Alf Ramsey

• Born: January 22, 1920
• Birthplace: Dagenham, Essex, England
• Died: April 28, 1999
• Place of death: Ipswich, Suffolk, England

Sport: Soccer

Early Life

Alfred Ernest Ramsey was born on January 22, 1920, in Dagenham, England. He spent his formative years in this East London suburb, an area that has produced many great soccer players over the years. He was the son of a hay and straw merchant. His origins were modest and humble, if not impoverished. He was brought up in a conventional household that stressed the importance of hard work and integrity. Much of his early life was rather dull, as his family had little money to spare on toys and entertainment. The only thing that really caught his imagination was soccer.

The Road to Excellence

Ramsey spent hour after hour practicing his soccer skills. This dedication paid dividends, as he became a noted schoolboy soccer player. Portsmouth was the first league club to show an interest in him. After he signed as an amateur player with Portsmouth, however, World War II intervened, and his career ground to a temporary halt.

With the resumption of a full English Football League program in 1946, Ramsey signed a professional contract with Southampton. He worked hard at his game while at Southampton, and he was rewarded for his efforts with selection to England’s national team in 1948.

In May 1949, Ramsey was transferred from Southampton to Tottenham Hotspur. His career was strengthened at Tottenham, primarily because of the influence of Arthur Rowe, the Tottenham manager. Rowe was renowned for his tactical innovations, and he developed a push-and-run strategy that relied upon quick and accurate passing and constant running into support positions. Ramsey's precise passing skills and endless stamina were well suited to Tottenham’s energetic style of play.

Playing at right back, Ramsey was a key figure in Tottenham’s successes in the early 1950s. His outstanding play and calm authority made him an obvious choice for the Tottenham captaincy, and in this capacity, he lived up to his nickname of “The General.”

During this period, Ramsey played in twenty-eight consecutive international matches for England. That brought him into contact with Walter Winterbottom, England’s manager. Winterbottom was a great proponent of coaching in an era in which coaching was largely frowned upon. Ramsey learned and built upon his innovative ideas.

The Emerging Champion

Ramsey had a successful playing career, but it was as a manager that he achieved greatness. In August 1955, Ipswich Town gave him his first opportunity to manage a soccer club. He was immediately successful. In his seven seasons at Ipswich, he transformed a lowly club into the best team in England. A Third Division team in 1955, Ipswich Town won the Football League Championship in 1962. Ramsey worked the Ipswich miracle by gaining the respect and loyalty of his players. His managerial strength lay in an ability to make even modest players believe that they could compete and win against the best in the game.

England’s professional Football Association (FA) took great notice of the developments at Ipswich. When Walter Winterbottom resigned as England’s manager, the association turned to Ramsey, who took charge of the national team in October 1962.

Despite mixed results in the early phase of his reign as England’s new manager, Ramsey was quietly confident in his own ability and that of his players. During the summer of 1963, in an uncharacteristic display of emotion, he shocked the soccer world by stating that “England will win the World Cup in 1966.”

In the next three years, Ramsey built a strong squad. He instilled a great sense of team spirit in his players, which was reflected in their play on the field. His England teams sacrificed individual flair and brilliance in favor of a more balanced team effort.

The 1966 World Cup was held in England; therefore, the home country was one of the pretournament favorites. After some disappointing performances, however, many critics dismissed England’s chances. Ramsey remained loyal to his players and was always confident that they would win the World Cup.

England began the tournament in a goal-less draw against Uruguay. Subsequent victories against Mexico and France ensured that England would progress to the quarterfinal stage of the competition. In the quarterfinals, England beat the hard-tackling Argentine team. A battling semifinal victory against Portugal took England to the World Cup Final.

Ramsey guided his team shrewdly throughout the tournament, and the performances steadily improved. In the final match, England faced West Germany to decide the champions of the world. In an open and adventurous game, England triumphed 4–2 in overtime. The prophecy Ramsey had made three years earlier had come true.

Continuing the Story

Following England’s historic victory, Ramsey became a national hero. In recognition of his services to English soccer, he received a knighthood. Having guided his country to the World Cup, he was adamant that England should not rest on its laurels. He immediately set about building a team to defend the World Cup trophy in Mexico in 1970.

By 1970, Ramsey had molded an even stronger squad than the one which had been so successful in 1966. In Mexico, England played with the commitment and character that typified Ramsey’s teams. However, the magic could not be repeated, and West Germany avenged its defeat of four years earlier by beating England 3–2 at the quarterfinal stage.

Between 1970 and 1974, England’s performances grew steadily worse. A large part of the problem lay with Ramsey’s continued loyalty to the aging stars who had served him so well in the past. After England’s failure to qualify for the 1974 World Cup, there were increasing calls for Ramsey to resign. Finally, in April 1974, he was dismissed by the Football Association. He was disillusioned by his firing. Following a brief stay at Birmingham City, he turned his back on soccer and immersed himself in developing his business interests. He died in 1999; in 2002, he was inducted into the English National Museum Football Hall of Fame on the basis of his contributions as a manager. His legacy continued to endure in subsequent years, and after he was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010 for his time as a player, in 2012, Ipswich Town's South Stand at Portman Road was officially renamed the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

Summary

Alf Ramsey holds a unique place in English soccer history. His calm authority, integrity, and loyalty played a crucial part in England’s 1966 World Cup triumph. Many felt that Ramsey did not deserve the shabby treatment he received from the soccer authorities, and that his self-imposed exile robbed the soccer world of one of its most knowledgeable and respected leaders.

Bibliography

"Alf Ramsey, England's Anonymous Hero." FIFA.com, 22 Jan 2020, www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/alf-ramsey-england-s-anonymous-hero. Accessed 21 Aug. 2020.

Bowler, Dave. Winning Isn’t Everything …: A Biography of Sir Alf Ramsey. London: Orion Books, 1999.

Galvin, Robert, and Mark Bushell. Football’s Greatest Heroes: The National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame. London: Robson, 2005.

McKinstry, Leo. Sir Alf: A Major Reappraisal of the Life and Times of England’s Greatest Football Manager. London: HarperSport, 2007.

Marquis, Max. Sir Alf Ramsey: Anatomy of a Football Manager. London: Barker, 1970.

Ramsey, Alfred. Talking Football. London: Stanley Paul, 1952.

Ramsey, Alfred, and Kenneth Wheeler. Soccer: The British Way. London: Sportman’s Book Club, 1965.

“Sir Alfred Ramsey.” The Economist 351 (May 8, 1999): 1.