Alan Ball

Alan Ball Footballer - Born May 12, 1945 in Farnworth, Lancashire, England, UK

Died April 25, 2007 in Warsash, Hampshire, England, UK (heart attack)

Birth Name Alan James Ball

Height 5' 6" (1.68 m)

Mini Bio (1) Alan Ball was born on May 12, 1945 in Farnworth, Lancashire, England as Alan James Ball. He was married to Janet Lesley Newton. He died on April 25, 2007 in Warsash, Hampshire, England.

Spouse (1) Janet Lesley Newton (21 May 1967 - 16 May 2004) ( her death) ( 3 children)

Being the junior member of England's 1966 world cup-winning squad, he became the youngest (latest born) world champion. Succeeding Antônio Wilson Honório AKA Coutinho, though in '70 that status passed to Marco Antônio Feliciano.

Picking up 72 caps (8 goals) for England's football team in total, he was the youngest player of the 1966 England World Cup winning team.

He was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2000 Queen's Millennium Honors List for his services to Association Football.

During his professional career, he played for Blackpool (1962-1966, 1980-1981), Everton (1966-1971), Arsenal (1971-1976), Southampton (1976-1978, 1981-1982), Philadelphia Fury (1978-1979), Vancouver Whitecaps (1979-1980), Eastern AA in Hong Kong (1982-1983) and Bristol Rovers (1983-1984), making 975 competitive matches.

As a manager he served Blackpool (1980-1981), Portsmouth (1984-1989, 1998-1999), Exeter City (1991-1994), Southampton (1994-1995) and Manchester City (1995-1996).

His father, Alan Ball Sr., also a football player and coach, died in a car crash in Cyprus (January 1982).

His autobiography "Playing Extra Time" was released in 2004.

Was awarded the MBE in 2000 and introduced into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

Alan James Ball MBE (12 May 1945 – 25 April 2007) was an English professional footballer and manager. He was the youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team and played as a midfielder for various clubs, scoring more than 180 league goals in a career spanning 22 years. His playing career also included a then national record £220,000 transfer from Everton to Arsenal at the end of 1971. After retiring as a player, he had a 15-year career as a manager which included spells in the top flight of English football with Portsmouth, Southampton, and Manchester City.