EFL Championship play-off final sees Wembley Stadium make historic stand naming decision

Wembley Stadium has had its stands named for the first time in history this weekend as part of a major campaign.

The home of English football has never has never had any stands named since the new stadium was opened in 2007, but that has changed for the upcoming set of EFL play-offs - which kicks off with the Championship play-off final clash between Hull City and Middlesbrough at 15:30.

Middlesbrough were only recently reinstated after their semi-final opponents Southampton were kicked out and deduced four points after admitting to breaching EFL rules by spying on other teams - including Boro.

All four sections of the iconic ground - the North, East, West and South - have been renamed after four football fans on temporary basis because of their inspiring cardiac arrest stories and the 'Every Minute Matters' campaign from Sky Bet and British Heart Foundation - with support from the EFL.

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One stand has been changed to the 'The Callum Lawson Stand' - honouring a Sunderland supporter who survived a cardiac arrest at last year's Championship play-off final.

Callum had a pre-existing heart condition and the quick thinking of fans at Wembley, as well as the medical team who administered CPR, saved his life.

The Pippa Sharman Stand provides a nod to a 34-year-old off-duty police officer who helped save the life of 67-year-old Luton fan David Norman after a game with Reading in 2022.

She removed Norman from a car after he was involved in a collision outside the stadium and collapsed at the wheel and provided CPR.

Wembley's stands have been renamed this weekend. Image: Sky Bet and Every Minute Matters

Norwich fan Andy Wall has also had a stand named after him having too survived a cardiac arrest which occurred when he celebrated a goal with his daughter inside Carrow Road in August 2023.

The final recipient of a stand is another cardiac arrest survivor. Bradford City fan Ed McCann collapsed during a work trip to Blackpool in 2017 but Burnley fan Jason Clegg, who owned the bar he was in, performed CPR for 10 minutes until paramedics arrived.

Tom Lockyer supporters Sky Bet and EFL campaign after 2023 Championship play-off final collapse

He was later fitted with an ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) and was in hospital when he met his newborn son for the first time after his wife gave birth to their second child.

The signage will be displayed at the Championship, League One and League Two play-off finals, where more than 200,000 fans are set to attend across three days.

Millions will also be watching on Sky Sports to give further awareness to a campaign which has encouraged over half a million fans to start learning CPR through the BHF’s online RevivR tool since it was set up in 2024.

Former Luton captain Tom Lockyer, who collapsed on the pitch in the 2023 play-off final and had an ICD fitted, is an ambassador and met all four fans who have had stands named after them at one of football's most iconic stadiums.

“Wembley will always hold huge meaning for me, so to see fans being celebrated who have been through similar experiences to myself is incredibly emotional and special," he said.

"After experiencing a cardiac arrest, I know first-hand how important immediate CPR and quick action can be. The four people having stands named after them are truly incredible. Whether they survived a cardiac arrest themselves or stepped forward to help save somebody else’s life, they’ve shown extraordinary courage and strength."

Every year in the UK, more than 40,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and less than one in 10 survive. Sky Bet is looking to raise £6 million to help fund the important work from the BHF and the two top-scoring players in the EFL helped raised £1.15million for the charity.

Swansea City's Zan Vipotnik and Leyton Orient’s Dom Ballard became crowned the first-ever recipients of the Red Boot trophy after scoring 23 goals - with Sky Bet pledging to donate £50,000 for every goal scored.