England’s 1966 hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst will honour his friend and World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore as he joins a host of stars to remember those who helped shape their life.
Hurst has named West Ham and England team-mate Moore, who died in 1993, as the biggest influence of his career and will celebrate his impact on his life as part of The Big Toast.
The Big Toast takes place at 7pm on the last Monday in May as part of Celebration Day and invites people to raise a glass, cup or mug, to honour the loved ones or mentors that helped shape them.
Hurst’s tribute comes as Thomas Tuchel’s England head to the United States this summer for the World Cup looking to end 60 years of hurt since Moore lifted the trophy.
‘Being able to remember people that had an influence on your life and, in my case, no longer here, it’s such an important and a really lovely thing,’ Hurst told Daily Mail Sport.
‘His full name is Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore or, as most know him, Bobby Moore. I knew him, of course, as Mooro. He had a huge influence on my football career, how he played, how he acted, how he behaved, both on and off the field.
George Cohen, Bobby Moore (with trophy), Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters celebrate England’s World Cup triumph at Wembley in 1966
Moore and Hurst were great friends and starred together for West Ham for more than 15 years after starting their careers there in 1958
‘He was called immaculate by fans, by friends, by team-mates, by opponents, and so it’s a lovely opportunity to raise a toast to Mooro.
‘Although he was only eight months older than me, he graduated through the West Ham Academy and the team and the national side maybe three to four years before me so I looked on him as a senior player, both on and off the field and how he led his life.
‘I always pick him as being that close to him, socially and in my playing days, as the biggest influence it had on me by far.’
Hurst has long since believed Moore has never been shown the reverence and respect he deserved and backed the Daily Mail’s campaign last year to award the World Cup-winning skipper a posthumous knighthood.
Hurst will join a host of names paying homage to those who influenced their careers, alongside Olympic and Paralympic heroes Sir Mo Farah and Ellie Simmonds.
Celebration Day takes place on the last Monday in May, inviting the nation to honour those who are no longer with us. At its heart is the Big Toast at 7pm, when the country pauses to raise a glass and #MarkTheirMemory.
