One young Scot joined three World Cup winners
IT’S all change for West Ham as they kick off the new season against Chelsea tomorrow night.
The Hammers have left their famous Boleyn Ground at Upton Park and moved to the London Stadium.
Fifty years ago, West Ham fans were celebrating their part in England’s World Cup win.
Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters played a massive role in their country’s defeat of West Germany.
These days, players come from all over the world, but in 1966 the Irons were making a special effort to recruit a young Scot.
Jimmy Lindsay ended up becoming a team- mate of the England stars. But his disappointment was not being able to play against his Scotland hero.
He recalled: “I was originally lined up to join Arsenal.
“I played for Possil YM in Glasgow and they were a feeder club for the Gunners. I had been down to visit Highbury.
“But then West Ham manager Ron Greenwood made a special trip up to Scotland and talked me into joining them.
“I joined in the summer of 1966 and watched them training for the World Cup.
“I watched the final in my digs. My landlord was a West Ham and England fanatic.
“It was a strange experience for me. I remember the whole street going crazy after they won but I was a bit left out.
“I had to wait until the following year when I was at Wembley to watch Scotland beating England. “That really was something to celebrate.” Jimmy had to wait two years to make his first start for the West Ham first team.
He said: “I was told I was playing against Sunderland and let my father know.
“Unfortunately, Jim Baxter had left them. I would have loved to have been on the same pitch as him because he was my hero.
“We probably had the three best players in England in Moore, Hurst and Peters, but we never finished higher than eighth during my five years there.
“I don’t know what that says about the rest of us!
“Bobby Moore was a great player, but he could drink for England.
“I’ve seen a lot of footballers drinking over the years but never matching Mooro.
“It was always just lager and, to be fair, he came in on a Sunday morning to train on his own.”
Jimmy was in the team knocked out of the FA Cup by Blackpool in 1971.
After that defeat, it was revealed that Bobby Moore, Brian Dear, Jimmy Greaves, Clyde Best and club physio Rob Jenkins had been drinking in the early hours before the match.
Jimmy said: “The manager phoned me and said: “Jimmy, I’m disappointed in you going out the night before a game”.
“I told him I hadn’t been out. I’d been sitting in the hotel with Trevor Brooking, Billy Bonds and Harry Redknapp.
“Ron Greenwood wasn’t sure who had been involved and was phoning people, hoping they would confess.
“There was a big drink culture at the time and it probably didn’t help me.
“I had two leg breaks during my time at West Ham – both when I was becoming established in the team.
“I didn’t really train hard enough. It wasn’t until I was about 28 that I realised how important that was and became a fanatical trainer.”
Jimmy went on to play for Watford, Colchester, Hereford and Shrewsbury Town.
He hung up the boots in 1981 and became a publican in Shrewsbury.
Now 67, he’s retired and spends most of his time on the golf course.