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14 - Following the Final on Holiday Peter Thornton: watching on holiday in Blackpool

I was nine in 1966. Football had me at 'hello' since Langworthy Road had won the Salford Schools Cup the previous year. I just knew then that the football team was the place to be.

I had duly done a class project on the World Cup, with cuttings from the Daily Mirror. I was allowed to stay up late for the evening games. I sat with my granddad and watched the rough house against Argentina. I marvelled as Bobby Charlton put in a world class display against Portugal. England were in the final.

But we were going on holiday that Saturday. And there was one huge hurdle to overcome. My dad was not interested in football, whatsoever.
His natural habitat was the pub, and in those days, very, very few pubs had a TV.

We arrived at Cleveleys near Blackpool and were soon on the beach. It was a glorious day and my mum, dad and younger brother set up shop in my dad's favourite spot.

Around dinner time I started asking my mum if we were going to watch the final. "Ask your dad," she said. Mainly because she knew I wouldn't dare.
About an hour or so later I was starting to get anxious. Mum and I had been for an ice cream. I must have been wailing because a couple stopped mum and asked if I was OK. "He wants to watch the World Cup," she said.
"We'll all be watching won't we?" came the friendly reply. My mum told them it was unlikely that my dad would be moving, other than to go to the pub. There was probably tears from me by now.

At which point, the chap said "He can come and watch it with us if he wants." My mum told the couple she couldn't possibly trouble them, but the look of hope on my face must have persuaded her. They told my mum they lived not far from the beach.

So I watched the 1966 World Cup final, with a couple called Bill and Hazel, who I hadn't met before, and who I have never seen since!

Amazing to think looking back, that my mum trusted this couple with me, whom she had never met either. Different times of course.

Bill and Hazel treated me to pop and crisps and I had a great time until Germany equalised in the last minute. I had to try very hard to be a 'big boy' and not cry.

All was well in the end. My mum and dad returned after it was all over.
"Did they win," said dad. "YES" I replied beside myself with excitement.
"I knew they would," said dad. "Come on we'll have fish and chips."

And I have to say, for a nine year old boy it doesn't get better than a
World Cup win and fish and chips.

Peter Thornton

Memory added on August 1, 2016

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