He lost his place and captaincy to Bobby Moore in 1966 but never lost his dignity
PROBABLY the best-known church organist in the country passed over the pressing of the keys and pedals in good time for his successor to prepare for his funeral service.
It was with the same religious attention to detail and generosity of spirit that Jimmy Armfield handed down the captaincy of what would be England’s only World Cup-winning team to Bobby Moore.
If there was a single moment of bitterness in the life of this English gentleman, no one who knew him can remember it.
There could have been no crueller time at which to be relieved of the leadership of his country than 12 days before the Wembley opening of the tournament which would blossom into English football’s most glorious summer.
Armfield’s tally of 43 England appearances, the last 14 of them as captain, was ended by a toe injury. Yet it was with good grace that Armfield gave that cherished role to the young Adonis of the game. With it went reminders of the quiet advice given for years, beginning at the 1962 World Cup in Chile where he was the skipper elect and Moore the international apprentice.
That wise counsel remained available to the new captain throughout the winning of the World Cup as Armfield remained a member of the England squad, without playing. No one on that Wembley pitch or watching from the seats could have celebrated the moment of victory with more unreserved gusto, and he wore the widest of smiles as Moore held up the Jules Rimet Trophy before Sir Alf Ramsey.
The replacement in the team itself was George Cohen. Moore loved playing with the friend who brought a swashbuckling, over-lapping dimension to the position at right back which Armfield had occupied with calm assurance.
Moore also relished his bonding in football intelligence with Armfield and when, in later years, he was asked which of them had been England’s finest wearer of the No 2 shirt he replied with a smile: ‘Well, one of them.’
In style, Bobby was more akin to Jimmy. Both led by example rather than entreaty, personified the virtues of patience and spread reassurance through their teams, albeit that Moore would come to assert greater dominance.
Armfield’s game was based on timing — with his precise passing of the ball and in the tackle — as well as shrewd judgment of position, time and space. All allied to a natural instinct for coming to the aid of fellow defenders at the exact moment of crisis.
He was as unflappable on the pitch as when at the organ for evensong at the Church of St Peter in Blackpool, where he played his football throughout his club career. During many of his club record 627 appearances for Blackpool this protector of the faith was also the shepherd to a national treasure.
Armfield’s resourceful presence at right back liberated Sir Stanley Matthews to dribble his wizardry along that wing and into folklore.
When it came to naming his greatest England winger, Armfield was torn between Matthews and Sir Tom Finney, saying: ‘Both were true greats, perhaps Stan just the greater.’
England’s World Cup learning curve in Chile ended in quarterfinal defeat by Brazil and to Armfield the revelation of Garrincha.
Of the Little Bird on Brazil’s right wing who scored twice against England and twice more to beat Chile in the semi-final, Armfield said: ‘He was a magician. Unstoppable.’
Modest but always striving to give of his best. Sympathetic in victory, courteous in defeat. You felt charmed and honoured when he invited you to join him, not for a drink but ‘for a cup of tea’. At St Peter’s he was not only organist and churchwarden but treasurer.
Armfield’s grasp of small finances brought his support to Moore when it came to distributing the meagre £22,000 bonus in total offered to the England team if they were to win the World Cup. When manager Ramsey brought the squad together on the eve of the World Cup he proposed that £500 would go to each of them with bonuses added for match appearances.
‘No,’ said the new captain. ‘We’re all in this together and it will be £1,000 each.’
At once, the former captain nodded his approval.
It took longer for the nonplaying members to be given their gongs. In the case of Armfield it was 43 years before he received his CBE. Not that he ever asked, as he moved on into sage management and then insightful commentary.
I mentioned it to him once at half-time when we were covering the same match. As I did so we neared the men’s toilet and he asked me to wait for him. As he came out he said: ‘When you’re my age, never pass a lavatory.’
This lovely man kept giving down- to- earth advice until his end.