Mervyn Griffiths selection of photographs covering the three World Cups he officiated at
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Start a valuationMervyn Griffiths selection of photographs covering the three World Cups he officiated at, Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954 and Sweden 1958,
1.) 1950 with wife at Cardiff Station leaving for Brazil;
2.) 1954 post card sized photograph of referees relaxing in Swiss mountain setting;
3.) photograph with wife on train at Cardiff Station leaving for Switzerland;
4.) opening match of World Cup 1954 between Yugoslavia v France 16th June Lausanne, Griffiths has refereed teams and officials lined up before ick-off;
5.) 1958 Sweden large photograph referees on boat trip Stockholm, (5)
Lots 23 to 27: Mervyn Griffiths referee/lineman 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
Mervyn "Sandy" Griffiths international referee started his career as a linesman in 1939. And was a Football League referee from 1945-59 and FIFA listed 1949-58.
He refereed international matches all over the world, together with the famous 1953 Cup final Bolton v Blackpool, his decision with two minutes to go enabled Stan Mortensen to equalise with a free kick, the rest is history.
He went into the crowd before the match and bought 50 programmes to give to his pupils back in Newport, Wales, where he was a teacher.
Griffiths represented Wales in three World Cups 1950, 1954 and 1958.
In 1950 he appeared in the opening match as linesman and refereed Brazil v Yugoslavia and Uruguay v Spain.
In 1954 he refereed the opening game Yugoslavia v France and semi-final Hungary v Uruguay and assisted William Ling as lineman in the final Hungary v West Germany with the score at 3-2 Griffiths flagged for offside, Ferenc Puskas shot which beat West Germany goalkeeper Toni Turek.
In 1958 he refereed Yugoslavia v France and Brazil v France in semi-final. He set a unique hat tick, first Welshman to referee an international at Wembley, to referee a Cup final and the only Welshman to appear in a World Cup Final.
