Today marks twenty years to the day that the nation lost its most iconic football player. Bobby Moore was and remains England’s finest captain.

Bobby was the man who led England to our ultimate moment of football glory. He embodied the best of the game and remains an eternal credit to his family, friends and everyone involved with West Ham United.

Twenty years from his untimely death the nation’s pride in his memory should not be diminished. 

On the contrary, I believe that over the passing of time the magnitude of his achievements have been put into their significant perspective. He was simply one of the nation’s greatest-ever footballers.

I am reminded of the nobility of Bobby every day.  In my office at Wembley, there is a 12ft high image that adorns the wall. It is of two men at their peak of their physical powers in an embrace of respect and admiration.  It is not an image of a winner and loser exchanging shirts; it is of two football icons leaving the battlefield together – Pele and Bobby Moore. 

Within that image is everything that is good about our game – skill, respect, diversity, discipline and honour.

I am aware that the Football Association has been criticised over its treatment of Bobby following his retirement from football. It saddens me that this is the case and whilst I am not privy to exactly what happened at the time, it is clear to me the organisation could have done more.

During my time as Wembley Stadium Chairman, I was immensely proud that we were able to commission the outstanding statue of Bobby which was unveiled ahead of the official stadium opening in 2007. Sir Bobby Charlton and Prime Minister Tony Blair attended the event alongside Bobby’s family, colleagues and friends.  Millions of football fans have subsequently visited the statue to pay their own personal tributes and have their picture taken next to the great man.

Over more recent years, The FA has worked very closely with the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK - also in its 20th anniversary year. The BMF has been The FA’s official charity partner in the past and in this significant year we are supporting the Make Bobby Proud campaign, which was launched at the inaugural FA England Awards earlier this month.

I was particularly proud of the England team and their captain Steven Gerrard that evening. Steven announced that the players would match the £25,000 figure donated to the BMF from The FA Community Shield Fund. This is in addition to the existing work the players already do to support the charity through their official link with the England Footballers’ Foundation.

We will continue to work with Bobby’s charity and their campaign this coming year, at England home matches and The FA Cup Semi-Finals and Final. I encourage all fans to ‘text to donate’ and Make Bobby Proud in aid of the important and life-changing work Cancer Research UK conducts.

If Bobby were alive today I am sure we would have asked him to be the chief ambassador for The Football Association in its 150th anniversary year.  Equally, I have no doubt he would be extremely modest - if not embarrassed - about his achievements and the legacy he has provided every English football fan.

As I mentioned at the outset, Bobby is a credit to his family and earlier this week, The FA’s Sir Trevor Brooking welcomed his first wife Tina and daughter Roberta Moore to Wembley to lay a special floral wreath at Bobby’s statue.  This wreath will be displayed today in the Bobby Moore Club inside the building and the stadium will fly the flag of St George at half-mast in respect of his anniversary.

It is fitting that there is a huge match at Wembley today, the League Cup Final between Bradford City and Swansea City, and I’m sure both sets of fans will remember Bobby in their own way as they make their way to the stadium and see his statue.

I am aware that across London this morning a very special ceremony is taking place at Upton Park where Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters will lay wreaths outside the ground. Sir Trevor, Roy Hodgson and I will attend tomorrow evening’s match at the stadium as West Ham United host Tottenham Hotspur, where further fitting tributes are planned.

Of course, the great man would appreciate the significance of such a London derby tomorrow evening and I hope that the teams can emulate the skill, athleticism, grace and respect for which we all remember Bobby Moore so fondly.

David Bernstein, FA Chairman

The Bobby Moore Fund
In 1993 when Bobby Moore OBE died prematurely from bowel cancer at the age of 51, the nation grieved for a football legend and a true gentleman. Stephanie Moore MBE established the Bobby Moore Fund, in partnership with Cancer Research UK in 1993. Since its launch The Fund has raised over £18.8m for ground-breaking bowel cancer research projects and awareness.

20th Anniversary – Make Bobby Proud
2013 is the 20th anniversary of the Bobby Moore Fund so to mark the occasion the Bobby Moore Fund are launching a new campaign for Bowel Cancer Awareness month in April 2013 to ‘Make Bobby Proud’.

There are plenty of ways to get involved to help Make Bobby Proud in 2013. The Bobby Moore Fund benefited from a direct association with The FA England Awards at St. George’s Park earlier this month while The FA donated £25,000 to the Bobby Moore Fund, which was then matched by the England players through the England Footballers Foundation.

You can make a donation to the Bobby Moore Fund quickly and easily. Just text Hero065 to 70070 to donate £5 to the Bobby Moore Fund.

100% of donations will go to Cancer Research UK’s Bobby Moore Fund. UK residents 16+ only. See Terms & Conditions at www.bobbymoorefund.org Reg charity nos: England (1089464); Scotland (SC041666); IoM (1103)