‘I HAD A GREAT VIEW OF HURST’S GOAL IN 1966. IT DEFINITELY LOOKED IN’
Says ex-Scout who was sitting next to the German net
IT is the most debated goal in World Cup final history.
And, Scouts’ honour, Geoff Hurst’s shot DID cross the line after crashing down off the crossbar at Wembley on that glorious July day in 1966.
Few people had a better view of Hurst’s goal than Keith Waldron – one of eight boy Scouts working as messengers for photographers.
Last week, Mirror Sport used neverseen-before pictures of four of the Scouts pictured by the goal-line, as part of a new film being made about England’s 4-2 victory against West Germany.
Waldron, now 71, said: “I had a great view of Geoff Hurst’s goal. From the angle we looked at, it definitely looked in but you can’t really be sure – we still all jumped up and celebrated anyway!
“I’m sure it was a goal and luckily the Russian linesman helped, too.”
Ground-breaking technology is being used to remaster the original FIFA archive into a full colour epic – entitled The Final Replay – and the process has revealed new footage and behind-the-scenes stories.
Retired Waldron, who used to work in IT and now lives in France, said there were four boy Scouts at each end, taking photographer’s rolls of film to a press room while the game went on.
And he recalled an amazing story of how money from a German photographer helped England goalkeeper Gordon Banks.
Waldron added: “One of the German photographers wanted a fresh roll of film. I got it for him and he gave me a two shilling bit to say thanks and for me to buy myself some sweets.
“But at the end of the game, Gordon Banks had run out of chewing gum and asked me to get him some for extra time.
“I went to the kiosks in the stadium, I was trying to push my way to the front saying, ‘Gordon Banks needs some chewing gum!’”
Waldron, whose brother saw the Mirror’s original story last week, was pals with Mike Addison – pictured in the white jacket (top photo).
The eight lucky Scouts were drawn from a hat and Waldron said “It’s something I’ll never forget.”