0 ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁their ▁exit ▁from ▁the ▁FA ▁Cup ▁they ▁were ▁handed ▁an ▁ev iction ▁notice ▁from ▁the ▁Herm it ▁Road ▁ground . ▁The ▁club ▁had ▁viol ated ▁their ▁ten ancy ▁agreement ▁by ▁charg ing ▁ad mission ▁fe es ▁and ▁building ▁a ▁per imeter ▁f ence ▁and ▁pav il ion . ▁Th ames ▁Iron works ▁had ▁to ▁play ▁their ▁next ▁four ▁fi xt ures ▁at ▁the ▁grounds ▁of ▁their ▁oppon ents , ▁until ▁a ▁new ▁home ▁could ▁be ▁found . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁of ▁these ▁games ▁was ▁against ▁event ual ▁champions ▁ 3 rd ▁Gren ad ier ▁Gu ards ▁F . C . ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁which ▁The ▁Ir ons ▁lost ▁ 1 – 4 . ▁The ▁glo om ▁continued ▁on ▁ 5 ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁when ▁Th ames ▁Iron works ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁Es sex ▁Senior ▁Cup ▁ 2 – 3 , ▁in ▁a ▁narrow ly ▁fought ▁game ▁away ▁to ▁Ley ton ▁F . C .. ▁▁▁ ▁At ▁the ▁turn ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁Arnold ▁Hills ▁had ▁managed ▁to ▁le ase ▁a ▁temporary ▁piece ▁of ▁land ▁for ▁the ▁team , ▁located ▁in ▁Brow ning ▁Road , ▁East ▁Ham . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁new ▁situation ▁was ▁not ▁ideal , ▁as ▁explained ▁by ▁future ▁Iron works ▁player ▁and ▁West ▁Ham ▁United ▁F . C . ▁manager ▁Syd ▁King ▁in ▁his ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁book