George Eastham, a member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad, has died at the age of 88. The former winger, who played for Newcastle, Arsenal and Stoke City, was part of Sir Alf Ramsey's triumphant team but did not feature in the tournament.
Eastham's impact extended beyond the pitch. In 1963, he was involved in a landmark court case that helped improve players' freedom to move between clubs. He earned 19 caps for England and was awarded an OBE for services to football.
Stoke City, where Eastham made 194 league appearances and scored the winning goal in the 1972 League Cup final, led tributes. The club said: 'The Stoke City Football Club family is immensely saddened by the passing of club legend George Eastham OBE at the age of 88.'
Eastham later managed Stoke and emigrated to South Africa, where he coached and opposed apartheid. He is survived by only three of his 1966 World Cup-winning teammates: Geoff Hurst, Terry Paine and Ian Callaghan.
