ENGLAND fans can buy the hallowed turf where Geoff Hurst scored his controversial second goal in 1966 — in a sign football’s coming mown.
A piece where the goal line was is in the back garden of a house that’s come on the market.
Three Lions supporters now hope Chesney Hawkes is not the current team’s One And Only lucky charm, after the singer’s half-time rendition of his 1991 chart-topper helped inspire them to Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Wales.
The strip of grass, the most precious in English football history, has been the subject of decades of debate since hat-trick hero Hurst’s shot famously hit the crossbar then came crashing down.
German players protested it didn’t cross the line, but the goal was given and proved crucial in the 4-2 win and England’s only World Cup triumph.
For over 50 years, that Wembley goal line’s turf has secretly been part of the lawn at the detached five-bedroom home in Potters Bar, Herts.
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Now, with the latest World Cup in Qatar under way, the property has been listed on the market — although it is expected to fetch at least £1.25million.
Its current owner said the children in his family have even used it as their own goal line while playing footie.
It was laid there after then-owner and TV director Bob Gardam had a kickabout at Wembley with colleagues in 1969.
Mr Gardam, director of London Weekend Television’s Big Match show, was told by groundsman George Stanton that the pitch was due to be re-turfed for the first time since England’s historic win three years earlier.
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The grass was in a terrible state due to that year’s Horse of the Year Show and Mr Stanton told Mr Gardam he could take home Hurst’s goal line.
Mr Gardam drove his car through the Wembley tunnel onto the pitch to load his car with the turf after digging it up.
He then laid it in his garden in the shape of a ‘V’ for victory.
He remained at the house with his family until 1982, when it was sold.
Mr Gardam, a father of six, died aged 81 in 2013 but his grandson Steve Walter, 32, yesterday spoke about his exploits.
Mr Walter, a media consultant of Stewkley, Bucks, said: “Grandad was not actually a massive football fan. He loved sport and more than anything I think he did it for a bit of a giggle.
“But he absolutely knew the significance of it and wanted to preserve it for generations.”
The house was sold to a father with a young family. The dad passed away two years ago and now his 46-year-old son, who has asked not to be identified, is selling the house.
He said: “We were told about it when we bought the house and we thought it was pretty special.
“It was a secret that we had to keep and we’ve kept it a secret for years.
“To us, it’s just been part of the garden. We’ve all played football on it.
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“It was pretty much a goal line for us playing football, even though it was a V. We used one of the lines of the V.”
The property is being sold by estate agent Strike at a guide price of £1.25million to £1.5million.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
