Thames Ironworks won the West Ham Charity Cup, contested by clubs in the West Ham locality, in 1895, then won the London League in 1897. ... Because of the original "works team" roots and links (still represented upon the club badge), they are still known as "the Irons" or "the Hammers" amongst fans and the media.

Why are they called the Hammers?

This is the original Hammers team. It was raised by the late Brian Finch to play a team called Cranford Boys from the London Airport area as Brian worked at Heathrow. They called themselves the Hammers as most of them were wearing West Ham shirts as you can see.

Why do West Ham wear claret and blue?

Then the Thames Ironworks, West Ham United wear their cut of claret and blue due to both fascinating and ridiculous circumstances – in the form of a 120-year-old wager that decided their football clubs' permanent colours. ... Thames Ironworks was disbanded in June 1900 and soon re-launched as West Ham United.