Sir Geoff Hurst told West Ham TV he was moved to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in special year for the Hammers and England
Sir Geoff Hurst told West Ham TV he was 'honoured' to become the Club's Lifetime Achievement Award - sponsored by JM Sealant Contracts Limited - recipient in a special year for the Hammers and England.
The three-time Hammer of the Year, FA Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup and FIFA World Cup winner was presented with the accolade on the 50th anniversary of his amazing hat-trick against West Germany at Wembley in the 1966 World Cup final.
Five decades on and the Grand Ballroom at the London Hilton on Park Lane rose as one to recognise one of this country's true footballing legends.
Speaking moments after receiving the acclaim of 1,200 fans at the 2015/16 Player Awards brought to you by Betway in support of the Academy, Sir Geoff told of his pride at following the likes of Billy Bonds, Martin Peters and Sir Trevor Brooking in receiving the prestigious trophy.
“I'm absolutely thrilled to bits to be given this award," said the 75-year-old, who scored 249 goals in 503 appearances in Claret and Blue. "The Club's very close to my heart and I'm just so grateful that they've thought of me. I'm thrilled and very honoured.
“There was no way in the world we could have dreamt of what we achieved at the Club and what the three of us did for the England team. It's not something you dream about. I always felt I could have a good career for West Ham, but certainly never dreamed I'd play for England, so looking back it's fantastic."
With so many career highlights to reflect on, which still stick out in the mind of the only man to score three goals in a FIFA World Cup final?
“Winning the trophies stands out. The Club had come up from the Second Division in the late '50s, and within four or five years we win the FA Cup. If you put that in context - if it happened today - and the following year we win a European trophy, only the second time that's been done, they were absolutely astonishing years when you look back.
“On a personal level, a personal highlight, I guess, is scoring six in a game, a double hat-trick as I did at the Boleyn Ground against Sunderland in 1968. It's never been done since, at league level, so that's a record along with the [World Cup final] hat-trick that still stands. Records that are going to be pretty hard to beat!”
The three-time Hammer of the Year, FA Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup and FIFA World Cup winner was presented with the accolade on the 50th anniversary of his amazing hat-trick against West Germany at Wembley in the 1966 World Cup final.
Five decades on and the Grand Ballroom at the London Hilton on Park Lane rose as one to recognise one of this country's true footballing legends.
Speaking moments after receiving the acclaim of 1,200 fans at the 2015/16 Player Awards brought to you by Betway in support of the Academy, Sir Geoff told of his pride at following the likes of Billy Bonds, Martin Peters and Sir Trevor Brooking in receiving the prestigious trophy.
“I'm absolutely thrilled to bits to be given this award," said the 75-year-old, who scored 249 goals in 503 appearances in Claret and Blue. "The Club's very close to my heart and I'm just so grateful that they've thought of me. I'm thrilled and very honoured.
“There was no way in the world we could have dreamt of what we achieved at the Club and what the three of us did for the England team. It's not something you dream about. I always felt I could have a good career for West Ham, but certainly never dreamed I'd play for England, so looking back it's fantastic."
With so many career highlights to reflect on, which still stick out in the mind of the only man to score three goals in a FIFA World Cup final?
“Winning the trophies stands out. The Club had come up from the Second Division in the late '50s, and within four or five years we win the FA Cup. If you put that in context - if it happened today - and the following year we win a European trophy, only the second time that's been done, they were absolutely astonishing years when you look back.
“On a personal level, a personal highlight, I guess, is scoring six in a game, a double hat-trick as I did at the Boleyn Ground against Sunderland in 1968. It's never been done since, at league level, so that's a record along with the [World Cup final] hat-trick that still stands. Records that are going to be pretty hard to beat!”