I WANT FOOTBALL

The date 30 July 1966 is the most iconic in English Football. On that day a group of English footballers did what no other group of English footballers had ever done before, or is probably unlikely to do again - though one day I might just be proved wrong.

Banks; Cohen; Charlton, J; Moore; Wilson; Stiles; Ball; Charlton, R; Peters; Hunt; Hurst

There were no substitutes, so it really is just those eleven players who created history that day. Yes, they were helped (?) by a Swiss referee and a Soviet linesman, but at the end of the day those eleven names are the ones that will live in the memory.  The game belongs to another era so it might not be that well known that the Germans started the scoring, with a goal on around 12 minutes by Helmut Haller.  This lead lasted for just 6 minutes before Geoff Hurst scored the first of his three goals.  The game was quite evenly balanced for the remainder of the first half, although the Germans were probably the better team.  It is interesting to note that the principal play-makers from both sides, namely Bobby Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer were both under instructions to not allow the other to play his trademark game - thus they cancelled each other out.

As the second half started, England began to find their way into the game.  Alan Ball in particular was having a good game against Karl-Heinz Schnellinger.  Chances, however, came and went and there were only twelve minutes left when with extra time looming, Martin Peters scored what looked like the winning goal for England.  Scnellinger had a great chance to equalise and Hurst had an opportunity to make it 3-1.  However, the Germans did manage to score an equaliser with seconds remaining as Wolfgang Weber took the opportunity with which he was presented after a melee in the penalty box.  It was 2-2 and extra time was needed to separate the sides.

With the game moving towards half time in extra time, a cross from Alan Ball was thumped goalward by Geoff Hurst.  His rising drive had the keeper beaten and as the world waited, the ball hit the cross bar and bounced down.  Was is on, behind or in-front of the goal line?  Nobody knew for sure, although Roger Hunt the arch predator had no interest in making sure, so he obviously thought it was a goal.  The referee was unsure so he consulted with his linesman - in what language nobody knows - and the goal was given.

With tired limbs the Germans tried to get themselves back into the game again, but this time it was to no avail.  Of course with the seconds ticking (and people on the pitch) Geoff Hurst made absolutely sure with his third goal and by a score of 4-2 England were World Champions.