Kentish Express Ashford & District
SPIRIT OF ‘66 Forgotten
It was just over two years ago a young and inexperienced England side amazed even the most optimistic fan by coming within a whisker of reaching the World Cup Final. Had they done so, Gareth Southgate’s men would have walked in the footsteps of the heroes of 1966. And while the county celebrated in style in 2018 as the team marched into the semi-finals, just as we did in 1990, you can just imagine the scenes of jubilation when Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in front of a packed Wembley Stadium 54 years ago.
But there were also plenty of quirky stories in Kent surrounding the tournament.
We took a delve into the past to have a look at the quirky stories lost in time around England’s greatest footballing triumph…
Lucky ticket
Every football fan dreams of Lady Luck smiling down upon them and a ticket for a major sporting event falling into their lap.
So you can imagine the delight of a Mr R Agate from Leigh, near Tonbridge, who not only found himself face-to-face with England’s upcoming opponents on that sunny July afternoon, but also giving him the chance to witness one of the most celebrated sporting moments in our nation’s history.
He worked for pharmaceutical firm Smith Kline and French, which then had laboratories near Hildenborough.
Tasked with making a visit to the firm’s headquarters in Welwyn Garden City on the Tuesday before the final, he was taken to lunch at a hotel in which the German football team were staying.
They clearly got on like a house on fire as he left the lunch clutching a prized ticket to the big match.
TV ruckus
Remember when every high street had a shop either selling or, as was often the case back in the day, renting television sets?
Then you’ll understand that on the day of the World Cup Final, there was plenty of demand to watch the big match – even if it was through the window of a TV store.
However, things got a little heated in Margate when large crowds gathered outside a showroom in the town centre.
In fact so large was the pavement audience, a policeman had to go into the shop to tell the owner to turn the TV off so the crowd would disperse.
Which, as you can probably imagine, didn’t play too well with those watching the action.
But, for one viewer, who had worked at the nearby Butlins holiday camp, it all became a bit much.
After remonstrating with the policeman over his decision, he punched him in the stomach resulting, unsurprisingly, in a warrant being issued for his arrest.
Gone to the dogs
You can imagine the euphoria across the nation on the evening on July 30.
After all, a record 32.3 million people are estimated to have watched the match in the UK on TV. So it was little wonder that entertainment venues were keen to cash in.
Take the greyhound racing track at Dumpton Park, near Ramsgate. It banked on plenty of happy punters by organising a special 10-race meeting night on the day “to celebrate the World Cup Final”.
You can only imagine the mood among the spectators and the cash splashed on any mutt with a vaguely football-related name.
Dumpton Park closed in 1996 – ironically the year England next held a major football tournament, Euro 96.
Interference
And while we’re on the subject of the television, there were folks in the west of the county left fuming after interference from French TV transmitters.
Back in an era before we had high-definition images flooding into our house via satellite, high-speed broadband or digital aerials, many had to go through the often excruciating process of twirling around a set top aerial in a bid to find the ‘sweet spot’.
That, however, could be disrupted by atmospheric changes and those fiendish French signals jumping across the Channel.
The issue rose its head in the summer of 1966 – just as everyone was glued to the set watching the progress of Alf Ramsey’s men.
Particularly hit was BBC1, which took the lion’s share of the final’s TV audience, with the Beeb helpfully saying “the viewer must help himself by making sure he has a proper aerial”.
Typewriting bargains
Once upon a time Geerings was a familiar name on the high streets of the likes of Ashford and Ramsgate – leading the way when it came to office supplies.
And if you were on the look out for a bargain in the November of 1966 you could have stumbled across the chance to buy a little piece of history with a rather practical purpose.
Geerings had snapped up a number of Imperial Model 70 typewriters (kids, ask you parents if you’re not sure what they are) from the press box at Wembley and were selling them on for a £15 discount – which given that’s the equivalent today of £290 is nothing to be sniffed at.
Used by “British and foreign correspondents” some were more niche than others, with keyboards on offer including “English, German, French and Russian”.
Still, they came with a guarantee and had witnessed England lift that trophy, so a bargain all round especially as they were “indistinguishable from new”.
Star appearances
And while the thoughts of today’s World Cup stars heading down to the county to open shops or work with local non-league sides seems ludicrous, the 1966 winning squad were far more connected to reality despite all becoming household names for their performances during that golden summer.
Take Bobby Moore, for example, the man who led the England team to success and lifted the trophy.
In the April of 1978, he was the star guest at the opening of a new branch of bookmakers Ladbrookes in Ramsgate – cutting the ribbon on the store and meeting fans.
Right-back George Cohen moved down to west Kent in the 1970s and contacted Tonbridge Angels about any roles they may have.
He ended up managing the Angels – leading them to victory in the Kent Senior Cup in 1975.
Meanwhile, 3,500 fans flocked to watch the Angels play an all-star team in 1974 which included the likes of hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst, ‘keeper Gordon Banks and midfielder (and scorer of England’s second goal in the final) Martin Peters.