With England’s overpaid footballers in the headlines this week the mind easily wanders back to a time when the British public not only hero-worshipped the top players of the time, but respected them.
One man who can certainly lay claim to both of these qualities was Bobby Moore, England’s World Cup winning captain, who had especially close ties to parts of Wandsworth.
Despite making his name playing for West Ham and England, Moore finished his top flight career at Fulham.
After his playing days were over Moore remarried and moved to Putney where he was often seen walking his dog on the heath and common.
Moore's funeral was held on March 2, 1993, at Putney Vale Crematorium. His memorial service was held three months later in Westminster Abbey, attended by his 1966 World Cup winning teammates.
He was only the second sportsman to be so honoured, the first being the West Indian cricketer Sir Frank Worrell.
One memorable anecdote about Moore that did the rounds at the after-dinner speaking circuit involved a party he went to with current Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp.
The pair were approached by a couple of female fans wanting a dance, Moore accepted the offer and as he waltzed past his wife’s table she threw her gin and tonic all over him.
Cool as ever, Moore tasted the drink that was still splattered across his face and said: “Can I have a touch more tonic in that darling” before waltzing away with the fan.
A statue of the great man is located at the new Wembley stadium looking down Wembley Way.
Dubbed the "Colossus of Wembley", the statue is twice life size and was unveiled in May 2007 by Sir Bobby Charlton.
Alf Ramsay, England’s manager in 1966, said Moore was: “A cool, calculating footballer I could trust with my life. He was the supreme professional, the best I ever worked with. Without him England would never have won the World Cup."
The fact Moore has never received a knighthood remains to many one of British sport’s greatest injustices.
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