Nobby Stiles was the beating heart of the England side that won the 1966 World Cup. He made all things possible for manager Alf Ramsey. He was the sheet anchor around whom the rest of the team could play.
By Dave Bowler
Like all great teams, the abiding characteristic of England’s 1966 World Cup winners is that you can’t imagine that team with anybody else in it. The eleven names trip off the tongue so naturally that any other would be a wanton intrusion. Banks; Cohen, Moore, Jack Charlton, Wilson; Stiles; Ball, Bobby Charlton, Peters; Hunt, Hurst.
Some will tell you that Nobby Stiles was lucky to be in that World Cup-winning team. They’re the same kind of cretins that will tell you Ringo Starr was lucky to be in The Beatles. Nobby Stiles was the beating heart of that side, the one that made all things possible. He completed the unit. He was the sheet anchor around whom the rest could play.
Bobby Moore, George Cohen, and Ray Wilson could all dare to venture out of defence knowing that Stiles would dutifully fill the gap. Martin Peters, Alan Ball, and Bobby Charlton could all dare to play with the ball at their feet that bit longer. they knew that if they were caught in possession, Stiles would be there. Here would rip the ball away from whichever opponent had dared to steal it.
Controversy Surrounding Stiles
Nobby Stiles was the glue, the key component, the man that let England play the way they needed to play if they were going to win the World Cup as Alf Ramsey had promised the nation they would three years earlier. That was underlined in the aftermath of the final group game when England beat France 1-0.
It was a win that came at a price as Stiles found himself embroiled in controversy. He had already picked up a caution for “rough play”. Stiles was late with a tackle on Simon. Ray Wilson later admitted, “Nobby’s tackle looks horrendous when I see it now on film. He looks so unlike a footballer. When kids read about him or parents talk about him and saying he was a little animal, they mustn’t be able to believe it. He looks like Woody Allen!”
The game ended 2-0 to England, Shortly after, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee confirmed Stiles’ booking. They “requested the Head of the English Team Delegation to warn Stiles that if he were reported again, serious action would be taken.” By the time this had been filtered through the F.A., the message to Alf was, “Is Stiles necessary? Can’t you leave him out?” His response was simple: “If Nobby Stiles doesn’t play, England won’t play”. George Cohen added that “I’ve since heard that Alf told the F.A., “If you require me to drop Nobby Stiles, I’ll resign””. End of debate.
Alf Ramsey Swears By Nobby Stiles
Alf Ramsey was right to stand loyally by a footballer who was doing the job he had asked him to do. He recognised that without him, England’s chances of carrying off the World Cup would be reduced by about 50%.
Who else in the squad could take on that role? Norman Hunter would most likely have filled the vacancy, but he was only 22. He had only made his England debut in December 1965 and would therefore have been a real risk. With Stiles, there was no risk because, like Ringo in The Beatles, he was the right man in the right place.
From there, Stiles was magnificent, not least in the semi-final against Portugal when he essentially blotted the great Eusebio, until then the competition’s unstoppable force, out of the game. No Eusebio, no Portugal. His performance was the platform for England to reach the final. Similarly, his man-marking job on Eusebio on the same pitch in 1968 was central to Manchester United winning the European Cup.
In the World Cup final itself, Nobby Stiles was the embodiment of tidy, intelligent discipline. He snuffed out West German move after move. He then gave the ball five yards forward to Bobby Charlton, Alan Ball or Martin Peters. Nothing clever, no frills, but a selfless, rock steady performance in service of the team. Most people might not have noticed him in the game unless he was committing himself to a crunching tackle. But he was a player’s players, and those around him knew just how invaluable he was to the cause.
Humility Of Nobby Stiles
So invaluable that as age caught up with him, it caused incalculable problems for his managers, for club and country. With England, he was replaced by Alan Mullery, technically a better player, whatever that means. “Better” he might have been, but he didn’t fit the Ramsey method as seamlessly as Stiles did, and didn’t Ramsey suffer for it in Leon in 1970. Do you really think that Stiles in his ’66 prime would have allowed Beckenbauer to run free and drive that shot under Peter Bonetti, the shot that started to prise England’s hands off the Jules Rimet trophy?
What Stiles had was the quality that so few players have, the humility to understand full well all of his strengths – which were far greater than most gave him credit for – and all of his limitations. He never tried to do what he couldn’t, he always managed to do what he could to perfection. If you can do that, Lennon & McCartney, Ramsey & Busby, they’re always going to need you.
Rest easy Nobby.
Sir Alf Ramsey: England 1973 focuses on the final full year of Sir Alf’s reign as England boss. The nation that won the World Cup in 1966 failed to even qualify for the 1974 tournament. Ramsey was suddenly a man out of time, both on and off the pitch. The failing fortunes of the England team mirrored those of a post-Empire nation heading for its own a fall.
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