Alan Ball - World Cup winner and former Exeter City manager

Born in Bolton in 1945, Alan Ball became a professional footballer for Blackpool. His greatest achievement in football, was being part of the England World Cup winning team of 1966. He played a prominent part in the final and provided the pass for Geoff Hurst's third goal. When his playing career ended he became the manager of several clubs including Exeter City. He managed the Grecians in the '92 to '94 seasons. He left the club when they were relegated in '94.

When Exeter were drawn against Aston Villa in the FA cup he remarked "I've seen Desert Orchid fall, I've seen Bestie refuse a drink, I've seen Emlyn Hughes buy one, so you never know". Alan Ball's record with Exeter City was:

1991/92 Exeter City Div 3: 20 out of 24 - Avoided relegation by 2 pts.
1992/93 Exeter City Div 2: 19 out of 24 - Avoided relegation by 3 pts.
1993/94 Exeter City Div 2: 22 out of 24 - Relegated.

Alan Ball died on 25 April 2007.