Shouldn’t our winning 1966 World Cup football be regarded as a national treasure? You would surely not expect that anyone would be allowed to scribble on it.
Well according to Ed Vaizey, that is exactly what happened, and the culprit was Yuri Geller. Cultural vandalism or what? he asks.
Ed describes how the football was brought to the House of Commons, along with other treasured relics, from our museums – and how he was stunned when he discovered the letters YG on it.
“We are also invited to be photographed with Geoff Hurstรขโฌโขs ball – the one which won us the world cup. It is damaged – but not from the match. Apparently the Germans nicked it and kicked it around in Germany before they gave it back. It rattles, as the bladder has long since shrivelled up inside. Best and most hilariously of all, I noticed the initials YG written in felt tip on the ball. I asked what this signified. Apparently, in 1996, Yuri Geller was called in to help give the English team luck in Euro 96, and he wrote his initials on the ball! Cultural vandalism or what? If this is wrong Yuri, please tell me, as I donรขโฌโขt want to be sued by you. But thatรขโฌโขs what I was told. Amazing.”
I have just checked my copy of Geoff Hurst’s autobiography and there is no mention of footie loving Yuri in it, I’m sure Geoff would be appalled, he must surely know about it.
Yuri did his best to help England’s chances, placing crystals on the turf, sadly, it did not do the trick. Does that surprise you?
I’m wondering whether the ball can be cleaned at all, what are your views about Yuri’s initials on our national treasure? Did you know about it?
I have always admired Uri Geller for his ability to lie consistently and with conviction for an entire career. If only others of that ilk spent their talents harmlessly deluding the feeble minded in show business.
On the para normal I think its baloney . A very sad book was Houdinis on his atemot to reach his loved omnes beyond the grave . he unmasked fraud after fraud but always wanted to believe . He knew the game to well though.
I `m afraid I cannot discuss football with you Ellee I will giggle what with you being a girl an` all. If you ever want ti chat me , or anyone lese , up . look into their eyes and say
” Can you explain the offside rule ?”….
Newmania, Are you aware of the laws of libel?
Newmania, I am most offended that you will not talk football with me because I am female, how very sexist, I do not have this difficulty, I live with three men and it is a hot topic in my house. I am very happy for you to explain the offside rule, I do admit to finding it baffling.
Can you explain it to me ?, I come from Northampton, where Rugby is not so embarrassing as the Town’s footbal ๐
Ah, so you’re a cobbler are you.
FA Cup, 1968. Northampton 3 Margate 1 My parents wouldn’t allow me to go. Too young.
Alright Elee lets talk Football
Diving is an endemic problem that seems to get more and more coverage every week. The offside law ( since you mention it)is a shambles; no-one knows what’s happening, least of all the referees. Every corner or free-kick around the box sees defenders pulling shirts or holding attackers. Every game features players gesturing for their fellow professionals to be booked or sent off.
A policeman was killed in Italy by rioting fans. A French fireman lost his fingers trying to remove an explosive thrown into the pitch from the crowd. Hooliganism mars Dutch football. Black players are openly abused in Spain and Eastern Europe.
Third-party ownership of players has reduced any sort of control over transfers to a laughing stock. A bung culture apparently dominates the English game, covered up by a media scared to lose their special relationship with clubs. Small clubs are left to rot as big clubs get richer and richer. Television and money run the game. Men like Peter Ridsdale have free rein to bankrupt club after club. The FA Cup draw has been moved to Mondays.
International friendlies cripple squads at crucial parts of the season. The African Nations’ Cup snatches away players from top divisions in Europe every two years, and no apparent attempt has been made to find a compromise. The next World Cup is likely to be marred by higher levels of crime than have ever been seen at the world’s premier football tournament.
FIFA executives sell tickets on the black market for ridiculous profits. So do a hell of a lot of other people. Football shirts, shorts and boots are made for pennies in third-world sweatshops and flogged for vastly inflated prices. Peter Kenyon still exists.
And I can only applaud the FIFA delegates who have found time to bring in new laws for next season that will see a player celebrating a goal booked for such things as ‘cupping his ear with his hand or holding a finger across his mouth in a ‘Silence, please’ gesture, Klinsmann-type dives or dancing round the corner flag.’
Seriously lads. Well done.Fine Job.
DON`T GET ME STARTED
Newmania, thanks for the clarification, I’m even more confused about the offside rule now!
Newmania, I am going to print out your last post and keep it folded up in my pocket in case I meet any men in football shirts/ sporting tattoos and need something butch to talk credibly about.
David, Happy St David’s Day, btw, I expect you will be celebrating tonight. I hope you saw my response to your comment yesterday:
https://elleeseymour.com/2007/02/28/how-do-you-perceive-ipswich/#comments
You are very cruel to Newmania.
Thanks for your Saints Day best wishes, Ellee! I think I should spend March 1 in Paris every year as they seem to do these things properly.
I DID see your response and looked up the post you cited of ‘Ellee as lioness roused’ _ most impressive! ๐
I am certainly not intending to be cruel to the splendid Newmania, who has given me so mnay hours of pleasure etc. etc. I meant only to acknowledge his remarkable tour d’horizon of the football world _ and acknowledge too, my own total ignorance on the subject.
David, I am most cross with you, if you are in Paris, you should most certainly NOT be blogging. I certainly would not with so many sights to visit, and those beautiful shops. So please do go and enjoy. Come back tomorrow.
I’ve never heard of this, but I can well imagine Geller doing it, with his ego.
I honestly don’t know whether to laugh or be angry about this.
David Anthony – are you in Paris as well? Happy name day to you too. In Greece, where my mother comes from, they do not celebrate birthdays but name days after the saints. I don’t know of a Saint Ellee yet, but there is an Ellee from Greek mythology – of course. That is another story.
Erm, one minor problem. He is called Uri, not Yuri.
Croydonian, So is someone trying to frame him? Certainly that is what Ed Vaizey was told and he saw the letters himself. Unless his name can be spelt with a Y too, like here: http://www.urbanshamanism.com/Glossary/GlossaryV_Z.html
Unfortunately i’m not in Paris, maybe just spiritually.
I’ve always enjoyed this clip of Uri Gellar on the late Johnny Carson’s show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9w7jHYriFo
(Croydonian makes a good point there)
I just checked the squads for England and West Germany. There was a player in the German squad named:
20 FW Jรยผrgen Grabowski
David, It would be grat if we could somehow crack this mystery. Sorry to hear you are only in Paris spiritually, maybe next year you can be there in person.
I’ve only ever seen it as Uri (an Ivrit name), whereas Yuri is Russian. He uses Uri on his site
That is so Croydonian
It’s a funny old game!
Ah, Association Football…the beautiful game…small boys playing football in the park…jumpers for goalposts…rush keepers…bags I be Jimmy Greaves…watching from the terraces on a cold Saturday afternoon…toilets in such a state you wouldn’t dare sit down…bacon rolls…hot cup of tea…hot pies…the acrid smell of vinegar as it is splashed on hot chips…brass band at half time…suggesting that the referee might not have a father…vowing never to come again after a performance like that…all forgotten and back again for the next game…no gloves…no tights…and a programme that was small enough to fit in your pocket…….
Newmania, I do have a team in Iain Dale’s fantasy premier league, not sure how well it is doing, maybe you can advise me, if the link behaves itself:
http://fantasy.premierleague.com/M/myteam.mc
As he was called upon to help the England team, it would not surprise me if he did write on the ball!!!
Still, we did finally get it back off the Germans….apparantly their excuse for nicking it in the first place, was that they believed the person who scored the first goal was entitled to the match ball….I have heard other Germans asked if this was a tradition in their country and none of them seem to be aware of that ‘tradition’.
As soon as I read your post Ellee, I thought there was a legpull somwhere.
As has been pointed out, it’s Uri, not Yuri.
Back soon, Ellee.
I’m extremely sceptical when it comes to the paranormal. I was pushing my mum in her wheelchair in the street in Skegness when a chavvy looking woman came up to us. I went to usher her away as she tried to give my mum a polished stone, no doubt to make some money. She said “Okay, but I’ve got to tell you this …” too personal to say, but highly accurate and extremely spooky. She then went away without asking for payment. I really can’t see how it could have been a set up, especially as it concerned a severe family conflict and what was said was in my favour and for the fact that I was suffering an injustice at the time. It put everything right.
Uri’s a fraud.
Do you know Elee I have spent most of my life obsessed with sport but politics has taken over . I watch a bit but really don`t follow it the way I used to. At the current rate I may soon know as little about it as Iain Dale ….in a few years
Not sure where you’ve got YG from, why would someone called Uri Geller sign it YG? Just watched BBC Breakfast, Sir Geoff Hurst came on, with the football, and they discussed the fact that Uri Geller signed the ball UG (you can clearly see it’s UG) – it was part of a campaign during Euro 96 where Uri was asked to instill positivity into the team or something, he’s a motivational speaker apparently, he doesnt just bend spoons for a living. I think they have machines for that now.
Geller DID initial it, (& it says “U.G.” not “Y.G.”). Why they allowed this narcissistic fraudster to deface this priceless piece of football history is quite beyond me, someones head should have rolled for even letting him in the same room as it.