 Following this, he did not stay a Third Division player for long, and the First Division beckoned, as Ron Greenwood paid a Second Division British record transfer fee of £65,000 to take "Budgie" to West Ham United in 1962.Greenwood would later compare Byrne with Argentine footballer, Alfredo Di Stéfano.The fee being made up of £58,000 plus ex-Palace striker Ron Brett who was valued at £7,000.