Bobby Moore played a key role in West Ham's 1965 victory over the 1860 Munich club. a framed photograph on his kitchen wall, and almost six decades after one of the great nights in West Ham United's history, he still remembers the conversation in great detail.
The scene was in the locker room at Wembley » Wednesday evening, May 1965. West Ham were minutes away from the start of the European Cup Winners' Cup final and as they were getting ready to take the field, Deer was approached by Bobby Moore, his captain, and had a quiet word. advice.
“Bobby told me, ‘When we get out, there will be a guy with balls,’” Deere says. “I'll take one. Take it too and follow me. That way, you're sure to get a photo.”
Moore knew how to play the game on and off the pitch, and his judgment was generally astute: when the photographers were gone, Deer was in the spotlight. full review. The ensuing image has become one of the 79-year-old's most treasured souvenirs, and the story itself serves as yet another reminder of Moore's dedication as a leader.
“It was a great honor for me to marry Bobby that evening,” Deere told Telegraph Sport. “Amazing night. It was a brilliant time for West Ham.
West Ham's Alan Seeley scored the first of two goals against 1860 Munich in the 1965 European Cup final' Cup at Wembley. Photo: Central Press
Over 97,000 fans gathered at Wembley for the final against 1860 Munich, which West Ham won 2-0 thanks to a brace from Alan Seely. Dir was on the pitch that evening and he will be at the stadium in Prague this week when a new generation of West Ham players try to emulate the heroes of 1965.
“I wish they could win. it,” Dear says of Wednesday’s European Conference League final against Fiorentina. “We had our day and we still live off it. I hope they can do the same in another stadium and in another era.”
To compare the current West Ham team to the boys of 1965 is to see how much the football world has changed. All 11 members of Ron Greenwood's team were English, and nine of them were homegrown players from the club's academy.
Football was so low-key compared to what it is now
“We were mostly from Barking, Dagenham, East Ham,” Deer says. “We were local boys. I lived five minutes walk from the land. Ronnie Boyce and I went to school together when we were seven, played football with each other. It's just amazing that it happened, and there was a great atmosphere in the team. There were no Big Charlies.
“It was a great time to play football. Many of us lived in Hornchurch, where a new estate was being built, and after dinner we would gather at each other's houses for a cup of tea. Football was so low-key compared to what it is now – we went to the pub after the games and anyone could buy you a beer. Those were good times. We were like one family.”
Brian Dear (right) with Martin Peters (left) and Alan Seely days after winning the 1965 European Cup. Cup Credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive : ANL/Shutterstock/Stephen Gibson
The prize for winning the final was £900–£100 in performance fees plus an £800 bonus. Taking second place, the players would not have brought anything. “My first mortgage was only £28 a month, so I paid off that amount for several months,” Deere laughs.
Preparation for the final consisted of several days in Hendon. A hotel in the lobby, a light workout and, as Deer says, an early night. “The hotel looked directly at Wembley, so for two days we looked at the stadium.”
This was followed by a surprisingly open match, with both sides constantly looking to attack. Munich had an impressive team that included Bundesliga top scorer Rudolf Brunnenmeier and the game flowed from one end to the other. “Not once has our physio or their physio ever been on the field to treat anyone,” Deere says. “There were no breaks.”
Darling flaunts a giant version of the club's badge at Wembley after his famous team win. Photo: PA
Following this, as the team lifted the trophy, Deer threw a pound note towards the fans in the stands. It is noteworthy that years later he saw this note again – on the screen of his TV.
“The TV showed a man who was selling his memorabilia,” he says. “And suddenly he told this story about how he was at Wembley in 1965, about how this banknote floated in front of him. He said that he looked up and saw me, and that I told him to have a beer to go. I remember doing it and he still had the note.
The team's celebration that evening was far from wild. “We went upstairs to see our wives and girlfriends, had a couple of beers and sandwiches, and then went home. Here it is. I remember when Geoff Hurst scored three goals for England in the World Cup final a year later, he was picked up by a Rolls-Royce the next morning and driven somewhere in London for a big interview. That's how fast times have changed, in just one season.”
Deere and Bobby Moore (back row, far right) pose with their West Ham teammates after winning the European Cup' Cup 1965. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo
Deer, then only 21 years old, burst into the team just a few months before the final at Wembley. He came into the match in sensational form, scoring 14 goals in the previous 14 games. Five of those goals were scored in just 20 minutes in one match against West Bromwich Albion.
Earlier this season, the day before the team was due to travel to the quarter-finals against Lausanne, Greenwood asked Deer if he had a passport. “He said I would go with them,” Deer says. “I told him I wouldn’t go if I didn’t play. I won't tell you what he said back to me… I was a bit of a perky boy.”
There is joy in these memories, in looking back on how things used to be, and Deere spends most of his time in the Any Old Irons community group for West Ham fans in their 65s. London and Essex, and Dear is a regular at their meetings.
Sir Geoff Hurst and Dear during a tribute to the late Martin Peters on London Stadium in 2019. Photo: CameraSport/Rob Newell
Right now, everyone associated with West Ham is hoping that another chapter will be written in the club's history this week. A new group of players and a new generation of fans trying to experience the same pleasures as those who survived the glory days of 1965.
“It's wonderful,” Deere says of the old fans he meets. . “They remember all those days. That's what West Ham is. It has always been a family club. These supporters have had their day and I'm sure they're hoping today's fans will get their own joy on Wednesday.” ” /> Bobby Moore displays the European Cup Winners' Cup trophy in 1965. Photo: Mirrorpix/Malcolm McNeill.
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