Geoff Hurst wishes goal-line technology (GLT) had been introduced 50 years ago – to stop Germans complaining about his controversial World Cup final goal.
West Germany have always claimed Hurst’s second goal in England’s 4-2 win in the 1966 World Cup final did not cross the line after it bounced down off the crossbar.
TV replays do seem to back up that theory, yet a definitive answer will never be established.
Now, though, referees should be certain of making the right call, with the system in use for the first time in Sunday’s Community Shield encounter between Manchester United and Wigan Athletic at Wembley.
And, speaking at the 2013 FA Community Awards, Hurst admitted the move has not come a moment too soon.
“If we had this system 50 years ago, it would have shown quite clearly the ball was at least a foot over the line,” he said.
“Germany have been arguing ever since but I will never tire of talking about it. They can’t take it away now anyway. It is in the book.
“But I certainly welcome the move. We tiptoed round it until that Frank Lampard ‘goal’ in South Africa. I have always believed in it but that was the tipping point.”
Lampard thought he had scored what would have been an equaliser in the 2010 World Cup last-16 clash with Germany in Bloemfontein.
However, none of the officials spotted the ball bounced a couple of feet over the line and allowed play to go on, with England subsequently losing 4-1.
“These mistakes are very costly now,” said Hurst.
“With the money in the game today, in the Premier League and Champions League, it had to happen. They have it in other sports and it doesn’t affect the enjoyment of the game. They can get the decisions very quickly but that does not always matter.
“In the Lampard incident, England were still arguing about it five minutes later. But I don’t want to see it brought in for anything else. Let the referee and linesmen deal with the rest.”
Hurst was speaking at Wembley at the annual lunch held by McDonald’s, aimed at honouring the thousands of volunteers without whom football at grassroots level would cease to function.
And Hurst believes such work is becoming increasingly important in an era where street football in the form he benefited from has virtually disappeared.
“That system created some of the best players in our history,” he said.
“It is harder for parents now. You can’t just go out the back door and play on the streets. You do need a lot more people to take care of everything.”