In the 1971–72 season West Ham United played in the First Division of English football, finishing 14th.
After beating title challengers Leeds United and Liverpool, they faced Stoke City in the last four.
West Ham won the first leg 2–1 away, but were beaten 1–0 at Upton Park, with Geoff Hurst having a late penalty saved by his England international team-mate Gordon Banks three minutes from the end.
In the FA Cup, they struggled past non-League Hereford United in a replay, but were then eliminated by relegation-threatened Huddersfield Town in the fifth round.
[1] This season was the last as West Ham players for club stalwarts Hurst[4] and Harry Redknapp.