40 YEARS AGO: Brazil confirmed their status as football’s mightiest nation by winning the World Cup for the third time – taking the Jules Rimet Trophy for keeps.

FIFA – football’s world governing body – faced calls from Latin America to name the new trophy after Brazilian legend Pele, but the organisation’s president, Sir Stanley Rous, was quick to put the block on it being named after an individual “We have not decided on a name,” he said.

“I appreciate that many would like it to be called the Pele Cup. I was asked if I would give my name to it. I said no.”

Meanwhile, England team manager Sir Alf Ramsey refused to end speculation that he might resign after the 1966 World Champions surrendered their crown in Mexico where they were beaten by West Germany in the quarter-final.

“Munich is four years hence and a lot can happen in four years,” Sir Alf said.

But he made it clear he would not change anything in his preparations for the World Cup, if he had to do it again.

“In terms of our preparation, which I thought was first class, I would do exactly the same again,” he told a post-tournament news conference.

Bolton’s marathon man Ron Hill warmed up for the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games with an impressive run in an invitation 5,000 metres event at Leverhulme Park.

Despite feeling “a bit tired and chesty” Hill produced an amazing sprint finish in the home straight to outpace City of Stoke’s Olympic runner John Jackson.

15 YEARS AGO: Days after bidding an emotional farewell to Bolton Wanderers, Bruce Rioch learned that his return to Burnden Park as Arsenal’s new manager would take place under the TV spotlight.

Sky’s schedulers confirmed they had selected the Wanderers-Arsenal Premier League clash for live screening.

The October fixture would pit Rioch against the team he had led into football’s top-flight – and the man who spent three seasons as his right-hand man, Colin Todd.

Todd had been elevated from head coach to “assistant manager” of a new management team alongside his old Derby County team-mate Roy McFarland. But the title appeared irrelevant with both men understood to be on identical three-year contracts and effectively operating as joint managers.

Over at Maine Road, Manchester City chairman Francis Lee – still looking for a new manager after failing to recruit Rioch – said he was prepared to take charge of the team on a temporary basis if a new appointment was not made soon.

Lee had cut his shortlist to two – his friend and former England team-mate Alan Ball and the ex-Arsenal manager George Grahan - but was prepared to cover all eventualities.

“If the worst came to the worst, I would have to get the old boots out again,” said the former Wanderers, City and Derby County striker.

It was all-change at Manchester United with Old Trafford favourite Mark Hughes making a shock £1.5million move to Chelsea and Paul Ince joining Inter Milan in a £7m deal.

Michael Atherton’s authority as captain of England was under scrutiny ahead of the second Test against the West Indies.

The Lancashire opener was under pressure after defeat in the first Test but a second defeat would, according to most pundits, see the finger of blame pointed at chairman of selectors Ray Illingworth, who had personally intervened to change the agreed team just 24 hours before the start of play.

Locally, Kearsley’s Steve Dublin re-wrote the Bolton League record books when he smashed a century off 35 balls against Heaton – beating the 39-ball ton he recorded four years earlier.

10 YEARS AGO: The FA gave under-pressure England manager Kevin Keegan the green light to begin preparing for the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.

Many people had questioned Keegan’s worthiness to carry on in charge of the national side after a disappointing Euro 2000 showing, but FA chief executive Adam Crozier brushed aside questions over the manager’s tactical astuteness.

“We are 100 per cent convinced that Kevin is the right man to take us forward,” Crozier said.

As Sam Allardyce prepared his case for a transfer tribunal to set a fee for the transfer of striker Michael Ricketts from Walsall, there was good news from Wanderers club captain Gudni Bergsson.

Having previously announced he was returning to Iceland to resume his studies to become a lawyer, Bergsson – who swept the board in the Player of the Year polls – decided to postpone his retirement and have another crack at getting Wanderers back into the Premiership.

“Gudni’s decision to stay is a major boost for the club,” Allardyce said. “I wouldn’t think we would have the funds available at the moment to replace a player like him.”