English Football Hall of Fame

The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum in Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become significant figures in the history of the English game. New members are added each year, with an induction ceremony held in the autumn, formerly at varying locations, but exclusively at the Museum itself following its move to Manchester's Urbis building in 2012.
The Hall is on permanent display at the Museum. An accompanying book, The Football Hall of Fame: The Official Guide to the Greatest Footballing Legends of All Time, was first published in October 2005 by Robson Books. Authored by football historian Rob Galvin and the Museum's founding curator Mark Bushell, it is updated every year with the newest inductees, containing an in-depth profile about the career and reputation of each one, along with a select exhibit from the Museum which relates to their achievements.

WWW nationalfootballmuseum.co...

Selection panel

Members of the Hall of Fame are chosen by a panel. Initially, this consisted of ex-players Jimmy Armfield, Sir Trevor Brooking, Jimmy Hill, Mark Lawrenson and Gordon Taylor, all of whom had become professional pundits and/or senior figures in football after retiring.
In subsequent years, former England national team manager Graham Taylor and former England international Steve Hodge have also served stints on the panel, though it is now chiefly a grouping of eminent football historians. The current panel features Neil Carter, Tony Collins, Jeffrey Hill, Peter Holme, Dick Holt, John Hughson, Simon Inglis, Alexander Jackson, Gary James, Graham Kelly, Tony Mason, Kevin Moore, Martin Polley, Dil Porter, Dave Russell, Matthew Taylor, Jean Williams and John Williams.
All surviving inductees to the Hall are granted an additional place on the panel. Two players have been inducted as the 'Fans' Choice', following polls on the BBC Sport and Sky Sports websites.

History

Initially, there were three main categories of induction; a mass of 'Players' and 'Managers' from the men's game, together with one figure from the women's game. To be considered for induction, players must be either retired or at least 30 years of age. All inductees must also have played/managed for at least five years in England.
In 2007, two other regular categories were established. Chiefly, this was in recognition of football's central role in English culture, extending Hall of Fame honours to those who have contributed greatly to the English game outside the more obvious fields of play. The Community Champion category – sponsored by the Football Foundation – honours professional players who have donated their spare time and money to the grassroots level of the sport, while the Football for All Award – sponsored by The Football Association – is presented to pioneers of the various forms of football played by disabled people.
Since 2009, the Museum has also commemorated great teams from history alongside its awarding of individual players and coaches. The criteria for a team's induction is that they must have played at least a quarter of a century prior. 2013 saw the first induction of a referee, while 2017 saw the first induction of a figure from the football media.
On occasional circumstances there will also be a presentation of a 'special award', usually to mark significant anniversaries. Jimmy Hill is to date the sole recipient of an honour styled as a Lifetime Achievement Award, in celebration of his unusual polymathic career in the game.
On 27 February 2020 the Premier League announced plans to officially launch its Hall of Fame, with plans to induct its first two players on 19 March 2020. For one to be inducted in the Premier League Hall of Fame, it is a requirement that the player must be a retiree of the Premier League and only the player's Premier League career will be used for consideration for their candidacy.

Inductees

Men

Year

Name

Goals

2002

510

1958–1973

Chesterfield, Leicester City, Stoke City

2002

411

147

1963–1983

Manchester United, Stockport County, Fulham, AFC Bournemouth

2002

174

1992–1997

Leeds United, Manchester United

2002

376

171

1949–1966

Leeds United, Cardiff City

2002

644

207

1956–1975

Manchester United, Preston North End

2002

355

118

1977–1990

Liverpool

2002

438

379

1923–1939

Tranmere Rovers, Everton, Notts County

2002

406

199

1933–1953

Blackpool, Manchester City, Derby County, Huddersfield Town, Doncaster Rovers

2002

151

1953–1958

Manchester United

2002

433

187

1946–1960

Preston North End

2002

267

1985–2004

Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Middlesbrough, Everton, Burnley, Boston United

2002

516

357

1957–1971

Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United

2002

594

146

1952–1970

Fulham

2002

500

170

1968–1984

Scunthorpe United, Liverpool, Southampton, Newcastle United

2002

458

217

1956–1974

Huddersfield Town, Manchester City, Manchester United

2002

452

255

1946–1960

Bolton Wanderers

2002

416

1959–1972

Tottenham Hotspur, Derby County, Swindon Town

2002

697

1932–1965

Stoke City, Blackpool

2002

668

1958–1977

West Ham United, Fulham

2002

569

114

1975–1997

West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United, Middlesbrough

2002

1005

1966–1997

Leicester City, Stoke City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers, Leyton Orient

2002

490

1939–1959

Wolverhampton Wanderers

2003

743

170

1962–1983

Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal, Southampton, Bristol Rovers

2003

553

1949–1964

Barnsley, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur

2003

757

1963–1985

Watford, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal

2003

390

231

1936–1955

Burnley, Everton, Chelsea, Notts County, Brentford, Arsenal

2003

340

192

1978–1992

Leicester City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur

2003

395

225

1941–1958

Blackpool, Hull City, Southport

2003

350

1991–2003

Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City

2003

Women

Year	Name		Goals			Clubs
2002				FW	1919–1951	Dick, Kerr Ladies
2003		66	35	MF	1978–1998	Millwall Lionesses, Friends of Fulham, Bromley Borough
2004		22	0	DF	1966–1985	Southampton
2005		95	7	MF	1978–1997	Lowestoft, Howbury Grange, Millwall Lionesses, Wimbledon, Arsenal Ladies, Croydon, Doncaster Rovers Belles
2006		119	30	MF	1976–2001	Doncaster Rovers Belles
2007		83	40	FW	1985–2006	Doncaster Rovers Belles, Leeds United Ladies
2007		1	0	MF	1937–1956	Dick, Kerr Ladies
2008		60	0	GK	1982–2006	Millwall Lionesses, Arsenal Ladies, Charlton Athletic
2009		91	28	FW	1984–1996	Friends of Fulham, Arsenal Ladies
2010		8	0	MF	1984–1997	Friends of Fulham, Croydon Ladies
2013		33	0	DF	1961–1980	Preston, Fodens, St. Helens, Chorley
2014		2	1	MF	1956–1980	Manchester Corinthians, Fodens
2015		90	12	DF	1996–2013	Arsenal Ladies
2016		82	0	GK	1995–2014	Liverpool, Everton Ladies, Arsenal Ladies
2016		102	8	DF	1998–2017	Wolves Women, Everton Ladies, Fulham Ladies, Leeds City Vixens, Birmingham City, Notts County, Solihull Moors, London Bees
2017		117	46	FW	1994–2017	Wembley Ladies, Arsenal Ladies
2017		129	19	MF	1996–2016	Arsenal Ladies, Fulham Ladies, Birmingham Ladies, Notts County Ladies
2019		140	12	DF	2002–2018	Arsenal Ladies, Birmingham City
2021		144	32	MF	2001–2019	Birmingham City, Arsenal Ladies, Chelsea Women
2021		56	0	DF	1966–2009	BOCM, Reckitts, Hull Brewery, Tottenham Hotspur, Preston Rangers, CP Doncaster, Rowntrees, AFC Preston, Brandesburton
2022		82	44	FW	1982–1998	Crewe Alexandra, ROI Lazio, Trani 80, Napoli, Liverpool, Croydon
2023		161	26	MF	2004–2022	Sunderland Women, Everton Ladies, Manchester City Women, Aston Villa Women
2024		121	13	DF	2002–2024	Sunderland Women, Leeds Carnegie, Arsenal Ladies, Manchester City Women
2024		65	0	DF	1992–2008	Millwall Lionesses, Fulham Ladies, Arsenal Ladies, Chelsea Ladies

Managers

Year	Name
2002		1945–1971	1,141	576	263	292	Manchester United
2002		1965–1993	1,453	675	368	410	Hartlepools United, Derby County, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest
2002		1986–2013	2,155	1,253	490	412	Manchester United
2002		1974–1983	535	308	131	96	Liverpool
2002		1955–1978	510	256	106	148	Ipswich Town, England, Birmingham City
2002		1949–1974	1,190	586	305	299	Carlisle United, Grimsby Town, Workington, Huddersfield Town, Liverpool
2003		1907–1934	617	303	156	158	Northampton Town, Leeds City, Huddersfield Town, Arsenal
2003		1948–1970	961	440	221	300	Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City
2003		1958–1974	823	401	197	225	Tottenham Hotspur
2003		1968–2004	1,095	488	276	331	Fulham, Ipswich Town, England, Newcastle United
2004		1977–2011	1,557	574	375	608	Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, Crewe Alexandra
2004		1961–1977	728	379	198	151	Leeds United, England
2005		1979–1998	764	345	210	209	Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Manchester City, Notts County, Sheffield United
2005		1946–1962	139	78	33	28	England
2006		1961–1982	713	269	186	258	West Ham United, England
2006		1996–2018	1,235	707	280	248	Arsenal
2007		1976–2003	678	279	195	204	Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham Hotspur, England, Middlesbrough, Leeds United
2008		1966–1976	540	241	148	151	Arsenal
2009		1964–1993	395	108	121	166	Plymouth Argyle, Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Yeovil Town, Middlesbrough, Bristol Rovers
2009		1955–1974	827	340	205	282	Sheffield United, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Coventry City, England
2010		1951–1977	1,146	514	281	351	Crewe Alexandra, Rochdale, Sheffield Wednesday, Everton, Preston North End
2024		1913–1942

Other awards

In 2004, Sepp Blatter, then president of FIFA, was inducted to mark the world federation's centenary. He became the first figure outside the English game to be honoured by the Museum.
In 2007, the Football Foundation Community Champion award was created, with its inaugural holder being Niall Quinn. The following winners were Peter Beardsley, Robbie Earle and Graham Taylor. The award has been inactive since then.
Also in 2007, the Football for All Award was created, with its inaugural holder being Stephen Daley, a Northern Irish-born English footballer whose professional career was ended by loss of vision at 18, and later became the captain of the partially sighted England national team. In 2008, Steve Johnson, a regular member of the England squad for amputee football and the leader of Everton's charity venture, Everton in the Community, won the award. In 2009, Ronnie Watson, a footballer who has learning disabilities, won the award. He had been training with Oldham Athletic, in preparation for the 2008 European Learning Disability Championship, where he would captain the England LD side. In 2010, George Ferguson won the award. Ferguson is a long-time member of Everton's blind football team and secretary of the Visually Impaired Football League. 2013 saw David Clarke, captain of Great Britain blind football team, win the award. From 2014 to 2017, members of the England cerebral palsy team were honoured, with Matt Dimbylow, Gary Davies, Martin Sinclair and Alistair Patrick-Heselton winning.
The presentation of a special award would happen sporadically over the years. In 2007, Sheffield, the world's oldest football club was commemorated for reaching its 150th anniversary. In 2008, Michel Platini, then president of UEFA, became the second figure outside the English game to be honoured by the Museum in a one-off European Hall of Fame ceremony. Two years later, Jimmy Hill was honoured with a special lifetime achievement award. In 2013, the special award was used three times. Firstly, to Civil Service, the only surviving club of those represented at the official formation of the Football Association in 1863. Secondly, to Ebenezer Cobb Morley, the first secretary of the Football Association and often considered to be its founding father, inducted to mark the governing body's 150th anniversary. Thirdly, to William McGregor, the founder of the Football League was inducted to commemorate the organisation's 125th anniversary. In 2014, the Football Battalion, a group of professional footballers and fans who fought in the Battle of the Somme, were honoured. In 2015, Sun Jihai, the first Chinese player in the English game, was made "Anglo-Chinese Football Ambassador". His surprise induction was announced as part of the state visit to the United Kingdom by General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping. The decision caused controversy on social media with Labour's shadow minister for sport Clive Efford suggesting that the award had been bought by the office of Prime Minister David Cameron. A spokesman for the museum explained that Sun had been recognised for his "ambassadorial role in enhancing the profile and popularity of English football to a Chinese audience". In 2016, two clubs were honoured: Cambridge University, for their unofficial claim to be the world's oldest club; some documents in their archive suggest a foundation year of 1856, the year before Sheffield began, and Notts County for their status as the world's oldest club currently playing at a professional level; founded in 1862.
Team awards were introduced in 2008, as part of a one-off European Hall of Fame ceremony. Manchester United and Liverpool's European Cup winning sides of 1968 and 1978 were the first teams inducted. In 2009, Manchester United's Busby Babes squad of the 1950s and Manchester City's cup-winning squad of the late 1960s and early 1970s were inducted. In 2010, the World Cup winning England squad was inducted. In 2011, Aston Villa's European Cup winning side of 1982 was inducted in a special ceremony. In 2014, Preston North End's "Invincibles" team was inducted. In 2016, Nottingham Forest's European Cup winning squad of 1979 and 1980 was inducted.
In 2013, a referee section was created, with Jack Taylor the inaugural holder. Taylor remained the only inductee until 2024, when Rebecca Welch, who became the first woman to referee a Premier League fixture, was inducted in 2024. In 2017, a journalism section was created with Hugh McIlvanney the inaugural holder.