Ron Flowers, the most senior member of England’s 1966 World Cup winning Wolves squad, dies at the age of 87. Premier League Club pays tribute to this ‘giant’ on the pitch as well as the gentleman off it.











Ron Flowers, England’s oldest player in the 1966 World Cup winning squad, and Wolves legend at the time of his death, was 87 years old.

Flowers was a Black Country player between 1952-67 and led them to three First Division titles as well as the FA Cup in 1960.

On the club’s Twitter page, a statement read: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of club legend Ron Flowers MBE at age 87.

“A giant in the field and a gentleman on it,” Ron. Ron will always be in our hearts and we are thinking of all who were fortunate enough to have known him.

Flowers was fifth in their all-time Wolves appearances with 515 games.

Stan Cullis recruited him from Wath Wanderers (a Wolves nursery group) and established him as an important creative member of the team.

England 1966 World Cup member and Wolves legend Ron Flowers (right) has died aged 87

Ron Flowers (right), a member of England 1966 World Cup and Wolves legend, has died at the age of 87.

He was part of 49 England matches and 40 international matches in a row between November 1958/April 1963. That included the 1962 World Cup match in Chile.

Flowers didn’t kick a single ball at the 1966 tournament but narrowly missed the final. West Germany won the match 4-2 at Wembley Stadium.

Jack Charlton was scheduled to play but caught a nasty cold the day before. Flowers was approached the night prior by Alf Ramsey and informed by him that Flowers would be playing if Charlton wasn’t well by morning.

It was a sleepless night, but Charlton came through fine the next morning. Flowers didn’t make it to the final.     

After the 1966 victory, 11 of the eleven players who ended the game were awarded winners’ medals. Flowers received his award after an FA campaign, and it was presented by Gordon Brown in 2009.

Flowers’ passing follows that of Roger Hunt (the 1966 Liverpool team-mate and Liverpool legend) who passed away in September.  

Stay tuned for more. 

Advertisement