A special exhibition celebrating the life and achievements of Middlesbrough-born football coach and former soldier Harold Shepherdson has opened at Richmond’s The Green Howards Museum.
The temporary display, running throughout the World Cup, shines a spotlight on Sgt Harold Shepherdson MBE, who is best known as the long-serving assistant to England manager Sir Alf Ramsey and a key member of the coaching team that guided England to World Cup glory in 1966.
Before his distinguished football career, Shepherdson served with The Green Howards after joining the regiment in 1939. He spent almost a year with the regiment before transferring to the Army Physical Training Corps.
The exhibition features a collection of personal items loaned by Shepherdson’s family, including his physical training vest, military documents, training booklets and a reference detailing his work helping soldiers recover from physical and psychological injuries.
The display complements the museum’s 2026 special exhibition, Battle Bowlers & Football Boots, which explores links between military service and football and already features Shepherdson’s story.
A spokesperson for the museum said: “It was a delight to hear from Harold’s family and learn more about Harold as the museum doesn’t actually hold any objects relating to him.
“We featured him in the Battle Bowlers & Football Boots exhibition but at that time unfortunately had no objects to accompany his story. I was honoured when the family offered to lend the objects so that we could tell Harold’s incredible story and share his experiences as a soldier and a footballer.”
The Harold Shepherdson World Cup exhibition is on display in the museum’s Normanby Room and is included within normal admission charges.
The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4.30pm, with last admission at 4pm. Visitors can find further details about exhibitions, talks, tours and family events throughout 2026 via the museum’s website.
