1966 England’s Glory Match – An Evening with Adrian Bailey

Step back in time and relive one of the greatest moments in English football history with Adrian Bailey, a lifelong football fan and lifelong Cheltenham Town FC supporter, who was one of the fortunate fans to witness England’s 1966 World Cup triumph from inside Wembley Stadium.

Join us at Cheltenham Town Football Club for a very special evening celebrating Adrian’s new book, 1966 England’s Glory Match, and his remarkable first-hand memories of the tournament.

He was there when England made history

On 30 July 1966, Adrian stood behind the goal at Wembley as England faced West Germany in the World Cup Final.

As an almost penniless undergraduate, Adrian had heard a radio report about tickets for the tournament. He took a chance, reached for his chequebook and sent £7 15 shillings for every London group match and the final.

He never expected the tickets to arrive.

They did.

That decision gave Adrian the opportunity to witness Geoff Hurst’s famous hat-trick and England’s historic 4–2 victory.

More than 60 years later, Adrian has captured those memories in his book, 1966 England’s Glory Match.

This is more than a match report. It is a journey back to the summer of 1966, combining Adrian’s personal memories with the social history of 1960s Britain, stories from fellow supporters and the unforgettable moments that made the tournament so special.

What to expect on the night

The evening will give you the chance to:

• Hear Adrian’s first hand memories of the 1966 World Cup and being inside Wembley for the final
• Discover the story behind 1966 England’s Glory Match
• Meet Adrian and have your copy of the book personally signed
• Purchase a copy of 1966 England’s Glory Match on the night
• See items from Adrian’s personal collection of 1966 World Cup memorabilia
• Take part in a special auction featuring several unique pieces from Adrian’s collection
• See a large framed collection of prints from the 1966 England match, signed by Geoff Hurst (one of the auction items)
• Relive the atmosphere, stories and memories of the summer England became world champions

Supporting Cheltenham Town Community Trust

This is also an evening with a very special charitable purpose.

Adrian is a keen supporter of Cheltenham Town Community Trust, the charitable arm of Cheltenham Town FC, which uses the power of football and sport to improve health, wellbeing, education and opportunities for people across Gloucestershire.

Proceeds from book sales and the special auction will be donated to Cheltenham Town Community Trust, helping support its work in communities across the county.

Event Information

Date: Thursday 29 October 2026
Venue: Cheltenham Town Football Club, Whaddon Road
Arrival: 6.30pm
Event starts: 7pm

Whether you remember watching England lift the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966, have a passion for football history, or simply want to hear what it was really like to be there, this promises to be a memorable evening.

Come and hear the story from someone who was there.