The event at The Ivy Club in London celebrated a personal story of David Sheepshanks’ leadership at Ipswich Town and the Football League – and his drive to build the FA’s St George’s Park to modernise English football and improve the performance of all its national teams, in so doing benefiting both the men’s and women’s games at all levels.
A legacy beyond the pitch
In his book, Sheepshanks looks back on forty years of football leadership, recalling the highs – from promotion with Ipswich to a fifth-place Premier League finish – and the lows, including relegation and the financial realities of the Championship. Through anecdotes involving figures such as Sir Bobby Robson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Elton John and Mark Knopfler, his memoir offers a candid behind-the-scenes look at how football operates.
Nick Gornall, Associate Director at Weatherbys Private Bank, reflected on the event: “What a terrific evening. David’s legacy clearly resonates well beyond football. But it was also fantastic to see representatives from many different sports – football, cricket, rugby, horse racing and athletics – alongside influential leaders from across the sector.”
Strengthening our expertise in sports, media and entertainment
Coinciding with the event, Weatherbys announced the appointment of Matt Wotton as its new Head of Sports, Media and Entertainment (SM&E). Wotton brings more than 20 years’ experience to the role, having led the SM&E team at Coutts and held senior positions at Barclays and HSBC.
His appointment comes at a time of continued growth for Weatherbys’ presence across the sports sector, with the bank supporting clients ranging from current and former athletes to executives, entrepreneurs and influential figures connected to the industry. The growing team provides wealth management, bespoke lending and specialist advice, underpinned by a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by clients in sport, media and entertainment.
From left to right: Matt Wotton, Nick Gornall, Chris Shortland-Ford and Jack Wakely.