NOT every café owner can re-count how the plan to win the World Cup in 1966 was hatched.

But, in a round-about way, Phil Cassettari can.

The youngster was just eight when Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet trophy for England - although some would substitute ‘England’ for ‘West Ham’.

And it’s said it was on the tables of Mr Cassettari’s dad’s cafe, in Barking Road, E13, that Moore, along with Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst, Malcolm Allison, and others, came up with the winning formula - using salt and pepper shakers and other utensils.

Mr Cassettari, who has just opened a new café in Museum Street, in Colchester, said: “They literally used what was on the table to plot their tactics.

“It sounds silly now because of what goes into football tactics these days but that’s that they did.

"The caf never claimed it - but plenty of others have - that we played our part in the winning of that World Cup.

"I like to think it was our claim to fame.”

The 59-year-old’s story actually started in 1941 when his grandparents opened the Boleyn Cafe, which later became Cassettari’s.

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And when his dad, also named Phil, decided to step down - having taken it over from his parents - Mr Cassetari rushed at the chance to take it over.

In his time running the cafe, he got to know countless players and counted Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick among his loyal customers before eventually selling up in 2004, to return to the electrician trade.

He said: “They were faces everybody knew but we didn’t treat them any different and they didn’t expect to be treated any different.”

“They were just customers to us - good customers.”

But there is one story which he counts among his favourites.

He’d started secondary school and had already got into a fight with an older boy.

So he had tried to fake a stomach bug to get a day off school. But his mum didn’t fall for it and called his bluff by taking him to the doctor, who of course declared his was fit to attend.

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Whilst making his way to school, he passed the Bobby Moore Sports Shop and the great man himself happened to be coming out.

Mr Cassettari said: “He shouted over: ‘Oi, Phil! Shouldn’t you be in school?’ and I said: ‘Yeah, I’m on my way now.’ But he said he’d take me to school.

“It was 1970 and apart from Pele, he was probably one of the best known footballers in the world and had a Jaguar, which you just never saw.

“So he dropped me at school at about 10.30am and I suppose it was break time and all the kids were outside. You could hear: ‘Wow, that’s Bobby Moore,’ and then I get out of it.

“My street cred went through the roof and I was never bullied again!”

More recently, he’s had a hankering to return to the café business. So he looked around and eventually settled on Colchester.

“He said: “I knew I wanted a university town which could stand on its own two feet.

"I looked at Chelmsford and it seemed fine, if a little affected by London and Lakeside.

“Colchester stands by itself; the location - right beside the castle - is brilliant and there is access to great staff, which is really important.

“We’ve had a solid start and I’ve been really impressed by the town so far.

"The council is approachable, people are approachable and really kind so we’ve done alright I think.”