IN the run-up to the Mexico World Cup in 1986, BBC broadcast a series of programmes entitled Summer of ’66.
Being a football-mad, inquisitive eight-year-old, I immediately asked my dad what it would be about.
“It’ll be about England winning the World Cup,” was his reluctant reply, clearly hoping I would ask no more and he wouldn’t have to fork out for a couple of VHS tapes.
“Very funny dad, England never won the World Cup.”
“They did, 20 years ago.”
“Your oul arse (I was a football-mad, inquisitive, foul-mouthed eight-year-old). Sure England are s**te (see).”
“Honestly, they did, and we’ll never hear the end of it.”
And how prophetic those words have been in the 29-and-a-half years since, although I doubt even he could have predicted the scenes that unfolded last Monday night on Sky Sports.
The foremost broadcaster when it comes to pushing the boundaries of in-depth coverage decided to mark the 49-and-a-half-year anniversary of when Alf Ramsey’s men ruled the world by dedicating a full three hours to the now infamous events of July 1966.
That’s right, it all happened in July, yet we were told that this night of nostalgia was being shown to mark the 50th anniversary of such a momentous occasion.
Perhaps Sky were so proud of what they’d put together that they had to show it at the first opportunity, although it helped that the first Monday of 2016 was devoid of any live action.
First up was a documentary entitled The Boys of ’66, chronicling all that went on during the run to the World Cup final, when, in case you haven’t heard, England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra-time to win the gleaming Jules Rimet trophy (pictured).
This part of the evening’s viewing was quite enjoyable, featuring as it did contributions from World Cup winners Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Ray Wilson, Martin Peters, Roger Hunt and hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst.
The voice of Sky Sports’s football coverage Martin Tyler was the host, and while he tried his best to look comfortable in the front of the camera, it is fair to say that as a presenter, Tyler is a great commentator.
Then it was on to the Monday Night Football studio, where Ed Chamberlin and Jamie Carragher were on hand to analyse the final itself in minute, touchscreen detail.
I’m not saying it was cringeworthy, but the fact Gary Neville took the Valencia job to get out of it says it all.
Admittedly, Jamie and Ed were on the embarrassed side as they highlighted Alan Ball’s match stats and looked at Bobby Moore’s heat map, but neither of them were the star of the show.
That honour went to Hugh Johns, whose original ITV commentary was used alongside the extended highlights of the game, and to say it was slightly partial is an understatement.
“There are some people on the pitch,” he might have said. “And they’re bloody Germans feigning injury, the cheating bloody blighters.”
Back to the studio, where Jamie and Ed were ready to use 21st century (English) technology to determine whether Hurst’s famous second goal was over the line.
And, lo and behold, the Russian linesman got it right all those years ago, just as the referee got it wrong when I had a similar effort ruled out against Magherafelt High School in February 1992, the 24th anniversary of which is coming up next month.
I wonder would Martin Tyler be interested in doing a documentary?
