Geoff Hurst was born in Ashton-under-Lyme in 1941, the son of a professional footballer. The family moved to Chelmsford in Essex in 1949.
Hurst became an apprentice at West Ham United in 1959, quickly making it to the first team, and eventually going on to make 499 appearances and scoring 248 goals in all competitions.
Under manager Ron Greenwood, Geoff Hurst played centre forward for West Ham, helping them to win the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners' Cup the following year.
Alf Ramsey included Geoff Hurst in his 1966 World Cup squad of 22 players, although it was Jimmy Greaves and Roger Hunt who were selected as the forwards in Ramsey's 4-4-2 formation for the group matches against Uruguay, Mexico and France. Hurst replaced the injured Greaves for the next Game against Argentina, and scored the only goal in England's 1-0 win.
Hurst played in the semi-final against Portugal, but with Greaves fit again for the final against West Germany, Ramsey had to choose between the two. He chose Hurst to play alongside his West Ham team-mates Bobby Moore and Martin Peters in the final.
In the Final itself, Hurst scored England's equaliser after West Germany had taken the lead. Martin Peters scored England's second goal, but then Germany themselves equalised in the last minute. With the game in 'extra time' Hurst scored on of the most controversial goals ever. Alan Ball crossed the ball from the right and Hurst turned and drove the ball against the underside of the crossbar from where it bounced down on to the goal line. Despite much protest from the Germans, the Russian linesman Bakhramov indicated to the referee that it was a goal. The argument has continued for more than forty
It was then that commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme uttered his famous words,"Some people are on the pitch, they think it's all over.....It is now!" Geoff Hurst's hat trick remains the only one ever scored in a World Cup final. He played a total of 49 games for England and scored 24 goals.
Hurst was awarded the MBE in 1975 and was knighted in 1998.
Hurst's autobiography 1966 and All That was published in 2002, with an updated paperback edition appearing in 2006 which includes his forthright comments on some of England's recent performances.
I met Geoff Hurst at Memorabilia, which was held at the NEC in August 2005. He signed my England football shirt and then I had my photo taken with him.
In 1972, Hurst was tranferred from West Ham to Stoke City, where he remained for the next three seasons. After a brief 12-match spell at West Bromwich Albion and a season in the American League with Seattle Sounders, Hurst retired as a player. He moved into
years with no conclusive evidence to prove it either way. Watch the video of the goal (click YouTube logo) and decide for yourself!
Geoff Hurst was present when a statue (sculpted by Philip Jackson and based on the famous images taken after the game) depicting Bobby Moore, Martin Peters, Ray Wilson and Hurst himself, was unveiled in 2003, in Green Street, close to Upton Park, home of West Ham United.
His one appearance for Essex against Lancashire means that Hurst has the distinction of being the only first-class cricketer to have won a World Cup winner's medal at soccer!
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With the Germans pressing hard for an equaliser in the dying seconds of the game, and with spectators running on to the pitch, Hurst received a pass from Bobby Moore, ran as far as he could towards the German goal before unleashing a powerful left-foot shot, and scoring England's fourth goal.
Geoff Hurst at West Ham
Rob Highton's print of Hurst scoring England's fourth goal
(above & left)
Geoff Hurst playing for England against Argentina
Geoff Hurst scoring England's controversial goal
Geoff Hurst at West Ham
Honours List
in the Queen's 1998 Birthday
Geoff Hurst receives a knighthood
Geoff Hurst pulls a pint with wife Judith
Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore & Ray
Wilson celebrate after the game
Philip Jackson's statue of Martin Peters,
Geoff Hurst, Bobby Moore & Ray
Wilson in Green Street, London
coaching and management, becoming Chelsea's manager in 1979. He was sacked 2 years later and left football to become a succesful buinessman.
Sir Geoff Hurst signed my England shirt
England's 1966 World Cup winning team
Back row: Shepperson (trainer), Stiles, Hunt, Banks,
J Charlton, Cohen, Wilson, Ramsey (manager)
Front row: Peters, Hurst, Moore, Ball, R.Charlton
Sir Geoff Hurst
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Sir Geoff Hurst has signed my Alan Rimell print. It is print No.66 of a limited edition of 100!