At 60, the man known as World Cup Willy has turned his lifelong fascination with football’s biggest stage into a personal archive that rivals a museum.
His most vivid memory dates back to July 30, 1966, when he took his seat in the stands of Wembley Stadium for the World Cup final. The atmosphere was electric, and after the match he found himself face‑to‑face with Joe Mercer, the recently retired manager of Everton, who had been watching the game from the sidelines.
That encounter also introduced him to Geoff Hurst, the England striker whose hat‑trick would become legend, and the meeting left an indelible imprint on the collector’s memorabilia list.
Beyond 1966: A lifelong haul
Among the items he still keeps are the original tickets that granted him entry, yellowed newspaper cuttings chronicling the match, and a set of commemorative stamps issued to mark the tournament. The trove also stretches to later editions, including a photograph of a Miners Hard Hat from the 1970 World Cup and a pair of vuvuzelas that captured the soundscape of the 2010 South African tournament.
A global trail of memories
His collection is not just a personal treasure; it reflects the broader narrative of the competition, from the tense quarter‑final clash with Argentina — where Rattin became the first player to be sent off at Wembley — to the narrow 1‑0 victory that secured England’s place in the semi‑finals.
In the build‑up to the 1978 World Cup, he traveled to Wilmington, North Carolina, to attend a friendly at the old Wembley, a stop that added a U.S. chapter to his ever‑expanding story.
Items from Argentina and South Africa sit alongside his British memorabilia, reminding him that each tournament adds a new layer to the story he continues to tell.