2. Gerry Hitchens was the first England international to appear at the World Cup while playing for an overseas club, but which Italian side did he play for?
From Quiz The English Abroad -2- Choose The Answer
Answer:
Inter
Having played for semi-professional side Kidderminster Harriers for two years, Gerry Hitchens made his professional debut in 1955 when he joined Cardiff City, subsequently moving to Aston Villa two years later. He remained there for four years, eventually scoring almost 100 goals in 160 appearances, during which time he also made his England debut, in which he scored his first international goal within 90 seconds in a friendly against Mexico in 1961. The same year he became one of the first English players to join an overseas club when he signed for Inter. This move made it more difficult for him to retain his international place, given the difficulties in the early 1960s of watching players in other countries. It was largely due to Hitchens' form, ending the 1961-62 season as Inter's top scorer, combined with injuries to other players, that saw manager Walter Winterbottom recall him to the England squad in May 1962, when he scored in a friendly against Switzerland. This was enough to give him a place for the 1962 World Cup in Chile in which he featured twice, scoring England's goal in their quarter-final defeat against Brazil. This proved to be the last of his seven international appearances, in which he had scored five goals, as Winterbottom's successor, Alf Ramsey, instituted a policy of not selecting players who were with overseas clubs. Hitchens eventually spent nine years in Italy, playing for a total of four clubs in that time, before retiring from professional football in 1969.