8 Jul 2021
Written By Matthew Eastley

‘66 and all that…

I’ve been very busy today…..

1966 was an interesting year. In St Mary’s terms, it saw the arrival of Fr Cyril Trueman, Dermot McMahon and Philip Smith, all legends in their own unique ways.

It was also the year in which the ‘huts’ which housed first formers were erected.

It was also the year of Revolver, Aftermath, Pet Sounds and Blonde on Blonde.

It was also the year I was born.

Need I mention that it was also the year that England won the World Cup.

I was three months old when Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet and living on a newly-built estate next to Bexley Park Woods.

I was always fascinated by the 1966 World Cup Final and resolved to write a book commemorating the 50th anniversary in 2016. I did so and found myself appearing on various media including The One Show, The Danny Baker Radio Show and 5 Live.

I’d managed to trace more than 200 people around the world who were at the 1966 World Cup Final and told their story. The end product was called 66 on 66 and it involved travelling far and wide to interview a huge range of people. I’ve taken the liberty of posting the cover here.

So, after England’s exploits in the Euros, Fleet Street’s finest have been very interested in the contents of my book desperate to talk to anyone who was there in 1966. While it would be an exaggeration to say ‘my phone hasn’t stopped ringing,’ I have been quite in demand and am likely to be on the local news over the weekend.

I’m bound to wonder whether, in the huge crowd at Wembley that day, there were any St Mary’s boys? It’s a massive long shot but who knows? I’d love to think St Mary’s was represented in Wembley on 30 July 1966 and saw Nobby Stiles’ dance of joy and Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick.

Imagine if one of the crowd who spilled on to the pitch when they ‘thought it was all over’ was a St Mary’s boy?

I think I’d probably have heard by now – but I can dream.