ONE of Hammers' finest and most popular midfielders has sadly died at the age of just 57.

Graham Paddon, a key member of the 1975 FA Cup-winning side, suffered a fatal heart attack at his Norfolk home yesterday (Monday, November 19).

When he arrived from Norwich City in December 1973, in a then club record £170,000 deal that took striker Ted MacDougall in the opposite direction, West Ham were in serious relegation trouble.

But by the time he rejoined Norwich in November 1976, he had an FA Cup winners' medal and had played in a European Cup Winners' Cup final.

Graham was coaching in Brunei in September 2005, when he flew in to London Docklands to attend the reunion of the 1975 and 1980 Cup-winning players.

Hammers' fans rightly recall with affection Keith Robson's thunderbolt against Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-final, second leg at Upton Park that clinched a place in the 1976 ECWC final against Anderlecht, and also Trevor Brooking's outstanding role on that momentous night.

Yet one of the greatest European goals ever scored by a Hammer was Paddon's stunning 30-yard strike that gave the Frankfurt keeper no chance in the first leg 2-1 defeat in Germany.

Paddon played in a three-man midfield that included Billy Bonds and Trevor Brooking, and latterly Alan Curbishley. Paddon, the man with the fair hair and the trademark 70s moustache and beard, was by no means overawed or outshone by the more illustrious names around him. He was an important part in the jigsaw that Ron Greenwood and John Lyall put together after the glory days of the mid-60s.

Having helped West Ham keep their place in the old first division in his first season there, he ended his second at Wembley. In fact, it was his shot that Peter Mellor, the Fulham goalkeeper, spilled, allowing Alan Taylor to nip in and score his second goal in West Ham's 2-0 victory.

Paddon possessed a wonderful left-foot - and was invariably involved in productive set pieces. Remember that piece of brilliant improvisation against Wolves at Upton Park, when he cleverlly scooped the ball up for Frank Lampard to unleash an unstoppable volley at the North Bank end?

John Lyall once told EX magazine: "Graham and Frank used to stay on after training in the afternoons at Chadwell Heath to practice those kind of routines, which they thought up themselves."

Current Hammers' boss Alan Curbishley said yesterday: "Graham was one of the nicest people you could meet. He was a terrific player and every West Ham fan will remember his cultured left foot." Curbishley's assistant, Mervyn Day, who played in goal in both finals, added: "I'll remember his dynamism, the balance he brought to the side but, above all else, the ferocity of his left foot in shooting practice."

Paddon, Manchester-born, had joined Norwich from Coventry City, where he started his career. He played in Norwich's promotion-winning team in 1972, and was in the side beaten by Tottenham in the following year's League Cup final.

He rejoined Norwich from West Ham in November 1976 for a fee of £110,000.

In his post-playing days he was assistant manager at both Portsmouth and Stoke, as well as acting as a scout for Derby, Liverpool and Leicester.

He leaves a wife, Sandra, and three children - Guy, Jenny and Heather. Our sincere condolences go to them.