The semi-detached house where England’s World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore lived when he was growing up has been commemorated with an English Heritage plaque.
Moore became the first footballer to receive a blue sign outside his childhood home days before the 50th anniversary of the 1966 World Cup final.
The plaque was unveiled at 43 Waverley Gardens in Barking, east London, where Moore lived from birth until after he made his England debut in 1962, in front of his family and prominent figures in the footballing world, who paid tribute to “a legend and a true English hero”.
His daughter, Roberta Moore, spoke of the “wonderful honour” of seeing her father’s career commemorated by the sign fixed to the front of the small, semi-detached property.
She said: “This is where it all began – kicking a ball out here in the street with his friends before embarking on an incredible journey which as we all know led him up the steps to collect the World Cup from the Queen at Wembley 50 years ago this week. My sincere gratitude and thanks to English Heritage for bestowing this honour upon my father, I couldn’t be more proud.”
Moore was signed by nearby West Ham United aged 16, where he forged a successful career making more than 600 appearances. At 22, he became the youngest person to wear the captain’s armband for England, and remains the only England captain to have lifted the World Cup.
England’s 4-2 victory over West Germany in the final of the tournament at Wembley in 1966 is unquestionably English football’s finest hour. The triumph propelled him to instant and lasting fame and he went on to win the BBC sports personality of the year award that year, followed by an OBE in 1967. He died of cancer in 1993, aged just 51.
The Waverley Gardens house was listed on both Moore’s birth certificate and his marriage certificate 21 years later.
After unveiling the plaque, his daughter added: “It’s really nice to be able to show my children, who sadly did not get to meet my father, so it’s really nice they are able to have a connection with Dad through films and photographs and this kind of lovely occasion.”
Greg Dyke, the outgoing chairman of the FA, who is also a English Heritage blue plaque panel member, described the footballing great as “one of the greatest players this country has ever produced”.
He added: “Today we are commemorating a man who achieved glory in the world of football and who instilled immense pride and loyalty in the hearts of supporters of the game. Even those who do not follow the game of football know the name Bobby Moore – a legend and a true English hero.”
The former West Ham captain was described as the “ultimate local boy done good” by the east London club’s vice-chairwoman, Karren Brady.
It was in Waverley Gardens where Moore developed into a footballer of ability, with kickarounds with his father and uncle on nearby Greatfields Park, and then playing schools and Saturday morning football. It was also while living there that he lifted his first silverware, the London-wide Crisp Shield in the 1950-51 season, playing with the Barking schools team.
Brady said: “It’s so poignant that we should gather here where it all began for a young Bobby, the place where he first harboured hopes for playing for West Ham, the place where he dreamed of wearing the Three Lions on his chest, the place where the most remarkable sporting story started life.”
