100 GREAT GOALS: Part III - more great goals for you to consider

John Harding 06-06-07

How the hell do you select the best goal/goals from the last 100 years of wonderful football? It's a tough one to call but we are asking givemefootball readers to help us name the best of the best. Here are another ten to be going on with, in no particular order and from another a different era...look out for more over the coming weeks and then there will be your chance to vote...

No.21: 1970 - Alan Mullery's debut England goal was special

The build-up began when Terry Cooper, deep and wide in his own left back position, pushed the ball inside to Alan Mullery. Having sent it forward to Francis Lee, Mullery moved on to a short return in time to hear Keith Newton's intelligent call from far out on the right, near the half way line. Mullery's left foot carried the ball crisply in the air across the width of the field for Newton to bring it down and stride ahead. As the full back did so, Mullery was already committed to a surging diagonal run and he met the angled centre as it fell on the edge of the six-yard are opposite Sepp Maier's left-hand post. No-one came to tackle him and as the ball dropped his right instep made perfect contact to sweep it high past the German keeper's left shoulder. It was Mullery's first goal in over 30 internationals – and he couldn't have wished for a more magnificent one. Sadly, England ultimately lost 3-2 (this despite going 2-0 up) and went out of the competition at the quarter final stage.

No.22: 1966 - Bobby's 'dazzler' sets England on their way to World Cup glory

Bobby Charlton could deliver a rocket with both feet. In those days, the ball didn't move around in the air like it does today, so to score from the distances as he regularly did was quite something. His goal against Mexico at Wembley 1966 stands out, especially coming at a time when England were struggling to score. Bobby picked up the ball on the half way line and ran 25-yards, dropping a shoulder one way and then the other before unleashing a rocket 30-yarder into the far corner. It rose no more than about three feet, but it seemed to fly into the back of the net. It was a special goal and set England on the way to their eventual triumph against West Germany.

No.23: 1966 - Hurst strikes (again) and it's all over

Thirteen minutes in, West Germany score, but England reply with an equaliser six minutes later, Hurst heading in Bobby Moore's free kick after Wolfgang Overath's foul. In the 78th minute, following a corner, Alan Ball plays the ball towards Hurst whose shot is blocked by Weber. The ball rises in the air and Martin Peters volleys it in. With a minute to go, following a free kick just outside the penalty box, Weber coolly puts the ball past Banks at the far post to take the game into extra time. In the 100th minute, Ball storms up the right-wing past the heavy Schnellinger, passes to Hurst at the near post who lets it go with a tremendous right-footed shot. The ball hits the underside of the crossbar and bounces down. The England players claim a goal but referee is not so certain but, after checking with Russian linesman Bakhramov, awards England the controversial goal! In the dying seconds of the game, Bobby Moore sends a long, accurate pass through to Hurst and, as people run onto the pitch thinking the game was over, an exhausted Hurst stumbles goalwards and lets go with a blistering left-footer, beating Tilkowski and completing a magnificent hat-trick!

No.24: 1966 - George Best on the night 'El Beatle' was born

United travelled to Lisbon with plans to carefully protect a European Cup quarter final 3-2, first leg lead. Somebody forgot to tell George Best! Within ten minutes United were 2-0 up, and Best's two goals inspired them to a 5-1 win, the first defeat Benfica had ever suffered in the European Cup at the Stadium of Light. Best's goals were a neat, flicked header, and a run from the half way line, leaving defenders in his wake before rounding the keeper. After the game, a fan ran on to the pitch with a knife, intending to claim a lock of Best's hair. Best was pictured after the game in a giant sombrero, prompting the tag of 'El Beatle' which stuck. United boss Sir Matt Busby wryly said afterwards: "Our plan was to be cautious, but somebody must have stuffed cotton wool in George's ears."

No.25: 1966 - Rookie Mike Trebilcock's Wembley double

Harry Catterick's Everton arrived at Wembley without having conceded a goal in the preceding rounds but with just over half an hour of the Final remaining, the Blues found themselves 2-0 down and staring defeat in the face. The hero of the hour, however, was an unlikely one who had played in only one previous FA Cup tie for the Blues! Mike Trebilcock was a young Cornishman whom Catterick had signed from Plymouth Argyle the previous New Year's Eve for £20,000. Two minutes after Wednesday's second goal, Derek Temple's header was blocked and Mike made no mistake from 12 yards. Five minutes later and the Blues were level. Alex Scott launched a free kick into the Wednesday area and Trebilcock crashed a shot home from the edge of the area! Suddenly, it was Wednesday who found themselves on the back foot. With 16 minutes remaining, Gerry Young in the Sheffield defence, failed to control a bouncing ball and Temple seized on it to race clear and fire past Springett from the edge of the area. 3-2 and Everton held on to bring the cup back to Goodison for the first time since Dixie Dean and Co. won it in 1933.

No.26: 1967 - Lisbon Lion Tommy Gemmell's immortal European Cup strike

Well into the second half, with Inter Milan leading 1-0 from a penalty kick, wave upon wave of Celtic attacks rained in on the Italians. After twice being denied by Inter's crossbar, Celtic's crucial equaliser arrived in the 65th minute with a goal that would grace any stage. Jim Craig who had given away the penalty kick found some space on the right wing and pulled the ball back to the on-rushing Tommy Gemmell. There appeared to be little threat but, without even breaking his stride, the roving Celtic full back produced a rasping 20-yard drive that gave keeper Sarti no chance, crashing in to the back of the net to bring Jock Stein's men back on level terms. Billy Captain McNeill recalled: "Stood on the half way line, I watched Tommy Gemmell shape to hit the shot and I instantly knew we would go on to lift the European Cup. When Gemmell hit the ball, it stayed hit." Five minutes from time and a Steve Chalmers' deflection saw Celtic crowned European champions - the first British team to achieve such a feat.

No.27: 1967 - Pat Jennings' Charity Shield stunner

The 1967 Charity Shield contest between League Champions Manchester United and FA Cup holders Tottenham Hotspur, was a 3-3 draw that had everything! United boasted Denis Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton in their line-up – plus Brian Kidd making his debut. Spurs had Terry Venables, Jimmy Greaves and Dave Mackay - but it was keeper Pat Jennings who stole the limelight! On a cold wet August afternoon, Spurs opened the scoring within two minutes, Greaves beating Nobby Stiles and slipping the ball inside for Jimmy Robertson to tap in. Seven minutes later, however, Jennings unleashed a prodigious kick from the edge of his penalty area aiming for the head of Spurs centre forward Alan Gilzean. It soared over everyone, bounced just once at pace off the wet surface – and over the head of advancing United keeper Alec Stepney! A unique goal!

No.28: 1968 - Jeff Astle wins the cup for the Baggies

Jeff Astle scored 174 goals for the Baggies, but his finest moment in an Albion shirt came when he scored the only goal in the 1968 FA Cup final and thus completed the feat of scoring in every round of the competition, something that had never been achieved before. Returning to Wembley after the disappointment of the 1967 League Cup final, Albion faced an Everton side who boasted the likes of Kendall, Ball and Royle amongst their ranks. But with Brown, Hope and Astle, it would be a tight affair between two sides who were separated by only three league places. With both teams unable to break through the other's defence, the match looked destined to be heading for a replay until Jeff created his little bit of history. With three minutes of extra time played, his sweetly struck shot (with his left foot!) from 20 yards nestled in the roof of the Wembley net, and Albion had the lead which they would hold onto as the Cup headed back to the Hawthorns for the fifth time.

No.29: 1968 - Simply the Best...another cracker from Georgie boy

As the 1968 European Cup Final approached the 90-minute mark with the score at 1-1, Benfica were over-running a tiring Manchester United and looked certain to get the winner. Then the whistle went. United had the chance to re-group before extra time. It was then that Best took the game by the scruff of the neck. He received the ball with his back to goal after Stepney had punted long and Kidd glanced it through. Best drifted past his marker with a characteristic swivel, ghosted past the goalkeeper and struck the ball home. "I used to dream about taking the ball round the keeper, stopping it on the line and then getting on my hands and knees and heading it into the net," Best said later. "When I scored against Benfica in the European Cup Final I nearly did it. I left the keeper for dead, but then I chickened out. I might have given the boss a heart attack." Brian Kidd headed the third goal and Bobby Charlton scored the last for a crushing 4-1 triumph. United, and George Best, had reached their pinnacle.

No.30: 1968 - Jimmy Greaves Spurs' swansong

The season 1968-69, during which he scored 27 League goals from 42 matches and appeared in every match would prove to be Jimmy Greaves' last full one with Tottenham Hotspur. Fittingly, he would score what many regard as the best goal of his career in October of that campaign against a hapless Leicester City. Unfortunately there were no TV cameras to capture the goal but those who saw it will know why it was acclaimed as his greatest goal. Pat Jennings booted the ball out to the wing where Jimmy had wandered. He killed it instantly, spun round and was away before his marker had realised he had gone. Jimmy then danced around four or five defenders, even raced around the referee before drawing the great Peter Shilton prior to depositing the ball in the net! A characteristically effortless strike, the mark of a great player.