Ron Springett was born in Fulham in 1935 and was one of six children. He grew up in Sands End in William Parnell House- a block of flats housing many large and deprived families. He went on to play in goal for Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday and England. He was first choice goalkeeper in the 1962 World Cup  in South America but lost his place to Gordon Banks in the victorious 1966 finals in England. Springett recently received a winner's medal following a public campaign for all 1966 squad members to be recognised. 

I contacted Ron in 2007 via his daughter Terry, an administrator at QPR, and asked him about his childhood and how he became a professional footballer.

FC: What do you remember about William Parnell House?

RS: We lived in a in a three bedroom flat in a five storey block - parents, three boys and three girls. There were no lifts. We had open fires so the coalmen had to carry their sacks up the stairs. Milk was delivered by horse and cart. There were two large courtyards used by the kids for football and other games. There were many large families on the estate but there was no trouble between neighbours. Collections were made from each flat for funerals.

FC; What School did you go to and were you academic?

RS: I was evacuated during the War years but then went to Ackmar Road School near Eelbrook Common.I was not very academic at school and thought more about football. I played truant a few times when Chelsea were playing in the afternoon and got caned for it -six of the best!

FC: How were you 'discovered'?

RS: I left School to work at Shell Mex as a fitter's mate and played football during the lunch hour. My fitter always thought I looked good and wrote to Fulham and QPR asking them to give me a trial. Fulham rejected me as being too short but eventually after a couple of trial games QPR signed me.

FC: Did you have to take a part-time job in your early days as a professional footballer?

RS: No, we worked as ground staff at QPR, cleaning boots, dressing rooms and sweeping stands and terracing- all for a very small wage. I had to do two years National Service between the age of 18 and 20, including one year in Egypt during the Suez Crisis.

FC: What was your most memorable moment as as a professional footballer?

RS: Saving a penalty in my first England match. I was also part of the 1966 World Cup Squad.

FC: What was your last match as a Pro?

RS: QPR v West Bromich Albion 26th December 1968.

Ron Springett Career Details            

Signed by Queens Park Rangers in 1953. Sold to Sheffield Wednesday for £10,000 in 1958. He made 345 league appearances at Hillsborough. The Club allowed him to continue living in London. Trained with QPR.

England debut in 2-1 win over Northern Ireland at Wembley on 18th November 1959. He saved a penalty. Gained 33 England caps. Helped England to get to the quarter finals in the 1962 World Cup in Chile- the team losing out to eventual winners Brazil. His last England game was the 6-1 friendly defeat of Norway shortly before the 1966 World Cup Finals. Springett was a non playing squad member during the World Cup having lost his place to Gordon Banks. He recently learnt that all squad members of that victorious winning side were to receive medals.

Springett was sold back to QPR in 1967 in a part-exchange deal which took his younger brother Peter to Sheffield. He made 140 League and Cup appearances during his two spells at the West London Club.

I also reproduce an article written by Ron Springett and published in an old Charles Buchan Football Annual*, which my parents often used to buy their football crazy son for Christmas.

Now read more about the Springett family in the William Parnell House section of Where We Lived and what former W.P.H. resident John Warren has written about them.

All photographs on this page are used courtesy of IPC Specialist & Professional Press Ltd -publishers of Charles Buchan Football Publications.