David Sheepshanks facts for kids
David Richard Sheepshanks is a very important person in English football. He is the founding and current Chairman of the St George's Park National Football Centre, which is a special training and education hub for all of England's national football teams. He also used to be the chairman of Ipswich Town FC, a well-known football club. Beyond football, he has worked with charities like UK Community Foundations, helping to give advice and support to communities across the UK. He also has other business interests, including roles with Coutts Bank.
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Career in Football
Leading Ipswich Town
David Sheepshanks joined the board of Ipswich Town FC in 1987 and became the club's chairman in 1995. During his time leading the club, he worked hard to make many improvements. He had a special "5-year plan" to help the club grow and succeed.
Under his leadership, Ipswich Town had some great moments. They were promoted back to the Premier League in 2000, which is the top football league in England. The next year, they even qualified for the UEFA Cup, a big European competition! David also helped to improve Portman Road, Ipswich's home stadium.
However, the club later faced some difficult financial times after being relegated in 2002. To help the club, a businessman named Marcus Evans bought a large part of it in 2007. David Sheepshanks stayed on as chairman for a while longer, before stepping down in 2009 after 14 years in the role.
Other Important Football Roles
David Sheepshanks has held many other key positions in football. In 1997, he became the chairman of the Football League for two years, where he helped to make important changes to how the league was structured. He also served on the boards of the Football Association (FA), which governs football in England, and UEFA, which is the main football body in Europe. He even spent time on a committee for FIFA, the world's football governing body.
In 2010, David Sheepshanks was appointed as a joint acting chairman of the FA for a short period.
St George's Park National Football Centre
Since 2008, David Sheepshanks has been a key figure in creating and developing the St George's Park National Football Centre. This amazing facility opened in October 2012 and is now the main place for football education in England. It focuses on training coaches, developing leaders, and helping players perform at their best. It's also the training home for all 24 of England's national football teams, from the youngest players to the senior squads.
Charity Work
David Sheepshanks has also done a lot of work for charities. He was the founding chairman of the ITFC Education and Sports Trust, which helps young people through sport. He also helped start the Community Foundation for Suffolk and is a patron for the Ipswich and East Suffolk branch of the Samaritans, a charity that helps people in distress. He is also the President of the Ipswich Citizens Advice Bureau and an Ambassador for Street League, which uses football to help young people find jobs.
Honours and Awards
David Sheepshanks has received several important awards for his contributions:
- In 2006, he was given an Honorary degree called a Doctor of Civil Law by the University of East Anglia (UEA) for all his work helping the community.
- He was made a Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk, which is a special role representing the King in the county.
- In 2013, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours List. This award recognized his great services to football and his charitable work in Suffolk.
