WILLIAM LING (Part 2)

By the start of the 1948-9 season, William Ling had become a Football League referee, and within 3 years had been appointed to control the FA Cup Final in 1951, in which Newcastle United beat Stanley Matthews' Blackpool, who lost to Jackie Milburn's two goals. On the day of the Final, Ling spotted a policeman as he arrived at Wembley Stadium. He recognised him as a player he had sent off previously during a Sunday league fixture and as he passed him, said: "Now what do you think?" The officer replied: "I still think you are no f***ing good!"

Next for Ling came the 1954 World Cup Finals, which was only his second international tournament. He was one of a group of four referees appointed from the UK . The others were Benjamin Griffiths of Wales, Arthur Ellis of Yorkshire and Charles Faultless of Scotland. In the course of the tournament, Ling had already refereed the Group match between Hungary and West Germany (in which the Hungarians had won 8–3 against the West German team of mainly reserve players) and then assisted Englishman, Ellis who during the famed Battle of Berne quarter-final, sent off three players in the Brazil v Hungary fiesty tie at the Wankdorf Stadium, Berne.  

Ling's part in the World Cup Final, between Hungary and West Germany was controversial because he accepted linesman Griffith's offside flag, in the final minutes to deny Hungarian star Ferenc Puskas, a 3-3 equalizer, which could have sent the game into extra-time.

West German radio reporter Herbery Zimmerman had called Puskás offside well before he kicked, but who is he to be believed!.

Will Meisl, a journalist, observed that the Hungarian, goalkeeper Grosics, had struck Ling following the final whistle. Nothing came of this incident and the mood amongst the Hungarians had settled when the trophy was handed to the West Germany. The Hungarians had lost their first match in 30, a record stretching back to May 1950.

The game's referee Arthur Ellis commented: "I thought it was going to be the greatest game I'd ever officiate. I was on top of the world. Whether politics and religion had something to do with it, I don't know, but they behaved like animals. It was a disgrace. It was a horrible match. In today's climate so many players would have been sent off the game would have been abandoned. My only thought was that I was determined to finish it."

The Times newspaper correspondent on 28 June 1954, drew a similar conclusion; "Never in my life have I seen such cruel tackling, the cutting down of opponents as if with a scythe, followed by threatening attitudes and sly jabs when officialdom was engaged elsewhere."

"This was a battle; a brutal, savage match," recalled Hungary manager Gustav Sebes, who needed four stitches for a facial wound received during the fighting. "At the end we had won 4–2 but it wasn't over yet. Brazilian photographers and fans flooded on to the pitch and police were called to clear it. Players clashed in the tunnel and a small war broke out in the corridor to the dressing rooms - everyone was having a go; fans, players and officials." It's only a game!!