NEWSNOWThe West Ham United Number 6 Shirt never to be worn again
A trademark to football and especially to the West Ham fans is the number 6 shirt worn by Englands greatest ever player, Bobby Moore.
The shirt at present is worn by another West Ham great and England player, that is Mathew Upson, who next
Saturday at 3pm at Upton Park will hand the New home & Away shirts to Bobby Moore’s widow Stephanie. from then on the number 6 will never be worn again.
The Ceremony at Upton Park next Saturday will be our friendly home game against Villarreal, the game starts at 3pm. this will be the first inaugural match t
o help the Bobby Moore fund-raising charity to help Cancer Research.
As a further mark of respect, a corner of the ground will have a permanent billboard emblazoned with the number 6.
Some fans must have been lucky enough to watch the great man play, it would be interesting to hear from them.
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A fitting tribute to an iconic player for club & country, and also a great man to boot. I had the pleasure to see him play on many occaisions, & met him once in person, a true gent off the field.
The only regret I’d have is that all these tributes & the recognition has come after he retired from the game & after his untimely death & not whilst he was alive as it should have been, leaves a slightly bitter taste but better late than never. A legend.
Bobby Moore still remains the greatest player I have ever seen play. Will there ever be another England captain that lifts the World Cup, I doubt it, and if there is, will they be a gentleman in the same class as Bobby. That one is easier to answer, a definite NO.
I remember, at 13 years of age, standing on the North Bank and thinking “what happens when Bobby Moore finishes playing football, what happens to West Ham”.
I’m glad the No.6 shirt is to be retired, now it only remains for somebody to wake up and award Bobby Moore a posthumous knighthood. It is a disgrace that he was never awarded this richly deserved honour, and hopefully somebody one day will put this right.
I have supported wham since 1957 and watched Morro countless times. He was without doubt the greatest hammer that ever strolled the pitch at Upton Park. His reading of the game was faultless his tackles timed to perfection and use of the ball always intelligent. Not the quickest of defenders but unsurpassed with his speed of thought.
This tribute, albeit belated, is befitting of a sportsman,gentleman and national hero who was the bedrock of our nations finest hour in world football.
I remember as a kid standing in the North Bank watching Bobby Moore standing on the goal line, far post waiting for the opposition to take a corner just before full time. I remember thinking, “that is the captain of my team and of England, he paraded the World Cup around Wembley……..wow”. As soon as the ref blew the whistle, I jumped over the wall and ran to where he had stood and grabbed a handful of grass which stood in a jam jar on my bedroom shelf for years. He was without doubt a brilliant defender, a great sportsman, a true gentleman and was West Ham through & through. I think the club have made a brilliant decision to retire the No. 6 shirt, it was Bobby’s and Bobby’s alone.
Totally agree with Geoff, mooro was the greatest. Been supporting them since 1949 now following my dad who went to the ‘23 cup final. Seen some great games but have to say the greatest all include when mooro was playing. I did enjoy the Cup Winners final in ‘65 when we beat Munich 1860 2-0 and Mooro played a true captains game. May his memory live for ever and yes a posthumus knighthood is long overdue.
I was privileged to see Bobby’s debut for West Ham against Manchester United at Upton Park in 1958. A Monday evening game, which we won 3-2. I was seven years old at the time, but I can remember my dad, granddad and uncle, talking about this new young defender on the journey home.
I have supported the club all my life, and like all true West Ham fans, will never change.
Bobby was not only the best player that has played for us but was also the best defender that the world has ever seen, even better than Beckenbauer.
Bobby was also a true gentleman.
In the days before money ran the game, West Ham sent a team down to play a cricket match against the local cricket team. The players would walk around the boundary during the game and talk to us when we were boys. Talking to the likes of Moore, Hurst and Peters, could it ever get better?
It was suggested in an earlier post that a posthumous knighthood is long overdue.
I totally agree with this comment and urge all West Ham fans to unite and make this demand.
Sept 1961, West ham v Man U, Lawrie leslie first home game for WHU. Dad took me to see HRH Bobby as he was already marked down as a West Ham great. Wembley 1964, FA Cup, Wembley 1965 ECWC v (wonderful game) Wembley 1966 and all that. Guadalhara 1970 WC v Pele absolutely brilliant, listen to Coleman’s commentry. Plus all the other week in week out majestic performances, the guy had presence. At home games he always made the referee and the away captain wait until he was ready to walk to the middle for the toss. Man is a legend, treated so shabily but club and country after he retired, but an icon to modern players aspiring to England captain. John Terry, Gerrard don’t even come close.I feel so privaledged to have watched him play for club and country.