30th July 1966. For millions it was the greatest day of the greatest decade. They may never have seen the Beatles in the Cavern or danced at Woodstock, but they got to see the finest moment in English sporting history.

This is the story of that extraordinary 24 hours, told through the eyes of the players, the fans on the terraces, and those watching and listening at home and abroad.

Take the young policeman with the tricky task of swapping the real Jules Rimet trophy for a replica; the former German POW on holiday in Wales keeping his nationality secret as he watches the match in a stranger s house; and the Kent firecrew dousing a chimney fire as they watch the final on television.

Full of fascinating details, this book evokes a period when football fans wore suits to matches, traffic policemen were invited into homes to watch the game, and the England squad could walk to the cinema undisturbed the evening before the biggest game of their lives.