I remember back in 1966 when my Dad and I were ready to toast England’s victory over West Germany in the World Cup final at Wembley.
We had already poured the vodkas at our Chapel House residence and were all ready to toast England’s success with our boys ahead 2-1.
So exciting.
And then Wolfgang Weber equalized in the 89th minute.
What – hey – it was a handball ref!!
It took two more goals from Geoff Hurst in extra time to make it 4-2 for England and our first World Cup win.
Kieran Trippier scores after 5 minutes
And with England doing so well this year in Russia it looked possible we could win another one.
It was a real pity last night that England were beaten 2-1 by Croatia after extra time.
A great goal from the excellent Kieran Tripper after just 5 minutes put us on track.
But mid-way through the second half England seemed to lack concentration.
Croatia came at us, and we let in a really poor equalizer and then a goal in extra time was it – again a lack of concentration at the back.
Croatia seemed to have so much space on their right wing.
To a large extent, it was a lack of experience of this young England side that finally did us in – but they did fabulously well in Russia.
They will get a hero’s welcome when they return to England and will deserve it.
These new players have put England back on the football map again, and they can only get better and more experienced too.
Things look good for England for the future.
Unexpected but great displays from our England team and the players showed strong mental strength and courage in games too.
And new heroes in the team like Jordan Pickford, Kieran Trippier, and Harry Maguire – to name just three.
They have minimal International experience, but that will change.
Well done lads – you made us all proud!!!
72 comments so far
RobLeenio
Jul 12, 2018 at 9:59 AM
Comment #1Ed, nice article and great to hear your personal recollections of that day back in ’66. Thank you for sharing.
The next Mike Williamson
Jul 12, 2018 at 9:59 AM
Comment #2true rob. its hard to define Lingards strengths apart from finishing. probably our best midfielder and i don’t rate him all that much. do we have anyone who breaks the mould coming through?
Tsunki
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:09 AM
Comment #3I actually think Southgate did well with the players he had. They are all a tad overrated and for a while they believed and played to their hype and expectation. But you can’t exactly say they were “massively found out” when they actually made it to the last four of the world cup can you? That’s a bit harsh. Croatia have excellent technical players that can teach our youngsters a thing or two and experience won the day if anything. Given time and less of Southgate having his arm bent behind his back to select FA favourites the team will get much better. Perhaps Southgate isn’t the guy. But he did get one of the youngest squads i to the semis so he’s actually in an elite club of england managers isn’t he?
The next Mike Williamson
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:14 AM
Comment #4well, at least we have brexit to cheer us up.
martoon
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:15 AM
Comment #5We probably overachieved getting to the Semi-Final so we can’t be too disappointed. However it is damn frustrating seeing we were getting pulverised on our left and did nothing to try and stop it and Henderson seemed to revert back to his passing sideways, backwards game. It would have been nice to be able to sub him for a player like Jonjo instead of the negative Dier.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:16 AM
Comment #6My take on the game is that old cliche, it was a game of two halves, we should have been out of sight in that first half and they edged the second, overall I think they deserved the win so can’t be too disappointed.
Pottsclock
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:18 AM
Comment #7Overall I am ecstatic with England getting to the semis given the limitations on players that we have. Totally agree with the comments about lacking options and quality in midfield. Compare our current midfield with Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard and Beckham, for example.
Also for me, Kyle Walker is not a centre back and at best should be second choice to Trippier in that position. Walker looked dodgy throughout the competition and got badly found out yesterday.
But….it’s the first senior international that I have properly enjoyed for many years. We’ve put to bed the penalty shoot-out problem and we have a great team spirit.
If you’re not English and/or hate England doing well…tough luck. Get used to it. When England do well, the proud English have every right to celebrate it and every nation would do the same. If that offends you, then the problem is yours.
ToonRich
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:22 AM
Comment #8Vrsaljko drops brutal truth on England…
“’The all-round perception was that this is a new-look England who have changed their ways of punting long balls up field but when we pressed them it turned out that they haven’t,” the Atletico Madrid defender was quoted as saying.
I’d have to agree with this. Once the Croatians switched on, they begun to dominate & England didnt have any answers.
Thoughts?
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:22 AM
Comment #9Something kickiing off at SJP cameramen at the ground maybe nowt
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:24 AM
Comment #10Benbullen Mag,
It’s nice to hear you were rooting for England last night but I wouldn’t hold it against you if you weren’t, there is an historic rivalry between the nations so it’s understandable. Just a bit crass from Munster who has been saying all tournament good luck to ‘ye’ so that he doesn’t look like a bitter loser just in case we had of won it, only too come on and spout his bile the minute we get knocked out. Like has been pointed out the guy is a master at backhanded compliments, ”I love Rafa but there’d be riots if he got the Spurs job”, ”I think Rafa is great but there is a reason he only lasted six months at Madrid”.
G
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:24 AM
Comment #11Charlie, it’s the photoshoot for Kennedy mate.
The next Mike Williamson
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:26 AM
Comment #12tsunki
Narrowly beat Tunisia
Beat Panama
Got beat Belgium
Drew Colombia
Beat Sweden
Lost Croatia
I guess there is lot of hype in England because people there have a very different opinion to people from other nations or British ex-pats.
We beat Sweden, that is all. We had one nice passing move in the final third in 6 games. We scored 2 goals that weren’t from corners, pens, long balls, or deflections. One was from long range. We barely got in anyone’s box using short passes. We have been like this since Gazza and arent doing anything about it.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:26 AM
Comment #13ToonRich,
They’re a young team, they should have been out of sight at half time and I think they let that get to them, they talked about nulling there midfield but seemed to think that kicking it back to Pickford was the way forward.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:28 AM
Comment #14Charlie, it’s for the changing the club shop name to Direct Rots!
manni
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:28 AM
Comment #15Official Kenedy has signed
https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/latest-news/magpies-sign-kenedy-on-loan
DubaiMicky
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:29 AM
Comment #16Nice to see he’s taken our colours to his heed!
Essex Geordie Bill
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:30 AM
Comment #17IMO we lost cos we didn’t take our chances in the 1st half, sounds a bit familiar to us NUFC supporters dunnit!
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:33 AM
Comment #18So last year we had a net spend of around 11.5M, this year we have spent 4M, if we get 40M for players in we plus the extra PL money, surely we should have around 70M to spend on transfers not including wages.
manni
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:33 AM
Comment #19Why it took so long, dissapointed theres no option to buy though. Now we need a decent stiker , but with the limited funds and limited strikers we can afford , its going to be tough.
RobLeenio
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:34 AM
Comment #20Welcome back Kenedy. At least one thing is still coming home today….
RobLeenio
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:35 AM
Comment #21If Kenedy is in Ireland with the squad, why would there be cameras at SJP for that? Just saying…
No-one has said if Rafa is in Ireland with the lads yet.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:36 AM
Comment #22manni,
I’m not sure why there should be limited funds, it will be very interesting to see Brighton and ‘Udders net spend.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:37 AM
Comment #23RobLeenio,
He hasn’t traveled in case he has to answer Munsters questions, they’ll be too difficult.
Jib
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:38 AM
Comment #24A few more Kenedy pics
RobLeenio
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:45 AM
Comment #25Jail, I did have to chuckle at the transcription of the potential conversation between Munster and Rafa that Average Contents posted in the wee small hours.
Munster, no offence but it was funny.
Belfast
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:47 AM
Comment #26You won’t get a better chance to win a world cup again. It was panning out like it did when Leicester won the league. Once in a blue moon type of thing.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:47 AM
Comment #27So if Mbemba is leaving then who id the fourth CB, we have what looks like Dummet and Yedlin as our two main FB’s, with Manquillo as cover, who is the fourth FB, Joselu can’t hit a barn door and Gayle is quite a PL starter imo, is there a striker coming in? We have less than a month before the season starts.
geordiemark
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:47 AM
Comment #28england were found out simple as that, its not as though I don’t like england its just the players are way over rated and on to much damn money its as simple as that, look at Ronaldo off to Juventus 500 grand a week 2 million a month for a 33 year old absolutely stupidity sorry to say ladies and gents but the money lark is really wrecking our game, back to england I would have taken shelvey and townsend, kane hasn’t impressed me really if he classes himself in the same bracket as shearer then he has a hell of a long way to go even before he ties his shoe laces, that deli alli done 1 thing and that was to head the ball into the net he done nothing at all
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:49 AM
Comment #29I didn’t mean to difficult to answer, I meant to understand!
ilovetoon8788
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:51 AM
Comment #30England are just a bunch of overrated prima donas. Fell at the first hurdle of a quality team. They are lucky they lost to Belgium or they would have gone out way earlier.
Moonraker15
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:51 AM
Comment #31It was great to get to World Cup semi finals but we didn’t over achieve in beating Tunisia(just), Panama, Columbia and Sweden to get there. We lost to Belgium and Croatia!
We could have done better with a quality midfielder like Wilshere or Jonjo to bring on when we were overrun in midfield.
Little h
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:54 AM
Comment #32So no option to buy? I presume hes to expensive then? Wages and agent fees are stupid with Brazilians in general a mate of mine used to work in brazil and he says the big agents are always hunting the next ronaldo or ronaldinho so they hoover up any and all talent and slap a massive agent fee and rediculous release clauses just incase
Jail for Ashley
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:54 AM
Comment #33ilovetoon8788,
You really are a spiteful piece of work, you’ve nothing good to say about the toon and now you’re giving it to England, I bet you troll celebrities on Twitter!
geordiemark
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:55 AM
Comment #34Belfast
I reckon your right there, after watching england in the group stages there was 2players who done my head right in, 1 was sterling, he maybe quick but god what a nightmare player 2 deli alli very over rated player done 1 thing headed the ball in the net that was his all, I would have taken shelvey fair enough he might be a bit of a hot head but he can make a pass out of nothing plus townsend should have gone as well, on southgate hes a yes man that’s it on him
DaveD1000
Jul 12, 2018 at 10:57 AM
Comment #358788 is consistent if nothing else. I’ll bet his cornflakes were soggy
DaveD1000
Jul 12, 2018 at 11:00 AM
Comment #36http://www.rafabenitez.com/web/in/whats-on/welcome-again-kenedy/236/
Offkey
Jul 12, 2018 at 11:02 AM
Comment #37We would have had Croatia if
1. We didn’t score so early or
2. We took our first half chances or
3. We had one gazza type player who would pick the ball up and run at them making them lose shape rather than us
ToonRich
Jul 12, 2018 at 11:02 AM
Comment #38JFA @#13, that was so frustrating to watch, even into the final minutes of ET they were dallying about at the back passing sideways when they really needed to play hoofball when it may have helped!!
Great pics of Kenedy, brilliant to see that he looks right at home. Sometimes players seem to be just smiling for the cameras, but he looks geniunely happy to be back 😀
Mister Tuff
Jul 12, 2018 at 11:09 AM
Comment #39The new UEFA Nations league which starts in September should be interesting – should stop all these meaningless international friendlies. There are four leagues based on rankings.
Hopefully in due course it will allow England to play the likes of the Republic of Ireland and Scotland and silence voices from those countries who have not yet got over centuries old battles. A hatred still propagated today.
Sport would be better without politics but it will never free of some deep rooted hatreds.
We got whopped by the French in 1066 – but I will be supporting France in the final this weekend – with no political or religious hatred in my body whatsoever.
hibbit
Jul 12, 2018 at 11:10 AM
Comment #40G
Kenedy is in ireland according to the chronicle