Heartwarming reason why Leeds starlet Ollie Pickles wore No.66 shirt against Wrexham

Leeds United’s Oliver Pickles had a day to remember as he made his first appearance for the senior team on Sunday.

And the shirt number he was given has made it even more memorable, as it has a heartwarming reason behind it.

Getty

It’s not certain whether the teenager was given the No.66 with this reason in mind, or whether it is completely coincidental.

But Pickles having the 66 on his back relates to a great story, as images of his name and number spread around social media.

Perfect pick for Pickles

Leeds have handed their academy star a number that combines brilliantly with his surname and an iconic England moment.

In 1966, before the World Cup, the Jules Rimet trophy was stolen from Westminster’s Central Hall and couldn’t be found.

That left the FA in a panic, as there were just four months left until their home tournament was set to get started.

Police then investigated how the trophy was taken, with the FA having to get a replica made at the time.

Soon after, a ransom note demanding £15,000 was received with then FA chairman Joe Mears pretending to agree to it.

That false agreement led to the arrest of the suspected culprit, but the Jules Rimet trophy was still missing…

Now, here comes the connection to Leeds’ youngster Pickles.

A dog named Pickles would remarkably end up finding the trophy whilst sniffing around outside a flat in south London.

Getty

His owner, Dave Corbett, told BBC Sport in 2016: “Pickles was running around over by my neighbour’s car. As I was putting the lead on, I noticed this package laying there, wrapped just in newspaper but very tightly bound with string.

“I tore a bit off the bottom and there was a blank shield, then there were the words Brazil, West Germany and Uruguay printed.

“I tore off the other end and it was a lady holding a very shallow dish above her head. I’d seen the pictures of the World Cup in the papers and on TV so my heart started thumping.”

After Pickles’ discovery, the Jules Rimet trophy was taken to a police station and returned, with the dog being given a medal by the National Canine Defence League alongside other awards.

Of course, England would then go on to win the World Cup and Bobby Moore would lift the title to create an iconic picture.

Pickles’ heroics in ’66 have become a legendary story, with Leeds’ Pickles donning the No.66 seemingly reigniting some memories.

Getty

Pickles’ Leeds career so far

Pickles will hope to be seen a lot more in his No.66 shirt this season, having signed his first professional deal last year.

He played 14 minutes in a 3-2 friendly defeat against Wrexham on Saturday in his maiden first-team appearance.

For the Leeds academy, the 18-year-old midfielder has played almost 100 games, including 43 for the under-21 set-up.

He’s scored four times and provided two assists for the U21s, also playing 50 times for the U18s beforehand.