For English football fans, there's little argument about the team's greatest result. The 1966 4-2 win over West Germany in the World Cup final was their finest hour and is vividly remembered by people who never saw it in the first place.
Much of the credit for that result falls of course to Geoff Hurst. Just five months and eight games into his international career, he made World Cup history as the only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final.
The commentator's quote as Hurst slotted in his third goal in the dying seconds of the match "Some people are on the pitch ... they think it's all over ... it is now" is one of the best known in the UK, even giving the name to a long-running sports panel game.
For this reason, a piece of memorabilia appearing at Bonhams in Chester is absolutely unmissable for a true England fan: Hurst's spare shirt for that 1966 final. It has been given a cautious estimate of £6,000-8,000.
 Geoff Hurst's spare 1966 World Cup shirt (Click to enlarge) |
A pair of Stanley Matthews's boots (with a note saying "Yes, my old soccer boots") will also appear in the sale with the same estimate. These were the pair he wore in a testimonial match played in his honour on April 28, 1965 at Stokes Victoria ground in front of 35,000 spectators.
Obviously the match involved is important, nevertheless the last time a pair of Matthews's boots -the ones used in the 'Matthews final' - appeared at auction with that estimate they went for £38,400.
Other highlights include a 1951 FA Cup final winner's medal presented to Newcastle's Jack Fairbrother (£5,000-7,000); and a 1955 FA Cup final winner's medal awarded to Newcastle Captain Jimmy Scoular (estimate £5,000-7,000), who had previously won First Division winner's medals with Portsmouth in 1948/9 and 1949/50.
A 1957-58 Italian league champion's medal awarded to John Charles shortly after his transfer to Italian club Juventus FC is also on offer with a guide price of £8,000-10,000. The auction takes place on June 16.
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