Meet the England superfan who had tickets to every 1966 World Cup match…and he’s backing the Three Lions to bring football home this summer
Bryan Douglas, from Kent, has kept all his 1966 ticket stubs, programmes and other memorabilia in his loft from the only year England won the World Cup
AN ENGLAND superfan who bought tickets to every 1966 England World Cup match has backed the Three Lions to bring the trophy home this summer.
Bryan Douglas, 79, who was standing behind the players’ tunnel for the Wembley final against West Germany, is hoping Gareth Southgate’s men can match the class of ’66.
He said: “If England win the World Cup on Sunday, the elation will be greater than it was then.”
Bryan, from Maidstone in Kent, said he was in no doubt England's controversial third goal scored by hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst in the final crossed the line.
He told the Sun Online: “We were standing behind the players’ tunnel, about half-way up. From our end, we were convinced the ball had crossed the line, not least because of Roger Hunt’s reaction.
“He was in the six-yard box with his arms in the air and had wheeled away in triumph, so we started celebrating.”
Bryan has kept all his 1966 ticket stubs, programmes and other memorabilia in his loft from the only year England won the World Cup.
The grandfather-of-four missed England’s group games as his wife Betty, 78, gave birth to their first daughter on June 30, days before the start of the tournament.
But he was there to cheer on Alf Ramsey’s men for their knock-out matches as the Three Lions defeated Argentina and Portugal to set up the final against West Germany.
Bryan recalled: “Remarkably it was greatly feared the tournament would be a financial flop.
"As a consequence, it was comparatively easy to get tickets.
"There were a group of us lads and we wrote off for tickets. There was never any doubt you were going to get them.”
Bryan and his friends paid just 10 shillings for a standing ticket for the final on July 30, with the programme costing 2/6 (12.5p).
He said: “Germany scored first but we were never in any doubt. It was ecstasy in the stadium when the fourth goal went in. When that went in, that was it.
“When we left the stadium, we went to a pub up Wembley Way. It was a bit crowded and suddenly there was a big shout as the coach came up carrying the team.
"Everybody piled out of the pub in the middle of the road to see the team go past. It was tremendous."
In a similar way to the current campaign, England fans went into the tournament without any great sense of optimism.
Bryan said: "We had no idea what to expect with the World Cup. Alf Ramsey famously said we would win it.
"The first game we played against Uruguay was a terrible game, a 0-0 draw. It was boring and there was the usual despair.
"But it gradually built and built. When we got to the match with Argentina that was the one game I thought we could lose.
"They were a really good team. But after that I did not have any doubt - I don't think anybody did."
His treasured match final ticket sits next to reports of England’s most famous match in the newspapers.
Bryan is now quietly confident England’s class of ’18 can lift the trophy in Moscow.
He said: “You can never really be confident with England but these boys have the best chance [to win it] for a long, long time.
"I have been greatly impressed with the England team, the organisation and the management.
“You can’t really compare the teams because the current one is fitter, stronger and faster. Gareth Southgate has created a great team ethic. I think they can definitely win it.
"The question is when does he become Sir Gareth if he wins the World Cup?”
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Bryan will be watching tomorrow’s semi-final match against Croatia at home on TV.
And despite being the proud owner of such a valuable piece of England football memorabilia he has vowed to always keep his precious 1966 final ticket.
He said: "I am not going to sell them - you don't sell things like that."
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