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English Football Legends Series

Even if Geoff Hurst had never scored another goal in his career, his hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final would guarantee his status as an England legend.

Geoff Hurst

Clubs: West Ham United, Stoke City

Position: Forward

Appearances*: 562

Goals*: 224

Honours: FA Cup, 1
Cup Winners Cup, 1
World Cup, 1

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* League appearances and goals only

West Ham United

Hurst joined West Ham as an apprentice in 1959. Initially, he played as a midfielder but manager Ron Greenwood, spotting his potential, converted him to a centre-forward.

He was a member of West Ham's FA Cup winning side in 1964, scoring the second equaliser in a 3-2 win over Preston North End.

A year later, West Ham were back at Wembley, where they beat 1860 Munich 2-0 to lift the European Cup Winners Cup.

In 1965, he was in the West Ham team that lost the League Cup final on aggregate to West Bromwich Albion, and in February 1966 he made his England debut.

1966 World Cup

Hurst was selected for England's 22 man squad, but was considered a back up to the first-choice pairing of Roger Hunt and Jimmy Greaves.

However, Greaves picked up an injury in the third Group Stage game against France, and Hurst took his chance and scored the winner in the quarter-final with Argentina.

With Greaves still not fit for the semi-final, Hurst played against Portugal, and again put in a solid performance, setting up one of England's two goals.

Greaves was fit for the final, and there were calls from the media and public for him to be re-instated to the side, but Alf Ramsey decided to persevere with Hurst.

He would be vindicated in that decision.

In the final, Germany went one up, before Hurst got England level. His West Ham team-mate Martin Peters then gave England the lead, but the Germans equalised late on to send the game into extra time.

In the first period, Hurst received a pass from Ball inside the penalty box and struck a fierce shot which hit the crossbar and bounced down, before being put out for a corner by Germany.

England's players claimed that the ball had crossed the line and, after consulting his linesman, referee Gottfried Dienst awarded the goal.

The Germans protested vociferously, but the goal stood. It remains one of the most controversial in world football to this day.

With the clock running down, there was still time for Hurst to complete his hat-trick and write his name into the record books.

"They think it's all over! It is now! It's four!"
BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme, as Geoff Hurst completed his World Cup hat-trick

Later Playing Career

Hurst continued to play for England finishing his international career in 1972. He had played 49 international games and scored 24 goals.

That year he also left West Ham to join Stoke City. His Hammers career had seen him play one short of 500 games, scoring 252 goals.

He later had a short spell with West Bromwich Albion, and spent time in the North American Soccer League with Seattle Sounders.

Hurst finally hung up his boots in January 1976, nearly a decade after his career defining game in '66.

Management Career

After retirement from playing, Hurst was assistant to his ex-West Ham boss Ron Greenwood, after Greenwood was appointed England manager in 1977.

In 1979/81, he became manager of Chelsea, then in the Second Division. He had a reasonable start as Blues manager, almost guiding them to promotion in 1980, but after a poor run of results he was fired in April, 1981.

Honours

Geoff Hurst remains the only man to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final.

In 1998, he was knighted for his contribution to sport.

He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

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