THE 1966 World Cup Final did not really happen as far as Matt Eastley was concerned.
He was three months old when Bobby Moore hoisted the Jules Rimet trophy aloft and only had dull anecdotes from his dad and big brother, who watched it on TV, to go on.
England beating West Germany 4-2 after extra time seemed more like the stuff of legend than English football’s greatest day.
Nevertheless, he grew up obsessed with what happened on July 30 but needed to convince himself it was all true.
Three years ago, he set about tracing people who were at Wembley to see it.
So far he has tracked down 272 – from here and in Germany – the best featuring in Matt’s new book 66 on ’66 (Pitch Publishing).
Among the fans he met were musicians, politicians, journalists, police officers and a farmer.
Here, Matt shares the stories of six of them.
Ken Clarke
VETERAN MP Ken Clarke was 26 in 1966 and claims he persuaded linesman Tofik Bakhramov to tell the ref that Geoff Hurst’s shot had crossed the line to put England 3-2 up. Ken says: “Hurst’s shot was right in front of us and I was convinced it was over.
“We could see the linesman and referee dithering, so we started shouting. I’m convinced Mr Bakhramov heard us, so like to think I played a role in that vital goal being awarded.”
RELATED STORIES
Daphne Edwards
LIFELONG Spurs fan Daphne Edwards, 28 in 1966, wore this World Cup Willie scarf to the final.
Daphne says: “I loved football and would have gone to the final whoever was playing. I was in one of the upper bays, behind the goal where Geoff Hurst scored the last goal. I took a cine-camera and filmed the team going up to the receive the cup. It’s not great as there was no zoom in those days. All you can see is a thin red line of the players’ shirts.”
Eddie O’Keeffe
IRISHMAN Eddie O’Keeffe travelled to England with a student pal looking for a summer job. They ended up operating the Wembley scoreboard for the entire tournament.
Eddie says: “We were stood on a gantry about two planks wide suspended rather shakily from the roof.
Every time the crowd cheered the gantry swayed.
“It was surreal. But what a job to get.
“Some of our mates ended up making ice lollies for the summer.”
Willi Watson
AT 4.40pm, just before West Germany equalised to make it 2-2 at the end of normal time, Willi Watson and his mates in the Royal Marines Band were in the tunnel.
Willi recalls: “Jimmy Greaves walked past into the dressing room. Thirty seconds later a huge cheer went up. We called into the dressing room, ‘Jimmy, the Germans have scored’. He emerged looking absolutely ashen-faced and said, ‘Oh f***. I’ve just cracked open the champagne’.”
John Lunn
THE last thing John Lunn expected after England’s win was to be hugged by a large, hairy Scotsman in full Highland regalia.
But when the final whistle went, the startled Mancunian, then 18, found himself in that exact position.
He recalls: “We hadn’t heard a peep out of him all game but at the end he went absolutely berserk with delight. He picked me up, twirled me around and kissed me. I can’t see it happening today.”
Bernard Tighe
AFTER the Jules Rimet was stolen and then recovered before the tournament, Wembley copper Bernard Tighe was told by nervy FA bosses to not let the World Cup out of his sight for the duration of the final.
Bernard was despatched to the bowels of the stadium for the match then had to follow the players as they did their lap of honour.
He recalls: “It was most odd. The game was going on and we were away from the action in a room with a TV.”
Leave a comment