Psychic Uri helps England fortunes

7th April 1998
Reading Evening Post

World Cup: famous trophy brought to Sonning home

PSYCHIC spoonbender Uri Geller was yesterday planning a secret pitch invasion to place crystals in the goal mouths where England will play their first World Cup match.

Mr Geller’s mission follows a hush-hush assignation last month with the famous FIFA trophy, which he infused with positive energy for the tournament and for England.

Speaking from France, Mr Geller said he was planning a trip to the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, where England meet Tunisia on June 15, where he hoped to drop the magic crystals.

He also described his awe at spending 10 minutes alone with the World Cup trophy, which arrived at his Sonning house in a limousine accompanied by officials and bodyguards.

Another visitor to the house was England manager Glenn Hoddle.

Mr Geller would not reveal the details of their conversation but said: “I can assure you he is very open-minded.”

“He believes in the power of thought and the power of prayer.”

Of the World Cup trophy he said: “It came down my drive-way and I thought I was dreaming. It was like holding a religious icon.”

“I never believed I could get such inspiration by holding just an object, but there it was, in my own house and in my own arms.”

“How many people can even dream of touching it?”

He would not reveal whether he would drop crystals in one or both goal mouths, and declined to say whether he would be dropping crystals at other pitches, for fear of being arrested.

He said: “Some countries are very superstitious. They might get scared that I could get my Mindpower to do it.”

Mr Geller said that before each game he would be going on television holding the football from the 1966 game in which England beat Germany 4-2 to take the world title.

He said: “I will be holding it up and asking 20 million people in Britain to touch the screen and collectively send positive thoughts to the England squad.”

He might also be allowed in the changing rooms with the team before matches.
He said: “It is 50/50. If I am asked, I will do it.”

“But the people who are responsible might think it is sort of ridiculous and I don’t want to do that.”

“I don’t want the team to be affected in a negative way.”

 Mr Geller dropped similar crystals at Wembley during Euro ’96, before England’s first four games.

He was not allowed on to the pitch before the semi-final against Germany, when England were defeated in a penalty shoot-out.