Team Bath coaching legend Ivor Powell honoured to receive MBE

26 June 2008

Her Majesty the Queen presented Ivor Powell, the world’s oldest working football coach, with his MBE at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace yesterday (Wednesday).

Ivor was awarded the MBE in the 2008 New Year’s Honours List and received it just a few days short of his 92nd birthday.

He said: “I was honoured to receive the MBE from the Queen. It made me proud and gave me a great deal of pleasure.

Professor Glynis Breakwell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, was among those to pay tribute to Ivor. She said: “Ivor is one of the best influences on young sportspeople that I have ever met – long may he continue to be so.

Ged Roddy, Director of Sport at the University of Bath, said: “Ivor is an inspiration to us all. He’s a tremendous character and he exudes a real passion and enthusiasm for football.

“We’re privileged to have had him working at the University of Bath for more than three decades and we’re proud and delighted that he received his MBE from the Queen.”

Ivor and members of his family visited the new Wembley Stadium on Tuesday; he played for Wales at the old Wembley.

And yesterday evening, on his return from London, he attended a dinner held in his honour at the University of Bath, where he has worked as a football coach for more than 30 years.

He was joined at the dinner by past and present University of Bath footballers and members of staff at the University. And there was also a surprise guest in the shape of another ex-international from the same era, Scotland player Bobby Campbell. The Scotland international player for Falkirk, Chelsea, Reading and Queen’s Park Rangers and also managed Bristol Rovers.

Ivor started his working life in mines in South Wales before being asked to join Queen’s Park Rangers. Spells at Blackpool and Aston Villa followed, as well as 14 appearances for Wales. It was at Blackpool that he struck up a friendship with Sir Stanley Matthews, who went to be Ivor’s best man at his wedding.

Ivor also pursued a coaching career that took him to Leeds United, Carlisle and PAOK in Greece.

In 2004 he was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and in 2006 his role as the world’s oldest working football coach was recognised as a Guinness World Record.

Ivor is currently a member of the coaching staff at TeamBath FC, which will play in the Blue Square Conference South for the first time next season after gaining promotion last term.

The coaching team also includes team manager Ged Roddy, head coach Andy Tillson and academy director Brian Parkin.

For further information about Ivor Powell please see his coaching profile.

You can find out more about Team Bath on our website teambath.com

You can also follow Team Bath on Twitter at twitter.com/teambath or facebook.com/teambath

For further information please contact the Team Bath press office at Matchtight Ltd on 01225 383518.

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