1966 Winners Don't Deserve Medals?

1966 World Cup Winners don't deserve medals?

Sir Alf Ramsey Les Cocker and Harold Shepherdson our '66 World Cup winners don't deserve medals, sounds ludicrous doesn't it.

What a statement, can you imagine FIFA and the FA saying that? Well not in so many words but they have! We would appreciate your help in resolving this stupidity by emailing the template letters below to the FA, FIFA and any media outlets that you know so we can let them know we are not happy how they are dealing with this matter.

Just to give you some background to this, In 1966 only the 11 players on the pitch were awarded medals, therefore a TOTAL of 11 were awarded.

Since 1986 The World Cup winners have been awarded a total of 45 (yes FORTY FIVE!) medals with 23 for the squad and 22 for the coaching staff.

In 1966 England won The World Cup with a squad of 22 players and three coaches (Sir Alf Ramsey/Les Cocker and Harold Shepherdson). This 'injustice' has been battled on many fronts including input from politicians at the highest level, yet both The FA and FIFA have refused to award medals to them - retrospective medals will only be awarded on May 28th at Wembley to the 11 players who didn't play in the final.

A couple of years ago Mike Ingham of Radio 5 Live took the battle on and managed to persuade Richard Caborn MP to take on the case, this resulted in Sepp Blatter announcing at the World Cup draw in November that justice would be done and FA's would be instructed to award 'retrospective' winners medals to all 'non playing squad members' and in the case where those concerned had died, medals would be awarded to their family, all well and good and rightly so, however this is still not the case, for Sir Alf Ramsey Les Cocker and Harold Shepherdson.

So let's show our support so that they and their families get the medals they deserved by sending off the template below.

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In 1966 English international football peaked, with our 4-2 win over Germany. All players who played in the final were awarded a winners medal for their effort and following Sepp Blatters announcement at The World Cup Draw in November 2007, quite rightly, the 11 players in The Sqaud who didn't receive medals in 1966 will be awarded them in a ceremony prior to an England international game at Wembley on May 28th 2008

Sepp Blatter also made it clear that where, in the case that those involved had died, their families would be awarded medals

However, the three men who made this possible were not awarded medals, these included Sir Alf Ramsey, Les Cocker and Harold Shepherdson. As to why these three men shouldn't be awarded a winners medals is totally, well, disgraceful. For example, if England won the World Cup in 2010, Fabio Cappello would be awarded a winners medal, as would the backroom staff of 21, nowadays a total of 45 Medals (23 players and 22 coaches) are awarded to not only The World Cup winners but also the runners up and the country in 3rd place

Many people have fought long and hard battles with certain parties to try and rectify the above, and at the moment, to no avail. I think all English, well infact all football supporters will agree with our stance, that these three men who made 1966 England's year possible should be awarded the winners medals they deserve. Afterall, without these three men at the helm, would England of won it? I'd doubt so very much.

It's a true fact that one week is a long time in the footballing world, never mind 42 years, however 42 years ago, in 1966, something very special happened, and something that has lived and been passed on to all young and old football fans, regardless of nationality.

As some who may of done some research into this, will know that BBC Radio 5 Live's Mike Ingham took on the cause only a couple of years ago, and persuaded MP Richard Caborn to also lean his weight towards the cause. Successful he was in one way. The England squad, the ones who didn't play in the final were all awarded winners medals. However, why weren't Sir Alf, Les Cocker and Harold Shephardson? I don't know, neither do many of the countries football fans.

And of course medals were awarded to the rest of the squad, and the ones who had since passed away, the medals were awarded to relatives of the late, great players. Should Sir Alf, Les Cocker and Harold Shephardson be awarded medals? A resounding 'Yes' is the sound from us football fans. Will you for once listen for us, and for common sense to prevail?; And award these three men who made our one, and only World Cup triumph a reality? I, and as all football fans hope, 'Yes', to be the outcome.

Yours sincerely
(Enter name here).