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The World Cup comes to Hillsborough


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HILLSBOROUGH - 1966 WORLD CUP

Does anyone have any memories of when Hillsborough hosted the 1966 world cup games ?

The picture above was taken around the ground - but where exactly ? Do you know ?

It could be the entrance to the (then uncovered) Spion Kop ?

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I was lucky enough to see two games at Hillsborough, the opening tie in which West Germany beat Switzerland 5-0(this included the first goal scored in the competition as England had tied 0-0 with Uraguay the night before)and the quarter final West Germany v Uraguay.

The Quater final tickets came courtesy of the Uraguayan team who were staying at the Hallam Towers hotel. My sister was working on the reception and managed to wangle them plus autographs of the team, pennants and badges all of which I still have.

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Just as a side shoot to the world cup match that West Germany plated a group of Kids(me included) played a group of West German fans all I remember was that they were rubbish and they were pasted.

Everythinh was publicised for the Sheffield fans to support Switzerland as they played most of there stage matches there.

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I was lucky enough to see two games at Hillsborough, the opening tie in which West Germany beat Switzerland 5-0(this included the first goal scored in the copetition as England had tied 0-0 with Uraguay the night before)and the quarter final West Germany v Uraguay.

The Quater final tickets came courtesy of the Uraguayan team who were staying at the Hallam Towers hotel. My sister was working on the reception and managed to wangle them plus autographs of the team, pennants and badges all of which I still have.

This is one of the pennants they would hand to the opposing team before kick off

A smaller pennant and the autographs

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Somehow I ended up with this and a couple of ticket stubs for the games at Hillsborough but alas no programmes. Did anyone go to the ganes? Was it Switzerland and Germany?

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Hi

The games played at Hillsborough in July 1966 were three Group B Games (the other three were held at Villa Park)

List the Sheffield games, dates and kick off times.

12.07.66 (19.30) Sheffield, Hillsborough

W. Germany v Switzerland 5 – 0

15.07.66 (19.30) Sheffield, Hillsborough

Spain v Switzerland 2 - 1

19.07.66 (19.30) Sheffield, Hillsborough

Argentine v Switzerland 2 – 0

West Germany and Argentine finished 1 & 2 respectively. The last game was the

Quarter Final

23.07.66 (15.00) Sheffield, Hillsborough

Germany v Uruguay 4 - 0

Argentine played England of course in the other qtr final the same day, a game that will always be remembered for Sir Alf's "animals" remark (and a 1 - 0 win!!). The game at Hillsborough was even "worse" if that was possible as Uruguay had two sent off early in the second half. Great entertainment though.

I was glad the Germans won for once - Engand 4 Uruguay 2 just does not have the same ring about it!

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I was 8 and remember the Guinness clock in Fitzalan Sq and the bloke from Switzerland who pushed a pram containing all his possessions from Zurich to Sheffield. Then there were the red, green, blue and yellow pavement skirts around the Penistone road areas. And the flag poles in the centre of Penistone road. And my Dad couldn't take me because he worked whenever there was a game.

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I was 8 and remember the Guinness clock in Fitzalan Sq and the bloke from Switzerland who pushed a pram containing all his possessions from Zurich to Sheffield. Then there were the red, green, blue and yellow pavement skirts around the Penistone road areas. And the flag poles in the centre of Penistone road. And my Dad couldn't take me because he worked whenever there was a game.

Dad's have a habit of that sot of thing - I remember trying to persuade my dad to drive me to Hillsborough to get a ticket for the 93 Replay. He refused - I still got a ticket but I'm still waiting for an opportunity for revenge.

Do you remember in the early/ mid 1970 they used to fly lots of different national flags from the top of the North stand seemed very cosmopolitan in Division 3 ?

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Guest tsavo

There was a news kiosk at the top of Angel Street, (Market Place / High Street) which had "Welcome" signs in several European languages. You see these everywhere today but they made us feel very cosmopolitan in the mid 60s. They also sold foreign newspapers. Can't find a picture though. Anyone oblige?

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Hi, I watched 2 of l the World Cup games at Hillsbrough and vividly remember standing on the Kop with all the Swiss supporters with their cow bells . They kept shouting "Hop Swiss" or something like that which presumably is "come on the Swiss" in german !

The Swiss carried their cow bells everywhere and they made a plesant sound around the town.

Great times !

John

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I was 8 and remember the Guinness clock in Fitzalan Sq and the bloke from Switzerland who pushed a pram containing all his possessions from Zurich to Sheffield. Then there were the red, green, blue and yellow pavement skirts around the Penistone road areas. And the flag poles in the centre of Penistone road. And my Dad couldn't take me because he worked whenever there was a game.

Attached is a report from The Times dated 8th July 1966. Wonder what became of the pram!!

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On 13/02/2007 at 14:15, Sheffield History said:

 

 

HILLSBOROUGH - 1966 WORLD CUP

 

 

post-1-1171376079.jpg

 

Does anyone have any memories of when Hillsborough hosted the 1966 world cup games ?

 

The picture above was taken around the ground - but where exactly ? Do you know ?

 

It could be the entrance to the (then uncovered) Spion Kop ?

I remember the flag poles being erected. I took my motorbike driving test when the World cup came to Hillsborough, the test centre was at Dodd Street. I remember all the crowd cheering when I was told I'd passed. 😂

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