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Monday, November 26, 2007

1966 Medal for QPR's Ron Springett

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The Guardian - Non-playing 1966 winners to get medals
Paul Kelso in Durban Monday November 26, 2007

The non-playing members of England's 1966 World Cup final squad, including Jimmy Greaves, Peter Bonetti and Jimmy Armfield, will finally receive winners' medals following a rule change adopted by Fifa.
The former sports minister Richard Caborn has led a campaign to have the contribution of the whole squad recognised. Since 1978 all squad members have received winners' medals and yesterday Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, said all squad members of winning teams from before then - or their families - would also receive medals. The ruling means 122 players from squads between 1930 and 1974 will receive gold medals. Brazil's Pele will get a third medal, for the 1962 final which he missed due to injury.
"Richard Caborn brought it up by saying 'It's not right that only the 11 players got a medal'," Blatter said. "I believe that it is right we will go through our history records and reproduce medals and we will give those medals to all those who have been in the squad and not just those who were on the field of play. It's justice for all those players, and for those that have died we will give the medal to their families."
The Football Association's director of communications, Adrian Bevington, said: "We are absolutely delighted. This is something we have been in contact with Fifa about and there's a real feeling in England that the other squad members should receive a medal."
England's 1966 World Cup final reserves were Greaves, John Connolly, Ron Springett, Bonetti, Armfield, Gerry Byrne, Ron Flowers, Norman Hunter, Terry Paine, Ian Callaghan and George Eastham. The Guardian

QPR Official Site - Ron Springett's Response -OVER THE MOON'

Former R's goalkeeper Ron Springett is to receive a World Cup winners medal for the part he played in England's 1966 triumph.
FIFA ruled over the weekend that the non-playing members of England's 1966 World Cup winning squad will receive retrospective medals for the achievement.
Springett, who was then playing for Sheffield Wednesday, expressed his delight at the news, commenting: "I'm over the moon.
"I heard a couple of months ago that it might be on the cards and now it's come to light.
"It's 41 years on, but I couldn't be more chuffed."
The move by world football's governing body follows calls from the Football Association and 2018 World Cup bid ambassador Richard Caborn.
Caborn, who will ask FIFA President Sepp Blatter to present the medals to the surviving England squad members at Wembley Stadium, said: "It's great news.
"I really welcome this for the England players, and I'm pleased too that it means Pele will get a third gold medal.
"I am going to ask Mr Blatter to give the medals at a special presentation ceremony at the new Wembley Stadium."
Springett, who made 143 appearances for the R's during two spells in W12, has great memories of the day itself.
"I remember Alf (Ramsey) wanted us all to be down by the dug-out at the final whistle, so we were chaperoned down ten minutes before the end of normal time," Springett told www.qpr.co.uk.
"We got to the lift in good time, but it broke down and by the time we got pitch-side the Germans had equalised.
"We watched extra time from the dug-out with the rest of the backroom staff and were on the pitch when the final whistle went.
"It was great being down there, but not being able to climb up the Royal steps with the rest of the lads, to share in the adulation, was a bit disappointing.
"Thankfully now we'll get our chance to have a medal to show for our efforts..." QPR

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