George Reginald Cohen MBE (1939 - bef. 2022)

Born 22 Oct 1939 in Fulham, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died before 23 Dec 2022 before age 83 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

George Cohen MBE is Notable.

Wikidata: Item Q446908, en:Wikipedia - World Cup-winning footballer (England)

George was born in 1939. He was the son of gas fitter Louis H. Cohen and Irish-born Kate Gibbs.^[1] His father was Jewish, his mother was Roman Catholic, but George was raised in the Church of England.

He was a professional footballer who only played for one club side, his local team Fulham. He played at right-back, and was sufficiently talented to be called up by Sir Alf Ramsay for England when regular right-back Jimmy Armfield sustained an injury. His period on the national team coincided with the famous 1966 World Cup win, which ended up being the only trophy he won in his career. Following a serious knee injury, he retired from all football in 1969, two years after his final appearance for England. After retirement Cohen would spend a small stint in coaching, helping develop the youth team at Fulham. He also spent a season managing non-league side Tonbridge Angels in 1974-75 where he helped them win the Kent Senior Cup.

In 1962 at Wood Green, London, he married Daphne G. Bridge.^[2] They had two sons (living). His nephew Ben Cohen played rugby union for England.

He was awarded an MBE in 2000, along with four teammates from the World Cup Final who had likewise never previously been honoured.

In 2022 he became the ninth member of the World Cup Final XI to pass away, survived by his wife and sons.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008,"
2. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005"
3. ↑ His death was announced by Fulham FC and the Football Association on 23 December 2022. The specific date and location of his death have not been detailed, but he was known to have lived in Tunbridge Wells (source). At the time, only Geoff Hurst and Bobby Charlton remained alive from the team that played in the Final, although other members of the World Cup squad who did not play in that specific match were also still living.

• Familysearch (caution: Familysearch profile and Wikitree profile collated by the same user, extra eyes would be appreciated).
• George Cohen: My Autobiography (Greenwater, 2003; ISBN 9780755313976)
• Obituary in The Guardian