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As an 8 year old in 1966 I remember there was a great deal of satisfaction in the country when England won, but nothing like the euphoria that I think would erupt if they won it now. It would seem like a miracle and all the players would get knighthoods for a start.

No, the mood was more that it was only right and proper that we had won because we had invented the game after all. Plus we were playing (West) Germany and we always beat the Germans, didn't we? That was also said when we played them again in 1970. Those words have come back to bite us ever since.

As this is a pedantry thread, we could get into a discussion on the use of the word "substitute" in football.

Tyke

It was a great year for Evertonians. We won the Cup Final (My dad managed to get tickets through a connection (I didnt realise how lucky I was)..........then England won.

My hero was Ray Wilson and he played in both. He was an incredible defender. Only one booking in his career, for handball.

It is amazing to think that Goodison was the best club ground in the country then. It is very much the same today, hard to develop it. The England semi final should have been there but it was changed. They would not get away with that today.

Orson

I agree with your comments that it was not felt to be a particularly important victory. After all Alf Ramsey said we would win it.

I am not happy with the amount of substitutions or the time taken, though I dont suppose this is what you meant. And they are taliking of allowing 5 - mid-season. Ludicrous.

Jigjag

Yes I remember a lot of England supporters were upset that England played all their games at Wembley - don`t think Sir Alf was complaining! I think the other London venue was the old White City - not sure why Highbury missed out. Ayresome Park was used but not St James, which was nothing like the ground it is today.

Orson

I suppose a large number of subs might generate some sort of atmosphere - at least we should be spared the spectacle of players, coaches and subs spitting every few seconds - not the most edifying part of the beautiful game.

What I was thinking of was an old use of substitute that hardly anyone bothers about now. Basically, something should be substituted for something and not by something.

White sugar can be substituted for brown if you don't have any of the latter. But often we hear a football commentator say that Jones has been substituted by Brown, or the manager substituted Smith in the second half. It would be more elegant to say replaced instead, but nobody does when it comes to football and it's something hardly anyone bothers about. But it's all right to call the new player on the pitch the substitute (also in cricket) rather than the replacement.

Orson

You will be surprised to hear that they get it right at Goodison Park. The announcer says "No. 8, X, being replaced by No. 27, Y".

They only use "substitute" before the match when they read the team and then "Substitutes for Everton today are...."

Interesting that the subs in Rugby are "replacements"

Tyke

Yes a match was played at White City - should have been Wembley but it clashed with a greyhound meeting - which took preference!. Imagine that today. I dont know why they didnt use a League ground.

You have a great idea. You are right that more subs would help the atmosphere. I rang Goodison this morning and asked that they propose at today's Premier League meeting that the number of subs per side be increased from the suggested 5 to 20,000. They thought I was joking.

Jigjag

You`ve reminded me of FA Cup Finals of yesteryear - the finalists were only allocated about 17,000 tickets each, which meant many supporters lost out or took a chance with the ticket touts (Stan Flashman?)
The friday night before the final there was always greyhound racing at Wembley - some ticketless fans tried to hide somewhere in the ground overnight. I think the Wembley authorities got wise to this and `swept` the ground after the last race - I hope some fans managed to get away with it!

Malone/Jigjag

I struggled with the bottom right quadrant in the Times today. I got Sandpit, so the "Foodie/exam" clue (3,6) coming down from the P must be Pie Tester though I cant quite parse it, and I cant see some of the others. Quite tough for me today.

Grunger
Change sandpit to sandBOX :)