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Words by George Nash
Things you might expect to see on a Monday afternoon in a Wetherspoon pub: young professionals enjoying a liquid lunch, a couple tucking into a mixed grill, a middle-aged man gleefully telling anyone in close proximity that every Wetherspoon carpet is unique.
Things you probably wouldn’t expect to see on a Monday afternoon in a Wetherspoon pub: an England World Cup winner pulling pints and watching the football.
So, you can imagine the surprise on the faces of the 100 or so customers at The Crosse Keys in London to see a certain Sir Geoff Hurst popping up behind the bar and taking in the action unfolding on the big screen.
Hurst, who famously scored a hat-trick in the final as the Three Lions roared to World Cup triumph in 1966, was there to meet fans and promote Budweiser's 'Bring it Home' campaign.
As a key member of, what is still, the only England men’s side to win a major tournament, few can boast footballing credentials quite like the 82-year-old.
And so, as the tournament really kicks into gear, and with Wetherspoon pubs showing all the matches throughout the tournament, who better to bless a keg of Bud in support of Gareth Southgate’s team than the man who helped give English football its finest hour?
Upon arrival, Sir Geoff wasted little time getting stuck in; chatting to supporters, posing for photos, and even taking over bartending duties with an energy and enthusiasm that suggests he could still do a job up top with Harry Kane.
After retreating to a quiet area at the back of the pub, Hurst’s many recollections from that glorious summer nearly 60 years ago immediately come flooding back.
“Memories are the greatest. I can tell you that more than anybody,” he tells LADbible.
“Memories of winning a major international tournament simply last forever and something the fans will be talking about for decades.
“The support from the fans in ’66 was absolutely vital to our success. I remember being at Wembley for the final and it felt like the whole country was up there cheering us on.
“You could feel that togetherness and, all these years later, people still tell me their memories of that time.”
With all 51 games at this summer’s tournament being screened at Wetherspoon pubs, Hurst believes few things can match the atmosphere, excitement and euphoria created when fans come together to watch the games.
“Having avnice beer and a few laughs in the pub while supporting the team, it’s ideal, it really is,” he says.
“Support for the players is great, but fans coming together as a collective is amazing. It’s a fantastic thing.”
As the last remaining player of the 1966 squad, Hurst knows all too well about the importance of creating a legacy.
And he believes that Southgate and his players have what it takes to etch their names into footballing folklore this summer.
“I think we’ve got a fantastic young team. But at the same time this team doesn’t feel that young.
“Yes, you’ve got the usual suspects in Spain, Germany and France, but we’ve got players who have won and achieved so many things at club level.
“Just look at Jude Bellingham. The fact he’s just 20 years of age is astonishing. His goal against Serbia was terrific, too. I’d have been proud of that one.”
So, how does this current crop of players compare to the class of ‘66?
“It doesn’t compare yet because they haven’t won anything,” adds Hurst.
“But in terms of the talent and quality it’s definitely similar. Under Southgate it’s been a gigantic leap from where we have been for many, many years.
“I’m usually fairly confident about England’s chances but I’ve never been more confident than I have in the lead up to this one.”
And, finally, a question that only Sir Geoff Hurst can answer: does scoring a hat-trick in a World Cup final for England mean he never has to pay for a pint ever again?
“Yes, of course I do,” he says with a smile.
“But people are extremely generous. Even today people recognise you and talk about it. It really is quite remarkable and only then do you realise how big it is for your national team to win something.”
Sir Geoff Hurst currently appears in Budweiser’s latest campaign, where he can be seen blessing Budweiser in Bud’s brewery with his original no. 10 shirt from 1966.
Thomas Thorn