'We'll win it': A North East 1966 prediction made before the World Cup Final
1966 and all that - and one expert thought England had a chance
Sixty years ago, World Cup excitement was growing on Wearside and South Tyneside.
The world’s best players such as Pele, Eusebio, Beckenbauer, Bobby Moore and the Charlton brothers would be on show at football grounds across England.
Football was coming home but could the Three Lions win the whole tournament? Our newspaper’s football expert thought so.
He spoke up after England won their semi final tie. Ashington’s finest, Bobby Charlton, had scored the two goals which overcame Eusebio’s Portugal.
All that stood between England and the Jules Rimet trophy were the favourites for the tournament, West Germany.
Footballing correspondent Cliff Jones celebrated the historic win, while acknowledging that England was “not a great team”.
He wrote: “Let us cheer this England. Let us recognise the value of their achievement and, between us, silence the carping critics, who had begun by saying England have no chance’ and whose revised cry is If England win, it will be the worst thing that could happen to football.”
He added: “This is so much rubbish. If England do win, as I expect them to do, it will be because they have built well on the best of British footballing techniques - strength, alertness, courage and conviction.
“It is no use yearning for skills that other climates produce.
“We shall never equal the ball-playing brilliance of others. We shall never match the mobility of the South Americans. It is crazy to try.
“It will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday.
“German technique is akin to our own, although I feel England have greater ability and more expressive players.
“I take England to win, in what I sincerely hope is another great match.”
Needless to say, Cliff was right-on.
England’s triumph was all the more impressive, given their lacklustre start to the tournament and the decision to drop ace striker Jimmy Greaves before the semi-finals.
But we want to know if you were there. Tell us if you got to see any of the matches at Roker Park, or the other venues.
Get in touch and tell us more by emailing [email protected]