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Title: I Stood Behind the Goal When England Won the World Cup – Eye-Witness Memoir Captures the Real Story of 1966 Glory

United Kingdom, 18th Jun 2026 - On 30 July 1966, Adrian Bailey was standing directly behind the goal at Wembley as Geoff Hurst’s third strike sealed England’s 4-2 victory over West Germany. Sixty years on, this self-published author delivers a deeply personal eye-witness account that goes far beyond match reports and official histories.Written in a warm, conversational style, the book opens with the despair of England’s 2022 quarter-final exit and the author’s hope that he will still be around for 2026. It then takes the reader back to the swinging sixties his life as a cash-strapped Exeter University student, the excitement of buying World Cup tickets after a BBC Sports Report announcement, and the everyday realities of 1960s football.From the introduction of substitutes and the football pools to tactics, finances, lost stadiums and quirky personal tales (including the author’s own “Jimmy Jinx”), Bailey offers a human, fan-to-fan perspective on the tournament that changed English football forever. The final chapter looks ahead to 2026 with the same mixture of nostalgia and optimism that has sustained him through decades of near-misses.Key Highlights: Authentic eye-witness testimony from the terraces behind the goal at the 1966 Wembley final The remarkable story of how a penniless undergraduate secured tickets for the entire London group, quarter-final, semi-final and final after hearing a BBC radio announcement Vivid portrait of 1960s soccer life, the arrival of substitutes, the pools culture, historic grounds that no longer exist, and the pre-Premier League financial realities Warm, humorous personal anecdotes including the author’s “Jimmy Jinx”, the Good Samaritan of 1966 and the inside story of North Korea’s shock run Timely reflections link...

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