England superfan who attended the 1966 World Cup Final dreams of repeating history in the US

Dave Thompson was barely old enough to remember it, but he was there. The Canterbury businessman, now 64, attended the 1966 World Cup Final at Wembley after his late father Keith — then a semi-professional footballer — won two tickets in a raffle at Chelmsford City in Essex. Nearly six decades later, Thompson is back at a World Cup, this time in the United States, hoping history repeats itself.

“I was so young that I have no recollection other than the noise,” Thompson told the Mirror. “I have tickets for all the group games and the final. I have to go back after the round of 32, but I have a ticket for the final.”

The trip, including travel and match tickets, has cost Thompson around £20,000 — a sum he considers worthwhile given a run of World Cup attendance stretching back to South Africa in 2010. “I’ve been going to the tournaments since 2010, so I didn’t want to stop,” he said, adding that he did not want to “tempt fate” by skipping this edition.

Thompson, who owns Marine Travel and is President and former vice-chairman of Marine FC on Merseyside, will only be watching England games during the tournament. “It’s not worth going to watch another team when you’ve got to pay five or six hundred dollars to watch a team that you’re not really following,” he said.

A committed Everton season ticket holder and regular club sponsor, Thompson makes the journey from Kent to Merseyside for home matches throughout the domestic season. His dedication to the England cause is no less demanding — he will return home mid-tournament for work commitments but has every intention of flying back to the US should the Three Lions reach the final.

Thompson enjoyed a fishing trip ahead of England’s group-stage match in Boston against Ghana, a game in which victory would secure England’s place in the knockout rounds. Ghana, meanwhile, are monitoring the fitness of goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi, 29, who suffered a groin injury during the 1-0 win over Panama after making several crucial saves. He was substituted at half-time but has since returned to light training. Goalkeeper coach Daniel Gaspar is optimistic Ati-Zigi will be available, with initial fears that his tournament was over now appearing to have eased.