International Football - Greaves gets '66 medal

Eurosport - Thu, 11 Jun 08:01:00 2009

England striker Jimmy Greaves, controversially left out of the 1966 World Cup final, was presented with a winner's medal along with the other 10 squad members who did not play in the game.

FOOTBALL Striker Jimmy Greaves, training with England during the 1966 World Cup, who was awarded a winner's medal 43 years after being controversially left out of the final by Sir Alf Ramsey. Ten other former England players also got medals. - 0

The presentation by Prime Minister Gordon Brown followed an initiative by FIFA last year to strike replica medals for every player since 1930 who was part of a winning World Cup-winning squad but did not receive a medal.

The decision by manager Alf Ramsey to leave out Greaves, now 69, was a huge talking point in the build-up to the final against West Germany which England won 4-2 thanks to a hat-trick by striker Geoff Hurst.

"It's been a long wait, but in the days we played, only the 11 that played in the final got the medals," Greaves told Setanta.

"All the squad now get a medal. It's very nice - but if Sir Alf was still around we'd have probably got it sooner."

Greaves won 57 caps between 1959 and 1967 and his tally of 44 goals is still the third highest total for England behind Bobby Charlton (49) and Gary Lineker (48).

Reuters

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  1. glad the squad players have finally got there medals,­ so rightly deserved, as for the should greaves have­ played or not, i think the outcome would have been the­ same, 44 goals in 57 games speaks for itself, the bloke­ was and is a legend

    From melliott650, on Thu 11 Jun 3:01PM

  2. Manager has to make decisions, if it didnt work­ they'd now be going on about how 'we WOULD HAVE­ won if Greavsie had played'. Hurst didnt jump in,­ he was picked, Before that game gave him glory he wasnt­ thought of as the first choice. His moment came and he­ took it. German team looked beat before that final­ goal, they looked resigned to defeat. Greavsie right,­ Ramsey would have demanded all squad gets recognition.

    From c.scotcher, on Thu 11 Jun 9:03AM

  3. well done "wobblay" (nice manly nickname btw)­ a story about world cup medals you've turned into a­ story asking people to leave racist comments, you big­ smart person you.

    From fakn118, on Wed 10 Jun 10:22PM

  4. i disagree Geoff Hurst was an absolute genius after all­ he was the only footballer in the history of the game­ to score a 2 goal hat trick

    From allan, on Wed 10 Jun 8:29PM

  5. Greaves was much better than Geoff Hurst, that git­ jumped in at the last minute and took all the glory.

    From scott t, on Wed 10 Jun 8:14PM

  6. Wobblay can I suggest lots of Insulin? you'll feel­ no pain and after an hour or so everything will seem so­ much better for you and everyone who knows you.

    From jack torrance, on Wed 10 Jun 8:13PM

  7. It's about bloody time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Oh and­ wobblay, you sound like an A******E.

    From Had Enough, on Wed 10 Jun 8:04PM

  8. Whats wrong with your life Wobblay.
    what damn shame.

    From omorehia, on Wed 10 Jun 7:46PM
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