Hurst: I still get asked, ‘Did you play in 67?’
SIR Geoff Hurst needs little reminding of just what it meant for Scotland to beat world champions England at Wembley in April, 1967.
He sealed the greatest triumph in English football with a hat-trick against West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final. But less than eight months later the West Ham forward was back at Wembley for an occasion he did not enjoy as much.
Hurst, 75, was on the scoresheet against Scotland but the Tartan Army were in dreamland after a 3-2 win.
“Every Scotsman I meet, the most asked question I get is, ‘Did I play in 1967?’. So, yes, I get reminded of it fairly regularly,” said Hurst.
He is happy to give the Scotland their dues as England’s long undefeated run was finally ended by a side packed full of talent – including Denis Law, Jim Baxter and Billy Bremner.
Four of the Celtic players in the team – Ronnie Simpson, Tommy Gemmell, Willie Wallace and Bobby Lennox – would go on to win the European Cup just a month later.
Hurst said: “It was disappointing to be beaten by Scotland, of course but the Scots were a good team, and we did have a couple of injuries.
“Jack Charlton had a broken toe and actually ended playing up front. It was the only time Scotland beat an England team I played in over the six years I played for my country.
“But it was a good Scotland team then. At that time Scottish football was fantastic. Every English team then had one or two great Scots playing for the top teams.”