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German out of contest for the Wembley bridge
By Mark Choueke, Evening Standard Last updated at 00:00am on 13.05.05An attempt by German football fans to hijack the contest to name the new Wembley stadium bridge has been thwarted.
Thousands of Germans had voted to get Liverpool player and fellow countryman Dietmar Hamann on the shortlist.
But organisers of the idea have banned him as a possible name for the footbridge that will link the stadium with Wembley town centre.
A spokesman for the London Development Agency confirmed that Hamann's name was the most nominated "by some distance".
But panellists, including-BBC Radio Five live's Jonathan Pearce, LDA chief executive Tony Winterbottom and stadium boss Michael Cunnah, were unanimous in excluding the German's name.
German fans were not the only ones to make multiple votes and encourage their countrymen and women to take part in the poll. The Scots also made an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to put their hero Jim Baxter in the frame.
Instead more suitable options now on the shortlist are England World Cup heroes, Sir Geoff Hurst, Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alf Ramsey.
The fourth suggestion for the name of the bridge is Live Aid. In 1985 the stadium was the site for a fundraiser for the victims of famine.
Speaking about his nomination, Sir Geoff said: "I'm delighted, flattered and honoured to be recognised as part of Wembley's history in this way alongside these other names."
The last nomination is The White Horse, which refers to the first FA Cup final held in 1923, when order was restored by Pc George Scorey on his white horse Billy.
Place your vote for the name at www.lda.gov.uk/wembley
