The Night I Shared The Wembley Stage With The Hammers World Cup Winners.

Visitor Submit by John Bayfield

For the 1972 European Championship Quarter Remaining first leg at Wembley between England and West Germany, Cambridgeshire schoolboys underneath -15’s have been chosen for the match as ball boys for the large recreation on Saturday April 29th. And I used to be one of many fortunate chosen nine for an unforgettable day. We received there a number of hours beforehand visiting the dressing rooms, strolling up the steps to the Royal Box and seeing the warm ups in the tunnel before the teams went out. Sepp Maier, the German goalkeeper, appeared like he was a contortionist whilst doing workouts in the tunnel yards from me. A excessive diploma of flexibility wanted being a world keeper.

England; Gordon Banks, Norman Hunter, Bobby Moore, Emlyn Hughes, Paul Madeley, Alan Ball, Colin Bell, Martin Peters, Martin Chivers, Geoff Hurst and Francis Lee.

West Germany; Sepp Maier, Franz Beckenbauer; Paul Breitner, Horst- Dieter Hottges, Georg Schwarzenbeck, Uli Hoeness, Gunter Netzer, Jurgen Grabowski, Sigi Held, Gerd Muller and Herbert Wimmer.

Gerd Muller and Franz Beckenbauer have been the apparent stand out names for West Germany however it was Gunter Netzer in midfield who ran the show for the guests. Being a couple of ft from the pitch that near the action was particular and being in front of the gang of 100,000 as an alternative of being part of it was an experience I will never forget. It’s straightforward to get caught up within the second, watching the sport and being ready to collect the ball shortly in your designated space. During any stoppages I might look to see where my fellow ball boys have been and have a look across the stadium. Late in the second half, Alan Mullery, then at Tottenham, was warming up close to my touchline. He asked me ‘Have you learnt how a lot time is left’ to which I replied ‘I haven’t obtained a watch on’. Mullery didn’t get on anyway and his last cap was six months earlier in 1971.

Hurst and Peters in assault. Younger Bayfield circled, pitch aspect, making an attempt not to get carried away.

At half time we have been advised that on the ultimate whistle we have been all go to the centre circle on the halfway line and wait till the groups had cleared the pitch. Throughout player’s handshakes and hugs on the last whistle, we went to the centre circle and confronted the Royal Box aspect. So (technically) at that point I shared the Wembley pitch with two of West Ham United’s 1966 heroes, Geoff Hurst having been substituted earlier for Rodney Marsh.

Once the players had gone down the tunnel, we then made our method again to a small altering area, having each been given an England coaching package and gray tracksuits to wear for the match. Alas we had no photographs taken of us that day which in hindsight was a disgrace however the recreation is on YouTube and my good self is masking the left aspect area from the half means line to the nook flag on the identical aspect as the group’s benches thus the other aspect from the TV cameras for both halves.

England drew the return leg 0-0 so lost 3-1 on combination. The German ball boys should have been fitter than us because it was played in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium with huge areas round that pitch.

Finally I hope all WHTID’ers are fit, wholesome, wanting round for each other and nonetheless having fun with the location during this quiet interval. It’s definitely helped me hold going these past weeks. COYI!

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