Former Toon chairman’s Soccer Aid project raises record funds for Unicef
FORMER Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd’s dream of raising a record-breaking amount of charity money has been realised.
Shepherd, who would have been 77 today, would have been proud of the £6.7m figure raised by Soccer Aid following a series of high-profile exhibition games.
The ex-Toon supremo’s name has also been engraved on to the trophy that will be given to the winners.
Plans for next year’s event, which will see a star-studded team perform at Stamford Bridge in the summer, have now been unveiled. A statement from the organisers read: “Soccer Aid for Unicef today announced that the 2018 campaign raised a record-breaking fundraising total of £6,746,557 – with 100% of the money going to Unicef’s vital work protecting children in danger around the world.
“The game, in June 2019, will take place at Stamford Bridge.”
Freddy’s son Kenneth told The Chronicle: “Dad will be looking down very proud that the journey he started is continuing on an annual basis. It is down to the hard work and dedication of everybody at Triple S who put in the hours 24/7.
“Dad would have been delighted by that fact we have now raised over £30m.
“That could never have happened without the idea of Soccer Aid being born.
“It started in a conversation with my dad back in the 1990s between him, Robbie Williams and Jonathan Wilkes, along with the support from ITV, Triple S and Unicef.
“We are honoured that dad’s name is engraved on the Soccer Aid Asprey’s Shield.”
Robbie Williams said: “We had big ambitions for Soccer Aid for Unicef this year – we wanted to break our fundraising record for Unicef and all the incredible work they do for children around the world, and we did it! Thank you so much to everyone who got involved, came to the match or donated on the night – you helped make it the biggest and best campaign so far.
“In the 12 years since Soccer Aid for Unicef began we’ve raised more than £30m so that Unicef can help keep even more children safe.
“That’s astonishing and something we could only dream of when we started out on the Soccer Aid journey all those years ago.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said: “Everybody at Chelsea FC is absolutely delighted to be hosting the Soccer Aid 2019 game at Stamford Bridge.
“It truly is an honour for us to be involved in what has become a hotly anticipated fixture of the football calendar, which raises hugely important funds. I know our supporters will join the wider football family in getting behind this match and we look forward to hosting a fantastic event next summer.”
Soccer Aid this year saw Unicef UK Ambassador Robbie Williams’ England side, captained by Olly Murs, up against a Soccer Aid World XI led by Olympian and Player of the Match, Usain Bolt. United legend Eric Cantona made a historic return in front of a sold-out Old Trafford, as the game ended in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out, with England beating the World XI 7-6 in sudden death.