- Airline Norwegian honour Bobby Moore OBE as their latest tail fin hero
- Late West Ham United and England captain to be immortalised on Boeing 737-800 plane
- Announcement made in conjunction with Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK
Award-winning airline Norwegian have announced West Ham United and England legend Bobby Moore OBE as their latest tail fin hero.
An image of the late FA Cup, European Cup Winners’ Cup and FIFA World Cup-winning captain will appear on the tail fin of airline’s brand new Boeing 737-800 plane later this year.
The announcement was made on Football Shirt Friday – the fundraising initiative that helps fund life-saving research into bowel cancer through the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK.
Moore, who passed away from the disease in 1993, aged just 51, is the fourth British hero to be immortalised on a Norwegian tail fin, following children’s author Roald Dahl, pioneering pilot Amy Johnson and aviation maverick Sir Freddie Laker.
Norwegian Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Ramdahl explained why Europe’s best low-cost carrier took the decision to honour the Hammers legend.
“As Norwegian continues its rapid UK growth, our ‘tail fin heroes’ offer us a perfect chance to pay tribute to some of the greatest Britons of all time,” said Ramdahl. “Bobby Moore has inspired generations of people for being an iconic footballer and leader on the pitch and a true gentleman off the pitch, so we are honoured to have him appear on our aircraft.”
Moore’s widow Stephanie Moore MBE, who founded the Bobby Moore Fund following her late husband’s death and has raised millions in the fight against the disease which took his life, welcomed the announcement.
“This is such a wonderful way to remember Bobby and to mark Football Shirt Friday,” she confirmed. “We want to see the whole nation wear their team’s colours with pride today and believe that together we can and will beat bowel cancer.
“We have made enormous progress in the last 50 years but sadly bowel cancer still kills 44 people in the UK every day. By joining forces, raising funds and channelling that unbreakable spirit of a football fan to support the Bobby Moore Fund, we can all help bring forward the day when bowel cancer is cured.”
Bobby Moore has inspired generations of people for being an iconic footballer and leader on the pitch and a true gentleman off the pitch, so we are honoured to have him appear on our aircraft
Norwegian Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Ramdahl
Born in Barking, Moore made more than 600 appearances in Claret and Blue between 1958 and 1974, captaining the Hammers throughout the most-successful period in the Club’s history.
He also led England to their only major trophy in 1966, and was capped a then-record 108 times between 1962 and 1974.
Football Shirt Friday was created five years ago to battle bowel cancer
This year marks the fifth Football Shirt Friday. Since 2013, thousands of pounds have been raised and invested in pioneering bowel cancer research carried out by leading scientists working across the UK.
Since the Bobby Moore Fund was established in 1993, bowel cancer mortality rates have fallen by more than a quarter (28%), and more than £23.5m has been raised for research. But we still have so much more to do.
For more information about the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK, click here.