 The club , Thames Ironworks were the first ever winners of the West Ham Charity Cup in 1895 contested by clubs in the West Ham locality , then won the London League in 1897 . They turned professional in 1898 upon entering the Southern League Second Division , and were promoted to the First Division at the first attempt . The following year they came second from bottom , but had established themselves as a fully fledged competitive team . They comfortably fended off the challenge of local rivals Fulham in a relegation play @-@ off , 5 – 1 in late April 1900 and retained their First Division status . 
