My mention of Kenneth Wolstenholme and his famous line “They think it’s all over etc” (blog 02 April) had me recalling another bit of correspondence from the past concerning the great TV football commentator.
This time I wasn’t offering him any advice (!); rather, I was pursuing my curiosity concerning something that was definitely a bit odd about his delivery of that line.
In full, he said: “Some people are on the pitch. They think it’s all over; it is now.”
That was Geoff Hurst making it 4-2 for England at Wembley in the 1966 World Cup Final.
Whenever I saw a replay of those magic moments, in both the immediate aftermath and subsequent years, I felt convinced that our Kenneth had said “it is now” before Hurst’s shot had passed the goalkeeper, let alone crossed the line.
In 1993, I wrote about it to Robert Philip, a Daily Telegraph senior sports writer.
Robert, who evidently knew the commentator well, replied: “You’re dead right. Ken did utter the magic words before the ball crossed the line – and he knows not why!”
That goal was Hurst’s hat-trick, but the match was almost as memorable for his second goal that was hugely controversial with the ball allegedly not having crossed the line.
The result broke the hearts of not only the Germans but also the Scots, among them Robert Philip, who concluded his letter to me thus:--
“I have to point out (Hurst’s hat-trick clincher) was only England’s THIRD goal and should, of course, have been disallowed because Sir Alf’s granny was running across the pitch at the time.
“’Twas the worst day of my life, and one I am constantly reminded of by my Sasenach spouse!”
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