Alan BALL

A loyal, proud and patriotic figure in the England team for a decade, Alan Ball came to prominence as a teenage midfielder with a powerful pair of lungs, equipped with the stamina and tirelessness which Alf Ramsey needed for the unique 'wingless wonders' midfield he was shaping for the 1966 World Cup. Ball was three days short of turning 20 when Ramsey gave him his England debut in a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia in May 1965; he played in the other two fixtures against West Germany in Nuremberg and Sweden in Gothenburg, scoring the opener as England won 2-1 in the latter. Alan won his fourth cap in a superb 2-0 friendly win in Spain at the end of 1965 and from then on never looked back. Of the eight matches England played in 1966 prior to the competition beginning, they won seven and drew one, and Ball played in six. Alan played industriously and unselfishly as England opened their campaign against Uruguay but they lacked attacking bite and the game ended goalless. Ramsey replaced him with Southampton's wide midfielder Terry Paine for the second game against Mexico and then Liverpool's natural winger Ian Callaghan played in the final group game against France. England won both 2-0 but Ramsey, aware of the threat posed by an uncompromising Argentine side, decided that attacking wide men were too much of a luxury, and this was where his 'wingless wonders' policy bore fruit. Alan charged and marauded up and down the flank and covered every central blade of grass as England stayed cool against the Argentine shock tactics and clinched a late 1-0 win. Ball's fitness and enthusiasm, as well as no little ability and discipline, was fast proving to be one of the most successful recruitments into Ramsey's plans and the praise was both deserved and considerable. The Portuguese awaited in the last four, in possession of the most potent striker of the competition in Eusebio but a controlled, nerveless performance from England earned them a 2-1 win and there was little doubt that Ball's place for the final was secure.

Ramsey duly selected an unchanged side for the third game in a row, with Alan, at 21, he was the youngest player in the team. In an even but not aesthetically pleasing game, Ball played his usual game based on stamina and intricate passing, making frequent runs off the ball and using his youth to keep the elder players on their toes as the heat began to sap the energy from the team. Alan's fitness was to prove crucial later; meanwhile, he played a part in what looked like England's winner when, with the score at 1-1, he took a corner on the right and outswung it to Geoff Hurst, whose shot on the turn deflected into the air and into the path of Martin Peters, who struck it home. The Germans managed a heart-stopping late equaliser and the extra time period which followed showed up Ramsey's emphasis on industry and fitness, most notably with the work put in by Ball, who continued to charge back and forth, wanting the ball, making challenges and fighting the cause. His only concession to the conditions and his physical decline was the rolling down of his stockings. Alan chased a lost cause ball down the flank in the first period of extra time to swing a ball to Hurst, whose shot off the underside of the bar created a debate which will go on until the end of time, but on the day put England back in front. And, as the crowd bayed for the final whistle, Hurst charged upfield to smack home his historic hat-trick goal, but it was Ball who stayed up with the play, screaming for a pass in an unmarked position to Hurst's right. It was also Alan who duly leapt into Hurst's arms as the ball hit the net and the referee blew the whistle to confirm England's victory. Alan Ball was 21 years old and just 14 caps into his England career, but was also a world champion.

Ramsey told him after the game: "Young man, you will never play a better game of football than you did today." Ball remained a crucial cog in Ramsey's midfield for the rest of the 1960s, winning his 20th cap - and scoring his second England goal - in a 1-0 friendly win over Austria in May '67 which was followed by goals in his next two internationals against Wales and the USSR. England progressed to the quarter-finals of the 1968 European Championships and Ball played superbly as England beat Spain 3-1 on aggregate. England, though, went out to Yugoslavia in the semis and Ramsey started to build his new team in preparation for the defence of the World Cup. (Matthew Rudd).

 (Part 2) 1969-May 1971.

Once again England were automatic qualifiers for the World Cup - this time as holders as opposed to hosts in '66 - and Alf Ramsey could afford to do much experimenting, as indeed he did to discover Ball's prowess prior to 1966. As a consequence, Alan found himself in and out of the England team in 1969 and early 1970, but personal highlights came with the only goal in a 1-0 friendly win against Holland in Amsterdam and then a brace and a superb personal performance in a 3-1 victory over Belgium. England jetted out to South America for a brief acclimatisation tour prior to Mexico, and Ball scored again in a 4-0 win over Colombia. By the time the World Cup was ready to begin, Alan was 41 caps into his England career and still only 25 years of age. One point of intrigue amongst many was how Ball's natural athleticism and stamina would be affected by the central American climate - ultimately, he didn't let it affect him, or at least didn't let on to his opponents. Alan played 90 minutes against Romania as England won 1-0; he also put in the full display against Brazil, infamously hitting the cross bar with a long drive as England battled in vain to equalise Jairzinho's second half goal. England's 1-0 defeat was not tragic, though victory was an absolute necessity against Czechoslovakia in the final group game, and Ramsey chose to rest Ball, bringing him on as a substitute for Bobby Charlton to tighten England up as they protected, ultimately with sucess, a 1-0 lead.

The quarter-finals brought England up against West Germany once again and there was little chance of Alan being anywhere other than on the pitch for this one. Ball's energetic charging up and down, plus his instinct for where the opposition's passing would take them enabled him to put in an outstanding personal display, but England infamously capitulated from being 2-0 up after Bobby Charlton and Martin Peters were substituted, and the Germans pulled two back to force extra time, then got a winner. England's reign as world champions was over, and Ball looked towards the decade ahead, realising that few of his fellow 1966 heroes would be sticking around to take England into the 1970s. Suddenly, at 25 years of age, he had become one of the senior players, but the remaining period of his England career would hit few personal heights, and none for the team. Ramsey called Ball up for England's first game after the World Cup - a 3-1 win over East Germany at Wembley - and Alan's patriotic streak remained in evidence with his regular outpourings of devotion to his country and absolute loyalty to Ramsey.

Though Ramsey's side would go on to struggle in the coming years, this belief in the coach from Ball never subsided. In 1971, Alan featured in all three of England's opening qualifiers for the 1971 European Championships, which England won without conceding a goal. A special occasion then came in the Home International opener against Northern Ireland as Ball won his 50th cap, only the tenth player ever to do so. (Matthew Rudd).

This shot of Alan Ball was taken in 1972 at Highbury, (Arsenal v Derby Co). Photo G. Herringshaw ©

                                                                        (Part 3) June 1971-1973.

This shot of Alan Ball was taken on 1st. September 1974 (playing for Arsenal, Charlie George

is the other player -  in the background).

Photo George Herringshaw.  ©

                                                              (Part 4) 1974-1975.