The ’66 Hurst Hat Trick

“Some people are on the pitch. They think it’s all over… It is now.” Those were the famous words of BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme, describing England’s fourth goal in their ’66 World Cup victory over West Germany at Wembley Stadium.

With the recent World Cup, football fever is sweeping the country as England attempts to snap a 56-year drought by winning their first major trophy since 1966. The World Cup is more than a tournament—it unifies a people, galvanizes a nation through a shared, intense emotion.

’66 World Cup Memories

“Everybody was worried that Germany would beat us! They always beat us at football,” explained Geoff Crambie. “It was July 1966; I was 23 and a grocer’s assistant at this point. I worked at a supermarket in called The Maypole. I asked my manager Mr Solomon if I could work two Saturdays for free, just so I could have one Saturday off for the World Cup.

“We had an HMV 17-inch television to watch the game on, even my dear old mum was cheering them on to it. It was the strangest thing after seeing England win, families started coming out of their house to celebrate – it sure was a lovely day. We all shook hands, then we all went berserk in the Colne streets!” Geoff laughed.

Geoff’s pal, Jackie Penman, played the iconic song ‘Out of Time’ by Chris Farlowe on repeat all day long on the street to celebrate the ’66 World Cup victory. “I can still hear the music playing now, he got that drunk celebrating he was rolling about everywhere afterwards.”

The Morning After

On Monday morning, it was time for Geoff to go back to work at the supermarket. “The boss, Mr Solomon, was usually as tight as anything, but on that morning he was in a great mood. He told me to go to a record shop, and buy him the new Beatles Revolver Album,” Geoff explained. “It was the only time I had seen him spend money. He was so chuffed that England won he wanted to celebrate by buying a vinyl.”

“They brought out an England stamp too for the World Cup victory, it’s worth big money now. Usually people just got one or two, but I asked for a full sheet!” No surprises there Geoff!

Meeting the ’66 World Cup Legends

For Geoff’s 68th birthday, his wife Ruth, bought him a ticket to meet some of the England players from the winning team in 1966, Geoff Hurst and Gordon Banks. This was a special reunion in 2010, and only cost £40 to meet these legendary British stars!

“I remember asking Geoff Hurst to sign something for me, and he asked me if I was named after him. Then he looked up at me and laughed, saying, ‘never mind’! He could tell we were from the same era. He wrote, ‘From a southerner to a northerner.’ I asked him what the greatest thing was about winning the cup… He said that being in the dressing room afterwards, getting ready for a bath, and the feeling coming over you and realising what they had actually done.”

Each person was only supposed to have five minutes chatting with the England stars, but Geoff ended up chatting away for over 15 minutes with some very impatient fans waiting in a queue behind him. It was also known that if you wanted a signature from the football legends without your name, you would be charged extra money as they knew people would sell their single signatures online to make money. Geoff also bought Geoff Hurst’s World Cup trophy, when he was auctioning off lots of his collectible items such as his t-shirts and caps.

“I then met the goalie, Gordon Banks. He played around 80 games for England, he could make amazing saves. He told me he could tell I was from Lancashire! Someone shouted, ‘Gordon, you look fit enough to be playing again!’ Gordon replied, ‘Playing again? I’ve had broken legs, crushed feet, crushed collar bones, a broken jaw and a glass eye!”

GORDON, YOU LOOK FIT ENOUGH TO BE PLAYING AGAIN!

Burnley Legends

Not only did Geoff get to meet some heroic football legends, he was also friends with them! “I was friends with Burnley football player Brian Miller, he also managed the Clarets between 1979 and 1983 and between 1986 and 1989. He was Burnley through and through. His son also played for Burnley and his son in law. When he passed away in 2007 his son asked if I would do a speech at his funeral. When I went, every famous footballer you could think of was there, Tom Finney, Jimmy Mac, Bobby Charlton. After my eulogy, I walked outside and then saw Sir Bobby walking towards me, he was a true gentleman, he spoke about my eulogy, he always had a kind word to say.”

Geoff also met Bobby in the 1950s at a Burnley game, this was when fans could get close enough to the players to grab an autograph or two. He then met him in 1984 when Pendle’s first leisure centre was opened in Colne by Sir Bobby Charlton. Geoff was a postman at the time and stopped him for a chat on his rounds.

By the next World Cup, it will be 60 years since England took the win. “Football will come home, but it hasn’t since ‘66, there were so many good players in that team. Nowadays there are so many great footballers world-wide, it makes it a really hard game. A hat-trick like Geoff Hurst’s will probably never happen again just because footballers defend so well nowadays!”

NorthernLife Jan/Feb 2023