Sixty years on from his father’s heroics in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final, Anthony Sealey returned to Wembley Stadium with his two young daughters, passing on the legacy of Alan Sealey, the man whose goals sealed West Ham United’s first European trophy.
Alan’s two strikes in the 1965 European Cup Winners’ Cup final secured a 2-0 win over 1860 Munich, crowning the Hammers as just the second English side to lift a European title. That team, led by Bobby Moore, was made up entirely of Englishmen, nine of them east Londoners who had grown up together and come through the ranks at the Academy of Football.
“They were such a close group of people,” Anthony reflects. “It was basically a group of local lads. They trained together, socialised together, had fun together, and they achieved so much along the way.
“They were lads who had known each other from school. It was a bond that carried on beyond football and into life.”
Sadly, Alan passed away in 1996 at the age of just 53. Now a father himself, Anthony is determined to keep his Dad’s legacy alive, especially for his two daughters, Lottie and Bea.
Earlier this season, Anthony took them both to West Ham United’s home match against Chelsea, a day that produced a moment he’ll never forget.
“There are so many great images around the stadium from that time. I took a photo of the girls in front of the display of the ’65 team, and Bea, my youngest, was just looking up at Dad. I didn’t even realise until after I’d taken the picture. I’m no photographer, but it’s probably the best photo I’ve ever taken in my life.”
Brian Dear, Alan’s close friend and teammate, has remained a part of the Sealey family’s life, and his gesture after Alan’s passing left a lasting impression on the Sealeys.
“We’re here at Wembley today with Brian, and something that will always stay with us as a family is that, when we lost Dad, the first person outside of the family to come to the house was Brian. That meant so much to us.
“It’s a memory that carries real emotion, a reminder that those players truly were a band of brothers. That closeness, that friendship, that support, it’s something we’ll never forget.”
Almost 30 years on from his passing and 60 years since that night, the Sealey name remains synonymous with West Ham United history, forever part of the legacy of the Boys of ’65.