Finals Party

May 1 was the date set by FIFA for the list of forty names to be submitted, from which the final 22 could be selected for each country's World Cup squad. England's list appeared on April 22 1954, nine days ahead of the deadline. The following 18 were destined not to make the final cut: Ray King, Port Vale; George Thompson, Preston North End; Jack Mansell, Portsmouth; Stan Willemse, Chelsea; Eric Bell, Bolton Wanderers; Jimmy Dugdale, West Bromwich Albion; Bill Slater, Wolverhampton Wanderers (who was later replaced by Don Revie, Manchester City); Ronnie Allen, West Bromwich Albion; Peter Harris, Portsmouth; Johnny Nicholls, West Bromwich Albion; George Robb, Tottenham Hotspur; Jackie Sewell, Sheffield Wednesday; Johnny Ball, Bolton Wanderers; Duncan Edwards, Manchester United; Ron Greenwood, Chelsea; Roy Bentley, Chelsea; Stan Rickaby, West Bromwich Albion; and Les Shannon, Burnley.

Five of these players (Willemse, Ball, Bell, Sewell and Harris) were still with the squad when it was first reduced to 27 names on May 31. Three days later, a squad of 17 was announced as the party that was to travel to Switzerland for the tournament. Five reserves who were to stay at home* (Allenby Chilton, Ken Armstrong, Bedford Jezzard, Johnny Haynes and Harry Hooper) were then added to the list, making up the 22 names, which were submitted to FIFA on June 8.