Bobby Moore

Bobby Moore is also the original name of former American football player and current sportscaster Ahmad Rashad.

Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE (April 12, 1941 - February 24, 1993) was an English footballer and captain of West Ham and the English 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning team. He is widely regarded as the finest captain England has ever had, and one of the greatest defenders the World has ever seen.

Career

Moore joined West Ham as a schoolboy, and after advancing through their youth set up played his first game on November 8 1958, against Manchester United. In putting on the number 6 shirt, he replaced his mentor Malcolm Allison.

Allison never played another first team game for West Ham or another First Division game at all, as Moore became a regular. A composed central defender, Moore was admired more for his reading of the game and ability to anticipate opposition movements, thereby distancing himself from the image of the hard-tackling, high-jumping defender. Indeed, Moore's ability to head the ball or keep up with the pace was average at best, but the way he read the game, marshalled his team and timed his tackles marked him out as world class. In fact, Pelé used to call Moore the fairest defender he had ever played against.

He was in the England squad for the 1962 World Cup in Chile, when England reached the quarter finals, and was captain for the first time on May 20 1963, versus Czechoslovakia - his 12th cap. In 1964, after the shock of being diagnosed and treated for testicular cancer, he skippered West Ham United to success in the FA Cup final at Wembley where they beat Preston North End 3–2. This was the first of three successive trips to the national stadium in major finals in as many years for Moore, and from which he would emerge undefeated. In 1965, Wembley hosted West Ham's 2–0 victory over 1860 Munich in the European Cup Winners Cup.

1966

On the verge of his greatest triumph, details were released to the press in early 1966 that Moore wanted to leave West Ham for Tottenham. Moore let his contract slip to termination, and only after the intervention of Sir Alf Ramsey and realisation he was technically ineligible to play, did he re-sign with West Ham to allow him to captain the England team of 1966. Moore was the leader of the side which gave English football its crowning glory and established him as a magnificent player, gentleman and sporting icon.

In the final England went 0-1 down to West Germany, but a quickly taken free kick from Moore result in his West Ham team-mate Geoff Hurst scoring the first goal in his historic hat-trick. Martin Peters scored to take England 2-1 up, but the German's equalised in the final minutes of normal time to push the final into extra time. Ramsey was convinced the German's were exhausted, and after Hurst scored probably the most controversial and debated goal in world football, the game looked over. With only seconds remaining, and England under the pressue of another German attack, the ball broke to Moore on the edge of the England penalty area. Jackie Charlton and Nobby Stiles shouted at Moore to just get rid of the ball, but he calmly picked out the feet of Hurst 40yards upfield. As Kenneth Wolstenholme famously said "Some people are on the pitch. They think it's all over, it is now!" Final score England 4 West Germany 2.

Of many timeless images from that day, one is of Moore gallantly wiping his hands clean of mud on the velvet platform where the Jules Rimet Trophy rested before shaking the hand of Queen Elizabeth II as she presented him with the World Cup.

1970

Moore faithfully pursued his West Ham and England career and was once again named as captain when England travelled to Mexico to defend the World Cup in 1970. There was heavy disruption to preparations, however, when an attempt was made to implicate Moore in the theft of a bracelet from a jeweller in Bogotá, Colombia, where England had travelled for some warm-up games in order to get acclimatised with high altitude conditions. The charges were subsequently dropped, Moore was wholly exonerated and he was eventually permitted to rejoin his team-mates in Mexico. In the group game against favourites Brazil, there was a defining moment for Moore when he tackled the great Jairzinho with such precision and cleanliness that many cite it as a tackle which no-one will ever better. Brazil still won the game, but England also progressed through the group. Defeat after extra time against West Germany saw England bow out in the last eight, and it would be 12 years before England were to return to a World Cup finals again.

Moore won his 100th Cap for England on February 14, 1972 against Scotland. Moore ended up with 108 England caps, breaking the record held by his fellow 1966 hero Bobby Charlton by just two appearances. Only Peter Shilton, with whom Moore also played at international level between 1970 and 1973, has since played more times for his country. Moore's last appearance in an England shirt was in a November 1973 friendly against Italy. He missed the October 1973 match against Poland in which England drew 1–1. They needed a win to qualify for the 1974 World Cup finals.

After West Ham and England

On 14 March 1974 Moore was allowed to leave his beloved West Ham after more than 15 years and joined London rivals Fulham, who were in the Second Division, for £25,000 pounds. During the 1974-75 season, they reached the FA Cup final where they were to play none other than Moore's old club West Ham. It was, however, no fairy-tale farewell ending for Moore as Fulham lost 2–0.

Moore played his final professional game in England for Fulham on 14 May 1977 against Blackburn Rovers F.C.. He played for two teams in the North American Soccer League, San Antonio Thunder in 1976 (24 games, 1 goal) and Seattle Sounders in 1978 (7 games). During 1978, there was also a final appearance on the international field for Team USA in games against Italy, Brazil and an England team captained by Gerry Francis. Seattle was the last team for which he played professional football.

After Football

Moore retired from playing professionally in 1978, and had a short relatively unsuccessful spell in football management at Oxford City and Southend United.

His life after football was eventful and difficult, with business deals going wrong and his marriage ending. Many have since said that the Football Association could have given a role to Moore, as the only Englishman to captain a World Cup winning team. Moore himself kept a dignified silence.

Moore joined Capital Gold Radio as Football Analyst and commentator in 1990. However, his battle with cancer had returned, and he was operated on for suspected colon cancer on 22 April 1991. On 15 February 1993 Moore announced he was suffering from bowel cancer. He succumbed to the illness just seven days after commentating on an England match at his spiritual home, Wembley, when England beat San Marino 6-0. His funeral was on March 2 1993 at Putney Vale Crematorium.

Moore was made an Inaugural Inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game as player.

The stand replacing the south bank at West Ham's ground, the Boleyn Ground in Upton Park, was named the Bobby Moore Stand shortly after Moore's death.

He was married twice, first to Christina Dean on 30 June 1962 - they divorced after 23 years on 6 January 1986. He married a second time to Stephanie Parlane-Moore (her real maiden name) on 4 December 1991.

A bronze statue of Bobby Moore was commissioned to be erected outside the main entrance at the new Wembley Stadium to pay tribute to his effect on the game.

Quotations

"He was my friend as well as the greatest defender I ever played against. The world has lost one of its greatest football players and an honourable gentleman." Pele
"Bobby Moore was a real gentleman and a true friend." Franz Beckenbauer

Honours

World Cup Winner - 1966
European Cup Winners Cup - 1965
F.A Cup Winner - 1964
F.A Cup Runner Up - 1975
League Cup Runner Up - 1966
Footballer Of The Year - 1964
World Cup Player Of Players - 1966
West Ham Player Of The Year - 1961, 1963, 1968, 1970
Runner Up, West Ham Player Of The Year - 1964, 1967, 1971
Awarded the O.B.E in 1967

Trivia

The UK oi band The Business recorded a song-tribute to Bobby Moore titled "Viva Bobby Moore".

External links

Bobby Moore, West Ham Football Club
Bobby Moore Online
England-Expects.org - Comprehensive website detailing current and historical information about the England team
English Football Hall of Fame Profile
Information on the great player

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