England 1966 World Cup boss Sir Alf Ramsey had blazing row with Three Lions legend
EXCLUSIVE: An "omerta" code of silence kept an explosive row between 1966 legend Sir Alf Ramsey and Billy Wright secret — until now as details have emerged...
As England head to Miami for a World Cup quarter final details of an extraordinary explosive row between 1966 boss Sir Alf Ramsey and one of nation’s greatest ever football legends can be revealed for the very first time.
The blazing argument between Sir Alf Ramsey and Billy Wright has never been made public before. There was a freemasons ‘omerta’ over this incident, and several others, involving Ramsey who famously led England to the 1966 World Cup triumph.
For younger football fans, Ramsey’s biographer compared the fame of Ramsey and Wright at the time to the modern day Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
And the bust-up has only emerged now after an extraordinary set of circumstances involving the freemasons code of silence and a respected non-league East London manager called Charlie Phillips.
When England played Hungary in 1953 it was called the ‘Match of the Century’ and the Three Lions were humiliated losing 6-3 in a match that changed the world of football for ever.
Author Grant Bage said: “This new information from Charlie Phillips about Ramsey and Wright genuinely rewrites football history. No-one ever knew about this.” The row over tactics was overheard by FA bosses and Ramsey never played for England again.
Bage uncovered the truth behind the controversial defeat after meeting Phillips’ 79-year-old son Graham.In the early 1950s Charlie became one of Ramsey’s closest friends. Phillips introduced Ramsey to freemasonry and they shared secrets.
Graham has kept silent for decades but now he feels it’s the right time for the football history books to be re-written. Bage, who reveals the details in the paperback version of his book which has just gone on sale, said: “Graham’s account shines a new light on one of the most famous England matches ever.
“It’s never been known that two English football’s biggest names had fallen out over tactics. It’s amazing this sort of information has come out after such a long time.
“For younger fans it would be the same as Jude Bellingham falling out with Harry Kane - they were that famous household names at the time.”
Wright married to Joy - one of the Beverley sisters and was the first man in the world to win 100 international caps. Graham was a ‘five year old’ boy in 1953 when his dad was the manager of non-league Eton Manor who played in East London - on the grounds where the 2012 Olympic park was built.
Ramsey had joined as a part-time coach while still playing for Spurs and England. The night after England lost to Hungary Alf was coaching the side. Graham can still recall how his father later told him about that evening and Alf and his dad being locked in conversation after their regular coaching session together.
He said: “That the true story of what happened behind the scenes, on the pitch and in the dressing room at the Hungary game in 1953 was significantly different to what was reported at the time, and subsequently, and involved a final break between Alf and Wright.”
Charlie told his son how Wright was given specific tactical instructions before the match but arrogantly ignored them thinking England would easily beat Hungary.
Graham said of ‘his father and Alf’s’ 25+ year relationship: “Charlie never talked about it, and the critical role that Freemasonry played in it.
“My mother was aware of the latter. My brother and I became aware of my father’s membership of the Craft from an early age, but not that Charlie had been instrumental in Alf becoming a mason.
“I was aware more and more as the years passed that there was a reason for the Omerta that Charlie imposed on the family. “He would always say: ‘Keep it to yourself. It’s nobody else’s business.’
“Yet I did not know until 2007 that the real issue was the oath of secrecy that Freemasons are required to take.
“I am not nor have been a mason so I have no detailed knowledge of the code but I found out that the motivation for the relationship particularly from Alf’s perspective, was that he could to his friend, primarily but not exclusively on footballing issues, in the knowledge that their discussions would go no further."
Graham said his dad told him: “After the game Wright stood up, went over to manager Walter Winterbottom, put his arm around his shoulder and said: ‘Never mind, if you had picked a different team perhaps things would have been better’.
“Ramsey heard this and was furious on two counts. Firstly that Wright had broken a confidence on the team selection issue and secondly that he was absolving himself of any responsibility for the performance.
“Ramsey in as measured tones as he could manage, blamed Wright at some length for undermining the strategy that they had been asked to play. Not once but twice.
“Once that had let to the first goal and secondly after the team had played so well within the strategic plan to get the equaliser. This time it was personal and Wright knew it.
“Ramsey was standing with his back to the dressing room door as he was speaking standing two or three feet away from Wright and Winterbottom.
“Shortly after he began to speak he noticed that both men were not making eye contact but were looking behind him. He turned round to see that two men and suits had entered the dressing room while he had been speaking.
“They were Amos Brook Hirst and Arthur Drewry, the current and future Chairmen of the Football Association.He said simply: “Even after 2007 when I was aware of pretty well everything I know now. Until he died, Charlie did not know if Alf’s freemasonry was common knowledge.
“Until recently I presumed it was still not public knowledge. Hence the question of Omerta still remained.”