Jack Taylor, the man from Wolverhampton who refereed a World Cup Final

Jul 8 2010 By Chris Lepkowski

The heckle – “You are an Englishman” – was probably not the most conventional that referee Jack Taylor had heard, but then this was no conventional football match.

It was the 1974 World Cup final in Munich. Host nation West Germany versus the fluid Total Footballers from Netherlands.

The Germans were efficient, ruthless. Holland were a side of maverick improvisers – a team where a striker would defend, a full-back would overlap and the goalkeeper wore the No.8 shirt.

The Dutch took the kick-off. West Germany’s first touch was for Sepp Maier to pick Holland’s penalty out of the back of his net.

From their first-kick Netherlands kept possession, broke forward into the host nation’s half and West German Uli Hoeness threw himself into Johan Cruyff.

The experienced Wolverhampton referee Taylor – who grew up in a butcher’s shop next door to Molineux – pointed straight to the spot.

And while Johan Neeskens prepared to convert the spot-kick it was West German captain Franz Beckenbauer who reminded Taylor of his nationality.

That was the last time that an English referee had been chosen to take charge of football’s greatest game.

But for the Taylor, now 80, this Sunday’s showpiece game in South Africa will bring back fond memories of his career highlight.

Yet the penalty wasn’t to be the first controversy, as Taylor recalls.

“We prepared to toss the coin with Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff and it was noticed that there were no corner flags,” said Taylor, who now lives in Shropshire and remains involved with the Football League.

“We had to delay kick-off because someone had forgotten to attach the corner flags – this was the World Cup Final. Can you imagine that happening now?

“I could sense immediately when the game started that something was going to happen. Sure enough Holland moved the ball forward and the foul was committed straight away. There was no doubt.

“As the ball went on the spot the whole stadium went quiet. Beckenbauer came over to me and said ‘You are an Englishman’.

“His comment wasn’t venomous but it had meaning. There was a lot in that game and West Germany were expected to win at home while Holland were the best team in the tournament.”

Holland’s advantage didn’t last. In the 26th minute Taylor awarded a second penalty – this time to Germany – when Bernd Holzenbein was dragged down by Wim Jansen.

Paul Breitner brought the home nation level before Gerd Muller made sure of the victory just before half-time.

Taylor, meanwhile, remains the last Englishman to take charge of a World Cup Final. He believes that Howard Webb, who has been championed by many to referee Sunday’s final, is a worthy contender.

“I’ve seen a lot of Howard over the years and I’ve felt for many years that he’s the best referee we’ve had for a long time,” added Taylor. “He’s athletic, very fit and he’s in the prime of his career. He would be ideal.

“I was in the 1966 World Cup squad and refereed in Mexico four years later so I was fairly experienced by 1974. I’d already done East Germany versus Argentina and Bulgaria’s game with Uruguay.

“It was a fantastic honour and whoever gets the final on Sunday will have done very well to get it.”

This World Cup has inevitably raised the issue of video technology.  Frank Lampard’s ‘equaliser’ against Germany was ruled out with officials claiming it had not crossed the line.

Taylor is reticent about flooding the game with cameras.

“You do feel sorry for officials these days – there are so many replays,” he added. “And then how far do we go with video technology? The World Cup is obvious, so are domestic leagues but what about non-league or beyond?

“Technology for goal-line decisions. Yes. It will certainly highlight what is and isn’t a goal.

“Something like 19 referees were sent home from this World Cup - almost as if they’ve gone home in disgrace. That didn’t happen in 1970 or 74. There’s a lot of pressure on officials to get every decision right and I do feel for them.”

Away from the World Cup, domestic sides are back in pre-season mode. Blues will be visiting China and Hong Kong in the coming weeks as part of their preparations for the new campaign.

Back in 1978, West Bromwich Albion became the first Western side to cross what was then known as the Bamboo Curtain.

Taylor was the official referee for the tour.

“Back then I remember there being 80,000 people in the stadia and a tannoy announcement telling fans to be quiet,” added Taylor. “Everyone was so disciplined and completely fascinated by this team from England.

“The players had a game of cricket one day and literally hundreds of locals were stood around watching. It was all very strange back then.

“But I’ve been back since. I went a few years later and the country had already changed massively, so the China that Birmingham visit will be hugely different to the one I went to.”