nottingham Forest) 19 DF  ENG Darren Powell (on loan from Crystal Palace)

No. Pos. Nation Player 21 FW  AUS Richard Garcia (to Colchester United) 26 DF  ENG Calum Davenport (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur) 29 MF  ENG Graeme Carrick (Released) 41 GK  ENG Robert Burch (on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)