by Jacqueline Alexander
Photo: WIth thanks to The League Magazine (@Theleaguemag)
From left to right: Geoff Hurst, Martin Chivers, Rodney Marsh, Francis Lee
The immediacy of Twitter is well documented but sometimes a tweet brings about a blast from the distant past that requires more than 140 characters.
When Sir Geoff was asked if he remembered anything about a photo posted by The League Magazine (@Theleaguemag) a vague recollection was all that was hoped for but the reality proved to be a little different:
"I think that was taken during England training around '71 or '72." Geoff recalled. "Rodney came on when I was substituted in what turned out to be my last game against West Germany at Wembley in the Quarter Final of the 1st leg of EurosÝ'72.
"I was not selected for the return in Germany but was called up as one of my replacements got injured prior to our get together.ÝHowever, I injured my back in training before the second leg, so it turned out the match at Wembley was my final game.
"There was some talk I was going to be recalled a year or so later, but it never happened.
"No, I don't remember it!"
Sir Geoff Hurst MBE secured a unique place in the history of football in 1966 when he became the first and, for more than 56 years, the only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final.
Sir Geoff says that he 'had a great run', nevertheless he remains the only player to score a 'perfect' hat-trick and the only to be on the World Cup winning team.
Knighted in 1998 and inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2004, Sir Geoff holds a special place in the hearts of football fans across the world and, perhaps surprisingly, this includes Germany!