KUMB reader Jon Vinton's campaign to retire West Ham's number six shirt in honour of Bobby Moore gathered pace today, with news that Bobby's widow Stephanie has given her full backing.
The news came as an enormous boost to the campaign, which has recently attracted the interest of organisations like Sky TV, and individuals such as Tony Gale, who said of the campaign:"If anyone deserves the honour of having a shirt retired in their name, it’s Mooro. It’s a gesture which would be very fitting."
Stephanie Moore said earlier: "I think the campaign is a wonderful idea. I am in complete agreement."
Vinton has been in touch with the club after officially launching the campaign today. Managing director Paul Aldridge said earlier:
"Rest assured I will advise my colleagues on the board of the request and will discuss the matter with them in due course.”
The following press release accompanied the official launch of the campaign today. Jon is looking for as many fans as possible to join the campaign - see the bottom of the PR for further details.
Retire Bobby Moore's Number Six
Today we launch a campaign to have West Ham United's famous No 6 shirt retired as a tribute to England captain Bobby Moore, who died from cancer in 1993.
This is not the first time a football club has retired a shirt in honour of a player's service; Italian Club AC Milan did it to honour their long-serving defender Franco Baresi. We feel that Bobby deserves nothing less and that West Ham United should agree to do the same - retiring the shirt on 24 February 2000 – the seventh anniversary of Bobby's death.
This gesture would be a permanent reminder of Bobby Moore's greatness, especially if, in the West Ham United squad listings in match programmes, the number six was listed as "Retired in honour of Bobby Moore OBE."
Bobby Moore was the Captain of West Ham across three decades. He wore the No 6 shirt for over 15 years at Upton Park, playing a total of 642 times for the Hammers. He achieved the incredible record of 108 caps for an England outfield player, 90 of them as Captain and lifted the World Cup in 1966 - the only Englishman to do so in the history of the game.
Moore was simply the best defender the World has ever seen. He was calm and skilful and his passing was phenomenally accurate. His positional play and ability to read the game bordered on the clairvoyant.
Aside from hundreds of great performances for West Ham, his display against the Brazilians in the 1970 World Cup was so fantastic that at the end of the game the great Pele declined all offers to swap shirts with anyone except Bobby.
During Bobby's West Ham career he won the F.A Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965. He received the Player of the Tournament award in the 1966 World Cup, and was also awarded the OBE in 1967.
This campaign has the full support of Bobby's wife Stephanie Moore who said: "I think the campaign to have the number 6 shirt retired at West Ham as a tribute to Bobby is a wonderful idea. I am in complete agreement"
Moore's great friend, singer Kenny Lynch OBE, added: "Anything that keeps Mooro's legend alive gets my vote."
Capital Radio's Tony Gale, who played in Moore's No 6 shirt at both Fulham and West Ham said: "If anyone deserves the honour of having a shirt retired in their name, it's Mooro. It's a gesture which would be very fitting."
For further information about the Retire the Number Six campaign, contact Jon Vinton via email at: noj@westhamunited-fc.com
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