LONDON (AFP) - Former England striker Geoff Hurst on Monday backed the introduction of goal-line technology in the Premier League - and said it would have prevented controversy in the 1966 World Cup final.

Hurst, now 71, scored a hat-trick in the final that England won 4-2 against West Germany at Wembley but his second, awarded after bouncing down off the crossbar, has been the source of nearly 50 years of debate about whether it crossed the line.

Goal-line technology was used for the first time in Sunday's Charity Shield match that Premier League champions Manchester United won 2-0 against FA Cup holders Wigan and is set to be rolled out when the league starts this weekend.

"If we had this system 50 years ago, it would have shown quite clearly the ball (in the 1966 World Cup final) was at least a foot over the line," said Hurst.

"Germany have been arguing the toss ever since but I will never tire of talking about it. They can't take it away now anyway. It is in the book.

"But I certainly welcome the move."