John Walsh on the day his life changed forever….
I’ve often been asked over the years what got me interested in football. It’s a simple answer as far as I’m concerned.
I watched a football match on TV and it changed my whole thinking.
I’d seen the odd game beforehand – notably the 1953 Stanley Matthews FA Cup final – and my dad used to tell me about the games he had seen at Borough Park when Workington Reds were new to the Football League.
But November 25, 1953 has been firmly etched in my mind as the day when I really fell in love with the game.
It was an afternoon game at Wembley and England, previously beaten only once at home by the Republic of Ireland, were in for a drubbing.
Hungary, the Olympic champions and on a long unbeaten run, produced a magical display to win 6-3 – a result that sent shockwaves through English football and laid the seeds for new coaching methods, changes of systems and a fresh outlook on the way the game was played.
Alf Ramsey learnt well and was influenced in part by that day when he led England to World Cup glory in 1966.
With good reason, too, because along with five other players Ramsey was never chosen for England again.
Hungary were magnificent – I was spellbound. Crisp short passing, clinical finishing, comfortable and skilful on the ball I could have watched it all day.
In an instant my first footballing hero was created – Ferenc Puskas – scorer of two of the six goals.
One of them it seemed was repeated on newsreels for the next weeks and months. He dragged the ball back with the sole of his boot, had England skipper Billy Wright mesmerised before planting an unstoppable shot past Gil Merrick.
Wonderful stuff and there was more of the same a few months later when the return game was played in Budapest and the Mighty Magars won 7-1 on this occasion.
A few months later they went into the World Cup as strong favourites – whacked West Germany 8-3 in a group game but then lost a dramatic final with them 3-2. It was the first time I had cried over a football game.
The Mighty Magyars have never reached such heights again but they have always been my second team, while Puskas remains my ultimate football hero.
