A long-running heritage campaign spearheaded by a Basingstoke author has achieved a breakthrough with The Football Association.
The FA has officially confirmed that Southampton, Arsenal, Chelsea, and England icon Ted Drake has been added to its shortlist for future "area" naming considerations at national facilities, including Wembley Stadium and St George’s Park.
For local sports historian and campaigner Liam Harding, the victory is a deeply personal triumph.
As Ted’s great-grandson, Mr Harding has spent recent years researching and writing to ensure the striker's monumental achievements are permanently etched into modern football history.
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He said: "I’m seriously proud of this acknowledgement and it would be amazing for his name to further etch the course of the nations number one sport at one of their national complexes.
"This has been no mean feat but I feel a strong sense of peace with what’s been achieved."
Born in Southampton, centre-forward Drake became one of the most lethal goalscorers the English game has ever witnessed.
His top-flight record of scoring seven goals in a single match for Arsenal against Aston Villa in 1935 still stands today.
On the international stage, his efficiency was unmatched, netting six goals in just five appearances for the senior England team.
He also proved to be a tactical genius in the dugout, famously managing Chelsea to their historic, first-ever league championship title in 1955.
Mr Harding’s extensive historical work has already seen his great-grandfather’s image included on the prominent "Remember Who You Are" stadium banners at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and the publishing of his own anthology, Poems of The Arsenal.
The latest confirmation from the national governing body means that whenever a new elite training pitch or pavilion suite is dedicated, Drake’s name will be formally considered alongside the greatest icons the nation has produced.
Mr Harding has previously arranged a remembrance plaque at Highbury for Drake and nominated him into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame too.
Navigating an intense campaign during a period of personal career transition has brought its challenges, but the Basingstoke writer views his perspective as a profound strength.
Diagnosed with ADHD, Mr Harding credits his neurodivergence with giving him the "unique hyper-focus required to archive, campaign, and protect our collective sports heritage".
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