After the sad news of Sir Bobby Charlton’s passing, Park Life Sport took to the streets of Cheltenham to find out what the locals had to say.
Brendan Jones was a teenager at the time of the 1966 World Cup, he recalled watching the final at his sister’s house with all the family on Alstone Lane in Cheltenham. “It was great the World Cup of 66, I can’t forget it”.
When asked about knowing if Sir Geoff Hurst was the last surviving winner of the 1966 World Cup he eagerly pointed towards the direction of Charlton Kings “He lives up here!” he said, with a huge grin on his face.
Brendan went on to mention that he’s seen Sir Geoff Hurst around Cheltenham a few times, most recently in COOK on Bath Road.
“I’ve always lived in Cheltenham, all my life. Geoff Hurst living in Cheltenham is great”.
An 80-year-old man who wanted his name to stay anonymous said, “I went to skittles the other day, the man who runs the skittles had us all there on the alley, he blew a whistle and we held a two-minute silence for Sir Bobby.”
“Sir Bobby was great, and his brother Jackie, they didn’t agree very much but, brilliant.”
When asked where he watched it he smiled and said “I watched it on a black and white TV at home.” The biggest triumph in English football I asked? “Oh yes, and it wasn’t a prima donna, it was about football and not money”.
“I had family which played football professionally in the 1930-50s, Cliff Lang was his name he played at Stoke City, Swansea City, Barnsley and locally Cheltenham”.
When asked about the last surviving 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst, He said “I’ve personally never seen him about however I think he does physiotherapy, or used to.”
“All of the good guys have gone, the prima donnas have taken over, so because of that I don’t watch a lot of football now. I’d now much rather go down to the park and watch some 18/19-year-olds”.
Another man in his 60s who also wanted to stay unnamed explained that he was living in Singapore at the time of the 1966 World Cup.
“I stopped watching football in the mid-70s as I thought it was already getting too commercial. In them days you’d be getting £20 a week maximum, Then when Jimmy Hill got that cap removed I remember when Alan Ball made a transfer from Everton to Arsenal for what was then a national record of £220,000”.
“It was better days then (World Cup 1966).”
Here on Bath Road in Cheltenham, Reporting for Park Life Sport. pic.twitter.com/LT4ZkjFwSj
— Caitlin Webb (@caitlinwjourno) October 27, 2023
