Home celebrates its footballing legacy with 1966 autograph hunter Michael

A CARE home has once again opened its doors to footballers and fans as it celebrates its place in sporting history as part of a fundraising campaign to support the Bobby Moore Fund at Cancer Research UK.

Hendon Hall is remembered by many as the hotel where England’s winning World Cup squad stayed during the 1966 tournament.

Now a luxury care home, Signature at Hendon Hall invited old and new generations of football fans back to the famous grounds to honour the 1966 team captain Bobby Moore’s legacy and celebrate the start of the Women’s World Cup.

After unearthing a black and white photograph of the children who flocked to the hotel to cheer on the World Cup squad in 1966, the facility launched a nation-wide hunt for the young autograph hunters.

After four months, and having drafted in BBC presenter Jenny Bond to support the online campaign, the home was contacted by 70-yearold Michael Hart, who is pictured alongside Jimmy Greaves and Bobby Moore.

He said: “In 1966 I was 13 and living in Holders Hill Avenue which is close to the old Hendon Hall Hotel. When the tournament started, only a few people were interested in the team, but as they progressed the crowds grew significantly.

“I remember on the Saturday morning of the final, someone came out of the hotel asking if anyone wanted a ticket.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t have any money on me and missed out, something that has annoyed me all my life.

“I was at the hotel when the team arrived back after they had won the cup and the scene was amazing, so many happy faces.”

Signature at Hendon Hall invited Michael to return to the historic site, alongside the local Garston Ladies FC U8P squad, which Signature Senior Lifestyle sponsors, and the Mayor of Barnet Councillor Nagus Narenthira. Alongside resident John Marshall, the group unveiled a plaque to Bobby Moore and celebrated the naming of the ‘Captain’s Corner’ in the home’s ‘Bar 66’.

The celebration provided an opportunity for the home to reveal the fruits of a six-month fundraising campaign, which saw residents and colleagues raise £1,500 for the Booby Moore Fund, which supports pioneering research into Bowel Cancer.

Michael, who lives locally and still has his cherished autograph book featuring autographs of nine of the 11 starting players, donated the book to the Bobby Moore Fund so that it can be auctioned to raise further funds.

Rakhee Popat, client liaison manager at Signature at Hendon Hall, said: “We were so excited when we found one of the young autograph hunters, Michael, and so please he was able to join the event.

“Together with residents, the community and our special guests, we had a wonderful day watching the football, celebrating the Lionesses, and marking Bobby Moore’s connection to the home.”

Guests were also treated to a specially recorded message to the home by former Lioness and current BBC broadcaster, Anita Asante.

The footballing legend, who represented England at the World Cup and Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics, celebrated the legacy of Bobby Moore, as well as the residents’ fundraising efforts for the charity.