[1] The son of a train driver, Malcolm was born above a grocery in Upton Park, a short distance from the Boleyn Ground.

He joined West Ham United in 1948 from Dury Falls Secondary School in Hornchurch, and worked in the club office as well as playing.

[4] After nearly 100 reserve appearances,[2] Malcolm made his senior debut in October 1953, an Essex Professional Cup encounter against Colchester United at Layer Road that the hosts won 5–1.

He played 22 League games in 1955–56, and was also part of the team that narrowly missed out on an FA Cup semi-final after losing a sixth-round replay against Tottenham Hotspur.

[4][9] Finding that there was no room for his style of play under Ron Greenwood, Malcolm left Hammers after 283 league appearances, one season away from qualifying for a testimonial match.

He made 27 League appearances for the club, his only goal coming against west London rivals Fulham on 13 January 1962, but was unable to prevent Chelsea's relegation to the Second Division at the end of the 1961–62 season.

[6]An obituary in The Independent concurred: The unobtrusive but unremittingly tough Malcolm was indeed a formidable enforcer who tackled ruthlessly and was tenacious when marking an opposing danger man, especially during his prime with West Ham United.

Yet he was deceptively skilful, a precise and perceptive passer endowed with more subtle shades of ability than most ball-winning wing-halves of his era.