The National Football Museum – Manchester
Jules Rimet is still gleaming! – On Saturday July 30th 2021 it will have been fifty five years since legendary England captain Bobby Moore wiped his hands before collecting the Jules Rimet Trophy from Queen Elizabeth at the old Wembley Stadium after beating West Germany by 4-2 after an exciting period of extra time.
Can it really have been fifty five years?
The Euros should have been held last year, and would have marked the European Championships 60th anniversary by being held in 12 ‘host cities’ across Europe rather than the traditional format of a single host country, or two joint host nations. Because of Covid 19 they were delayed until this year with Wembley Stadium scheduled to host the final and several other matches. Other games are planned to be played in Glasgow, Dublin, Munich, Rome, Baku, Saint Petersburg, Bucharest, Amsterdam, Bilbao, Budapest and Copenhagen. Vaccines are now being rolled out across Europe but the different levels of success could cause issues for travel so it has been mentioned that England, Wales & Scotland may end up hosting all of the games, unless the situation with vaccine rollout can be improved across Europe!
My original World Cup Willie badge 1966
I was a twelve-year-old schoolboy who up until that point had shown very little interest in football but the excitement of the World Cup grabbed my enthusiasm and I was hooked. At the start of the new season 1966-67 I joined a group of my school friends and got the bus to Birmingham to watch Aston Villa take on Chelsea for my first ever football match.
The Witton Road End of Villa Park was still an open terrace at the time but what an introduction to professional football I had that day! Chelsea beat the `Villans` by 6-2 with the legendary `Blues` striker Bobby Tambling scoring five goals and Tony Hateley grabbing a couple for Villa.
Holding aloft the FA Cup Trophy – Every schoolboys dream
Football has moved on in many ways over the last fifty four years and many of these changes are illustrated at the superb National Football Museum in Manchester.
Balls
There is also a wall listing the players, managers and teams who have been inducted into the Museums Hall of Fame. I was very pleased to see my favourite ever footballer and in my opinion England`s greatest ever striker Jimmy Greaves had been inducted seventeen years ago (2002).
Holding high the Premier League Trophy
The Museum is packed full of historical memorabilia including the match ball used during that memorable 1966 World Cup final. I discovered whilst watching a `hologram` of hat trick hero Geoff Hurst talking with Gary Lineker that Hurst hadn’t realised that his third goal and England`s fourth had stood until he looked up at the score board later.
Jimmy Greaves
He thought the referee had blown for full time before the ball had hit the net. German play maker Helmut Haller, scorer of their first goal claimed the match ball and it was thirty years later before it was presented to Hurst by Haller as the rightful recipient of the ball. You can also look at the `Hand of God` shirt worn by Argentinian master Diego Maradona for the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England but I couldn`t bring myself to look at it!
The Museum has a wide range of World cup memorabilia to indulge both young and older football supporters. Squad player George Eastham`s red `World Cup` squad shirt is on display, World Cup Willie mugs, badges and posters, match day programmes and posters plus the Jules Rimet Trophy itself makes for an unforgettable day out.
`Our beautiful game` is a fantastic short film shown in the museums immersive cinema space which chronicles a month in the life of English football and should not be missed! Playing every fifteen minutes the cinema photography is brilliant with plenty of stunning images and the sounds of the game I fell in love with. This absorbing presentation reflects the game being played at every level, of every age, gender, race, ability and religion. Wonderfully refreshing!
The Museum offers plenty of photo opportunities including having your photograph with Pele dressed in his full Brazilian kit or you could pay homage to the `King of Pop` Michael Jackson! The statue which stood outside Fulham`s Craven Cottage for several years was donated to the Museum after Chairman Mohammed Al-Fayed sold the club.
Although the Museum exhibits present a comprehensive collection of facts, information and social history of the development of the game across Britain and the globe it is also a delightful experience for young gamers and those who prefer a much more interactive experience.
Level Two contains a wide range of activities for young and older visitors to demonstrate their ability and knowledge of the game. Prove yourself as a pass master, beat the keeper form the penalty spot, stop as many shots as you can or demonstrate your ability to switch defence to attack with short accurate passes! You can also Immerse yourself in the playable history of football video games in a unique, interactive exhibition on level Three if you are so inclined.
Pablo Picasso – Footballer
I spent a fantastic three hours inside the Museum and am already planning to return because there is so much to see. I could have spent an hour in the gift shop as there was so much to look at but my feet were beginning to ache and a cup of tea had my name on it at the café.
National Football Museum
Urbis Building
Cathedral Gardens
Manchester
M4 3BG
E-mail: info@nationalfootballmuseum.com
Twitter: @FootballMuseum
Facebook: National Football Museum
From Monday 14 January 2019, the National Football Museum introduced an admission fee to all visitors from outside the city of Manchester. City of Manchester residents and schools will still be able to visit free of charge.
The Travel Locker 