Bobby Moore had proudly shown it to the crowds and few knew the story of the missing trophy.
The valuable trophy was put on display in the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster in March.
Five guards detailed to look after the glass cabinet housing the Jules Rimet Trophy went AWOL. Three months before hosting the World Cup, the trophy has been lost.
The FA, for ever making up "cock ups" went to silversmith George Bird in Fenchurch Street and asked him to make a copy and to keep his mouth shut.
Top men from the Flying Squad were told that two men, one tall and one short, or was it the other way round? entered the Methodist Hall and nicked the World Cup. Then a Mr Jackson got in touch with the authorities and asked for a ransom of £15000 for its return.
The police set up a trap and with a suitcase full of old newspapers covered by real notes arranged to meet in Battersea Park but one way and another the operation went wrong. Jackson saw a transit van that he assumed was full of coppers and ran but was soon arrested. The thief was called Edward Bletchley, a 46 year old ex soldier with an exemplary record.
Meanwhile, with no cup to show for their efforts, two days later Pickles saved the day, rummaging around in the bushes, he came across the Jules Rimet Trophy wrapped in newspaper on Sunday March 27th.
His owner, David Corbett, could not believe his luck and took the cup to the local police station but was immediately suspected as an accomplice. After some further investigation Corbett was cleared and rewarded with £5000, which in those days would have bought a lot of Winalot. Instead of fattening his favourite pooch, he bought a new house, which you could in those days, with a lovely garden for Pickles to run around in.
Pickles became a celebrity and appeared in "The Spy with the Cold Nose" with Eric Sykes. He was on Blue Peter, Magpie, was Dog of the Year, was given free food from Spillers and offered travel to foreign countries, but needing quarantine certificates this was declined.
Pickles and his master attended the World Cup winners' celebration dinner in Kensington and although the dog made an appearance in the main hall, they ended up slumming it with the players' wives who were banished by the tight fisted FA to a room "downstairs" away from the men.
The replica trophy was returned to Bird and the real one given to Brazil when they won the cup for the third time in 1970. It was stolen in 1983, never to be returned.
The replica once at auction and bought by FIFA for over £250,000, now sits in the National Football Museum in Manchester
Unfortunately Pickles, chased a cat in his nice Lingfield garden and ended up hanging himself from his choke collar on a tree branch. He died.
Some say that this is just part of the story! Pickles is dead, Bletchley served two years in prison and is dead, who knows the truth about Corbett?
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