Fifth in the FA Premier League, the 1998-1999 season was West Ham United's second best placing ever in the top-flight, securing UEFA Cup qualification to mark a return to European competitions after 19 years in the wilderness (though the Hammers would have qualified for the UEFA Cup through their third place finish in 1986 had it not been for the ban on English clubs in European competitions).
New additions to the side for the season were goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, defender Neil Ruddock, Marc Keller and Arsenal goalscoring legend Ian Wright, while mid-season arrivals came in the shape of midfielder Marc-Vivien Foé, defender Scott Minto and striker Paolo Di Canio. During the course of the season, several key players left the club, including veteran defender Tim Breacker, unsettled striker John Hartson (who signed for struggling Wimbledon after being linked with a move to a Manchester United side who won the league title, FA Cup and European Cup that season) and winger Andy Impey. April saw the retirement of defender Richard Hall, who had struggled with injuries since his arrival from Southampton in July 1996.
1998-99 saw the emergence of highly promising midfielder Joe Cole, who played his first eight league games that campaign and made a further appearance in the FA Cup, though he failed to score.
| No. | Player | Position | Lge apps | Lge Gls | FAC apps | FAC Gls | LC apps | LC Gls | Date signed | Previous lub | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Ham United XI 1998-1999 | |||||||||||
| 12 | Shaka Hislop (Hammer of the Year) | GK | 37 | 2 | 2 | July 1998 | Newcastle United | ||||
| 6 | Neil Ruddock | CB | 27 | 2 | 1 | July 1998 | Liverpool | ||||
| 15 | Rio Ferdinand | CB | 31 | 1 | 1 | November 1995 | Academy | ||||
| 19 | Ian Pearce | CB | 33 | 1 | 2 | September 1997 | Blackburn Rovers | ||||
| 7 | Marc Keller | LWB | 17+4 | 5 | 1 | July 1998 | Karlsruher | ||||
| 8 | Trevor Sinclair | RWB | 36 | 7 | 2 | 2 | January 1998 | Queens Park Rangers | |||
| 11 | Steve Lomas (captain) | CM | 30 | 2 | March 1997 | Manchester City | |||||
| 18 | Frank Lampard | CM | 38 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | July 1995 | Academy | ||
| 29 | Eyal Berkovic | ACM | 28+2 | 3 | 1+1 | 1 | June 1997 | Southampton F.C. | |||
| 10 | Paolo Di Canio | CF | 12+1 | 4 | January 1999 | Sheffield Wednesday | |||||
| 14 | Ian Wright | CF | 20+2 | 9 | 1 | 2 | August 1998 | Arsenal | |||
| Important Players | |||||||||||
| 10 | John Hartson | CF | 16+1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | February 1997 | Arsenal | |||
| 20 | Scott Minto | LWB | 14+1 | January 1999 | Benfica | ||||||
| 9 | Paul Kitson | CF | 13+4 | 3 | February 1997 | Newcastle United | |||||
| 13 | Marc-Vivien Foé | CM | 13 | January 1999 | Lens | ||||||
| 4 | Steve Potts | CB | 11+8 | 1 | 2 | May 1984 | Academy | ||||
| 17 | Stan Lazaridis | LWB | 11+4 | 2 | 1 | September 1995 | West Adelaide | ||||
| 3 | Julian Dicks | D | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | October 1994 | Liverpool | |||
| 16 | John Moncur | CM | 6+8 | 1 | June 1994 | Swindon Town | |||||
| Other players | |||||||||||
| 20 | Andy Impey | RWB | 6+2 | 1 | September 1997 | Queens Park Rangers | |||||
| 30 | Javier Margas | CB | 3 | July 1998 | Universidad | ||||||
| 26 | Joe Cole | M | 2+6 | 0+1 | July 1997 | Academy | |||||
| 2 | Tim Breacker | RB | 2+1 | 1 | 0+1 | October 1990 | Luton Town | ||||
| 24 | Samassi Abou | CF | 2+1 | 0+1 | 1 | October 1997 | Cannes | ||||
| 22 | Craig Forrest | GK | 1+1 | July 1995 | Ipswich | ||||||
| 27 | Emmanuel Omoyinmi | F | 0+3 | 1+1 | 0+1 | May 1995 | Academy | ||||
| 28 | Chris Coyne | CB | 0+1 | January 1996 | Perth SC | ||||||
| 25 | Lee Hodges | M | 0+1 | March 1995 | Academy | ||||||
| 40 | Gavin Holligan | F | 0+1 | January 1999 | Kingstonian | ||||||
| 5 | Richard Hall | CB | 0+1 | July 1996 | Southampton | ||||||
| 2 | West Ham United | 0–0 | Manchester United | London | ||
| Stadium: Boleyn Ground |
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| 3 | Coventry City | 0–0 | West Ham United | Coventry | ||
| Stadium: Highfield Road |
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| 5 | West Ham United | 2–1 | Liverpool | |||
| Hartson 4' Berkovic 51' |
Riedle 88' | |||||
| 6 | Nottingham Forest | 0–0 | West Ham United | Nottingham | ||
| Stadium: City Ground |
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| 9 | West Ham United | 0–0 | Aston Villa | London | ||
| Stadium: Boleyn Ground |
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| 11 31 October 1998 | Newcastle United | 0–3 | West Ham United | Newcastle upon Tyne | ||
| Dabizas 48' | Wright 56', 90' Sinclair 76' |
Stadium: St James' Park Attendance: 36,744 Referee: Graham Poll |
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| 19 26 December 1998 | Arsenal | 1–0 | West Ham United | London | ||
| 15:00 GMT | Overmars 7' | Report | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 38,098 Referee: Peter Jones |
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| 23 | Wimbledon | 0–0 | West Ham United | London | ||
| Stadium: Selhurst Park |
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| 24 6 February 1999 | West Ham United | 0 – 4 | Arsenal | London | ||
| 15:00 GMT | Report | 35' Bergkamp 45' Overmars 83' Anelka 87' Parlour |
Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 26,042 Referee: Jeff Winter |
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| 26 | Liverpool | 2–2 | West Ham | |||
| Fowler 22' Owen 45' |
Lampard 24' (pen.) Keller 74' |
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| 30 20 March 1999 | West Ham United | 2–0 | Newcastle United | London | ||
| Di Canio 17' Kitson 82' |
Stadium: Upton Park Attendance: 25,997 Referee: Paul Durkin |
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| 31 | Aston Villa | 0–0 | West Ham United | Birmingham | ||
| Stadium: Villa Park |
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| 33 | Leicester City | 0–0 | West Ham United | Leicester | ||
| Stadium: Filbert Street |
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