Harold Shepherdson, the former Middlesbrough player, caretaker manager and trainer, is in line to receive a post-humous World Cup winners medal.
Sheperdson was a prominent member of Sir Alf Ramsey’s backroom team during the 1966 World Cup finals. Sir Alf even claimed that, without the influence and contribution of Shepherdson, England would never have won the tournament.
FIFA regulations in that era meant only the eleven participating winners would receive medals.
However, world football’s governing body has recently agreed to award medals to the eleven non-playing squad members, allowing players such as Norman Hunter, Jimmy Armfield and Jimmy Greaves to pick up their gongs.
Sheperdson, Sir Alf and coach Les Cocker have now all been recommended for commemoration as well.
Sheperdson spent more than 40 years with Middlesbrough; playing for the club either side of the Second World War, spending many years as assistant manager to a number of Boro bosses, and even taking the reins on four occassions himself, as caretaker manager.
He has an eternal tribute from the club, in the form of the Sheperdson Way approach road which leads up to The Riverside stadium.
Sheperdson covered four World Cup finals working with the national side, over a course of 171 internationals, and was awarded an MBE for services to football in 1969.
The recent change in FIFA rules means that, since 1986, 45 medals are awarded to the winning squad, with 22 allocated for the coaching staff.
He died in 1995, leaving widow Peggy, 87, who still attends all Middlesbrough home matches.
His daughter, Linda, spoke to mfc.co.uk:
‘It would be lovely if a medal were to be awarded in recognition of my father.’
‘Obviously it’s a long time after the event but I know Sir Alf was very grateful for the part my dad played in the 1966 World Cup.’
‘It would be nice to see all three of the families receive a medal,’ she added.
The campaign has been picking up pace, with newspapers and radio stations leading the call.
So today, Vital Middlesbrough joins the appeal to say:
GIVE SHEP A MEDAL
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