ALF RAMSEY-ENGLAND'S LAST TROPHY WINNING MANAGER

Today involves a serious international cup tie. Many of you will not have been alive on July 11th 1966, when England played Uruguay on the opening fixture of the World Cup, hosted in England. The score was a "steady" 0-0 draw, with 9 of the World Final team starting out. Jimmy Greaves (Spurs) and John Connelly(Burnley) played but did not suit Alf Ramsey's selection as the tournament progressed and therefore missed the final. 

Ramsey, despite serving in the War, played against Southampton in a war time friendly and eventually was signed by The Saints, playing from 1943-9, 90 times with 8 goals. He then spent 6 years at Spurs, 226 apps with 24 goals, which helped the club gain promotion from the Second Division. First and from 1948-53 he played 32 times for England scoring 3 goals. He was a "defensive half back!"

In 1955 through to 1963 he led Ipswich Town from the Third Division South into the First Division (the top one then), becoming Champions in 1961-2 season. In 1963 he took control of the England team and stayed with it until 1974. England's qualification group for the 1974 World Cup, included just two other teams: Poland and Wales. However the Poles, who had not qualified for a World Cup finals since 1938, were an improved team who would go on to finish third in the tournament. A home draw with Wales, followed by a defeat in Poland meant that England had to win their final match against Poland at Wembley in October 1973. Ramsey had asked for the Football League games to be postponed on the weekend before the game to assist England's preparations. This request was refused by Football League chairman, Alan Hardaker who said: "It is a football match, not a war".

Before the qualifier with Poland at Wembley the Derby manager Brian Clough described Polish goalkeeper Tomaszewski as a "circus clown in gloves". Errors in the England team and an inspired goalkeeping performance by Tomaszewski, who made many crucial saves, meant that the match finished 1–1. Ramsey, always uncomfortable with the substitute law, was blamed for waiting until the 85th minute before bringing on a forward, Kevin Hector. The draw meant that England had tried and failed to qualify for a World Cup for the first time in the national team's history.

Various failings eventually led to his sacking on May 1st 1974, which was fair enough but the way it was done was poor and did the FA no favours.

The British journalist and author Leo MacKinstry said "England's most successful manager would have had a legacy fit for a hero had it not been for the malevolence of the FA chief Harold Thompson, not a likeable man. World Cup winner, Alan Ball, described the treatment of Ramsey as "the most incredible thing that ever happened in English football".

Alf died, following illness with Alzeihmer's and Prostate Cancer, on April 28th 1999. Highly thought of by footballers, he even appears on the front page of the comic.

 

The first fixture with Uruguay, was a tour game in Montevideo, on May 31st 1953, a 2-1 defeat. 

Then on June 26th 1954, in the World Cup real, a 2-4 defeat in Switzerland. 

After 1966, there was a 1-2 loss in an Italia World Cup warm up on May 22nd 1990.  (Uruguay had previously warmed up for this playing the Wandsworth Police Station at Roehampton, a 1-3 win for the visitors.) No arrests were made. 

On March 11th 2006 in a World Cup warm up, at Anfield (Wembley was being renovated). England won 2-1 with goals from Crouch and Cole.