England World Cup winner George Eastham dies at 88 as tributes pour in
George Eastham, who was part of England’s 1966 World Cup winning squad, has passed away at the age of 88, with his former clubs Newcastle, Arsenal and Stoke paying tribute
George Eastham, a member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has passed away at the age of 88.
Although he didn’t play in England’s triumphant 1966 campaign on home turf, Eastham was part of Sir Alf Ramsey’s victorious squad that clinched the World Cup for the first and only time in England’s history.
Born in Blackpool, Eastham played with Newcastle, Arsenal and Stoke, leaving a significant legacy as the player who fought against ‘slavery contracts’.
His involvement in a landmark 1963 court case which enhanced players’ freedom to switch clubs ultimately revolutionised the British transfer market.
Announcing his death on their official website, his former club said: “The Stoke City Football Club family is immensely saddened by the passing of club legend George Eastham OBE at the age of 88. George was signed by the Potters for a £35,000 fee shortly after being part of England’s 1966 World Cup winning squad.
“He went on to represent the club for eight seasons in the top division of the English game and was a two-time FA Cup semi-finalist in red and white.
“He is perhaps best remembered as the man whose goal secured the 1972 League Cup in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Wembley. The Potters will wear black armbands for the fixture against Sheffield Wednesday (on Saturday) as a mark of respect.”
“Our thoughts are with George’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
His father, George Senior, also represented the country, earning one cap while Eastham Jr.
He won 19 caps between 1963 and 1966. After a stint with Ards in Northern Ireland, he made significant league appearances for Newcastle and Arsenal before moving to Stoke.
Eastham was awarded an OBE for his services to football shortly before retiring in 1974. Post-retirement, he served as assistant to Tony Waddington and later took over as Stoke manager from March 1977 to January 1978.
Eastham later moved to South Africa where he coached local black children and was a vocal opponent of apartheid, the racial segregation system prevalent at the time.
