Channel 4 showed the full 1966 World Cup Final restored in colour, with the original Kenneth Wolstenholme commentary. It’s now on C4 streaming. The broadcast was in aid of the Alzheimers Society and featured Sir Geoff Hurst, the only serving member of the starting team, who said that 5 of the team had succumbed to Alzheimers.
In my version of seeing the Sex Pistols at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in 1976 I was actually at the World Cup Final. My Dad bought me a season ticket for all the London games, ie all the group games plus the quarter final (Argentina), semi final (Portugal) and Final.
It was fascinating watching the whole thing. The contrast with today’s game was stark. No advertising hoardings. No fences. The players, while obviously physically fit, were nothing like the honed specimens today. Some of the players were decidedly chunky, notably Halle who scored West Germany’s opening goal. The match was surprisingly pacy and flowed from end to end, with little emphasis on low blocks or grappling at corners. The referee looked as though he should be drawing his pension. As far as the broadcast was concerned, there were no annoying and preening pundits (I’m looking at you Gary Neville). Welsh footballer and manager Wally Barnes provided occasional tactical analysis to back up Wolstenholme’s main commentary.
All in all, well worth catching and something of a pre-antidote to the bloated, Trumpian competition starting tomorrow.
The 1966 World Cup Final – restored in colour
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And all the players had a fag at half time …
The ticket prices for the 1966 final ranged between 50p and £3.75. Average male salary (non manual labour) was a little over £26 per week.
I understand you could rock up on the day and buy a ticket.
Take that dynamic pricing USA/infantino/FIFA
Jack Charlton recounted the Chair of the FA (or some such dignitary) pushed a fiver into the breast pocket of his jacket and told him to go out and have a good time.
No organised post match celebrations. Just another Saturday evening, albeit one after they’d won the biggest prize in football.
As far as I understand it, there was a low-key reception and dinner at the Royal Garden Hotel for the victorious England team after the World Cup Final in 1966.
The BBC goes on:
“After the team celebrations at the Royal Garden Hotel, Jack Charlton ended up sleeping on the floor of a random couple’s house in north London, but one woman certainly wasn’t impressed by his antics.
He remembers: “I got a lift back the following morning and my mother was playing hell as I hadn’t been to bed all night. I said, ‘Mother, we’ve just won the World Cup!'”
With England 3-2 up in extra time and a few minutes left, they were still going for a fourth and not running the clock down by taking the ball to the corner flag. As a 7 year old boy watching with my dad, I can still recall him shouting out instructions to the players throughout the game. I have an original 1966 World Cup Final programme and watched and recorded the re run on C4. Wonderful memories.