Wembley Stadium: London’s Legendary Theatre of Football Dreams
English football is a sport of classic matches and celebrated players. However, you may be surprised to learn that among leading legends such as Bobby Charlton, Alan Ball, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Paul “Gazza” Gascoigne, famed footballing gladiators who fought well and found favour on Wembley turf, is an animal: Billie, the “White Horse” of Wembley Park.
The original Wembley Stadium was completed in early 1923, in time to accommodate the Football Association Cup Final. The match was played on the 28th of April between West Ham United and the Bolton Wanderers. King George V attended-as did at least 125,000 fans; some estimates ranged to as many as a quarter of a million. The clamor and squeeze of such a throng, spilling onto the field as match time approached, brought forth the horse police for crowd control.
Among the mounted constables was George Scorey atop his pale horse Billie. Scorey, personally intimidated by the swelling crowd, later credited Billie with gently but sternly riding through the masses and bringing order, forcing fans back so that play could begin.
Some remember that Bolton won the FA cup match 2-0. Many more remember the visage of Billie’s successful police work. The 1923 match became known as the “White Horse Final.”
Wembley is England’s national stadium. Located in Brent, a northwestern London borough, it is the second-largest stadium in Europe and has the world’s largest covered seating capacity.
The first Wembley Stadium was known as the Empire Stadium and the “Twin Towers’ (for its two white entrance towers). It was the scene of many remarkable sports battles.
Especially memorable was the 1966 FIFA (international soccer) World Cup final, at which a crowd of 98,000 saw England defeat Germany 4-2 in extra time. The decision hinged largely on a controversial English goal scored by dashing striker Geoff Hurst, that continues to be debated. Regardless, the 1966 English team captain, Bobby Moore, is memorialized in a statue outside the modern Wembley Stadium.
The old Empire Stadium also was a site of the 1948 Olympics and five European Cup finals. Over the years, it was used for motorcycle and greyhound racing. During the early 1970s, it became a popular venue for outdoor pop-rock concerts, charity performances and other events. Many still remember the near-fatal crash of stunt cyclist Evel Knievel in 1975 when he attempted to jump 13 buses at Wembley.
The “Twin Towers” was closed in 2000 and demolished over a period of several years. Modern Wembley, completed in 2007, was built by Australia-based Muliplex Constructions Ltd at a cost of almost ?800,000. The 134-metre (440-foot) steel arch above its partly retractable roof is seen far in the distance.
The bowl-shaped “New” Wembley is a full kilometer (.6 mile) in circumference. It can accommodate as many as 90,000 fans for Football Association and rugby matches and concerts. The playing field measures 105×69 metres (344×226 feet).
Wembley is owned by The Football Association (FA). It is the home of England’s national football team and is the site of advanced FA Cup competition. It also is the scene of diverse sports and entertainment events. Throughout the autumn, several U.S. National Football League games are played here.
Major future events already are scheduled at Wembley, including the football finals of the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Perhaps, if you ever get the privilege to walk out onto the pitch of this theatre of dreams on a warm summer evening, close your eyes and imagine the long range goalscoring prowess of Bobby Charlton, the tigerish tackling of Jack Charlton and finally, hear the roar of the crowd cheering on beaming Bobby Moore as he lifts the glittering Jules Rimet Trophy, to signal England’s 1966 World Cup victory on English soil.
Visiting Wembley and looking for somewhere affordable to stay in London? Please consider the many London hostels, centrally located near tourist attractions such as Big Ben.
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