Carlisle United legend Ivor Broadis' playing career may have come to and end by 1966 but he still managed to get in on the action at Wembley.

Mr Broadis, who collected 14 England caps during his distinguished career, was in the stadium that day as a reporter writing for the Journal and the Sunday Sun.

"I was doing the match reports. The day was amazing, it was sort of dramatic. When I finished playing that's what I went to do," the 93-year-old told the News & Star .

"I think people thought the game would be 50/50, people knew England had a chance. But Germany were a great side.

"I was reading something in a newspaper recently about about the '66 World Cup and they were on about Bobby Charlton and how Alf Ramsey was telling him to mark Beckenbauer. He was this quality footballer but was told to mark another player.

"It was good being there, but I don't think anything can beat playing yourself. Watching is second best."

In his playing days Mr Broadis, who lives in Brampton Road, Carlisle, was a forward and scored eight goals for England.

He started his career with Carlisle United in 1946 - as player manager - and made 91 appearances, scoring 52 goals. After leaving Brunton Park he went on to play for Sunderland, Manchester City and Newcastle United.

He returned to Carlisle in 1955 for a four-year spell and made a further 159 appearances, scoring 32 goals. He finished his career at Queen of the South.

"I don't think people seen it coming [years earlier]. Things were so different in those days," he added.

"We had an England manager but he didn't pick the team, there was a selection committee. Also people don't realise the sort of conditions we played in and the contracts we were on. There was a phrase coined in a newspaper 'soccer slaves' and that was true.

"We had a contract for a year and at the end of that year, if you were lucky, you would get another one. But a club could also keep your registration sometimes meaning you couldn't play for anyone else."