Edward Freedman

Non-Executive Chairman of Icons Shop Limited

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Job Role: Edward brings his vast retail and football knowledge to the Icons operation and is involved in all the major deals, initiatives and decisions.

Background: Edward has over 40 years of experience in the retail industry and in the late 1980s was Managing Director of Tottenham Hotspur. He then moved to Manchester United and became Managing Director of Manchester United Merchandising from 1992 onwards. Over the next six years he transformed the commercial side of the club's operation and built Manchester United into the biggest brand in world football. He was also a key player in the formation of the Premier League and was hailed by The Economist as "football's merchandising guru".

Team: Manchester United

Favourite current player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Favourite ever players: Pele, Johan Cruyff, Eric Cantona

Greatest player ever seen live: "Pele at the 1966 World Cup when Portugal kicked him off the Goodison Park pitch."

Favourite footballing moment: "It has to be England winning the World Cup in 1966."

Playing record: "I played for London School Boys but eventually had to go on an actually earn a living."

Contact: Email: edward@icons.com

 

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Dan Jamieson

CEO of Icons Shop Limited

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Job Role: As Icons CEO, Dan runs the business day to day, overseeing the marketing and supply operations, negotiating third-party deals and planning the growth of the company.

Background: Graduating with an Economics degree from Cambridge University, Dan worked in media marketing for 13 years. He enjoyed stints at the Guardian & Observer newspapers, Channel 4, and was Head of Marketing for Capital Radio. He then worked at Zone, Icons' former parent company, for three years as a digital strategist, developing the plan for the Icons website re-launch in 2008.

Team: Growing up in the city in the glory years of the 1970s and 80s, it was inevitable that he would become a dedicated Liverpool fan.

Favourite current player: Luis Suarez

Favourite ever players: Diego Maradona, Ian Rush, Paul Gascoigne

Greatest player ever seen live: Kenny Dalglish

Favourite footballing moment: The 2005 UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul.

Playing record: Dan is player-chairman of Grantchester Road, a Sunday League football team entering its 14th season and is dreaming of a return to the top flight and a possible cup run.

Contact: Email: dan@icons.com

 

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Ben Soley

Sales & Marketing Manager

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Job Role: As Sales Manager, Ben is responsible for delivering Icons' various ranges to the football-loving world.

Background: Ben joined the Icons team fresh out of the University of Essex with a degree in Psychology. He also previously ran two radio shows and a weekly club night. The skills he gained in doing so – as well as his strong work ethic – help him in his current role, managing Icons' many official licenses with FIFA, UEFA, Messi and The FA.

Team: Liverpool. As a lad from London, Ben still manages to get to Anfield on a semi-regular basis. "There have been ups and downs," he says, referencing his trip to see the infamous slip from Steven Gerrard as well as the Red's run to the UEFA Europa League final in 2016.

Favourite current player: Philippe Coutinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Favourite ever players: Robbie Fowler, Ronaldo Nazario and Zinedine Zidane.

Greatest player ever seen live: Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Dennis Bergkamp.

Favourite footballing moment: "Undoubtedly Liverpool winning the UEFA Champions League in 2005. And, though it pains me to say it, Eric Cantona's iconic chip against Sunderland."

Playing record: Ben's finest hour came when he won an FA Cup final without a goalkeeper on Championship Manager 2011. In terms of actual playing record, Ben was awarded 'Player of the Day' and later the illustrious 'Player of the Week' at some of Queens Park Rangers' youth training sessions.

Contact: +44 (0)7380 118 110 or ben@icons.com

 

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Alistair Hunter

Icons.com Senior Editor

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Job Role: As Senior Editor of Icons.com, Alistair's main role is to create multimedia content for Icons.com and its social media channels. Alistair is also a crucial part of the Icons signing team, regularly travelling around the world to conduct private signing sessions with the world's best footballers.

Background: Alistair graduated from the University of Sunderland with a degree in Sports Journalism in 2013. During his three years in the North East, Alistair was the Sports Editor of a campus magazine, Football Editor of a local sports news website and presenter of two community radio sports shows. Alistair has had work published by the Guardian, Independent, FourFourTwo and the UEFA Champions League’s official magazine, among various others.

Team: Born to a Glasgow Rangers-supporting father, Alistair is a dedicated follower of the Gers but his main passion is his local team, Cambridge United, where he has been a season ticket holder since 2014. He is regularly found moaning in the Newmarket Road End at the Abbey Stadium.

Favourite current player: "Without doubt, the magnificent and incomparable Lionel Messi. Or his English equivalent, Cambridge United's Harrison Dunk."

Favourite ever players: Johan Cruyff, Roberto Baggio, Ally McCoist and Michael Owen.

Greatest players ever seen live: Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Favourite footballing moment: Seeing his beloved U's win twice at Wembley in one glorious season, culminating in a play-off final victory that ended a nine-year exile from the Football League.

Playing record: A once-promising goal-hanger for his local Cambridgeshire Mini League team, Alistair now prefers to manage, and took his 2014 World Cup Fantasy Football team to the nosebleed heights of seventh overall.

Contact: Email: alistair@icons.com

 

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Will Franklin

Sales Executive

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Job Role: Will's primary role is the processing and dispatching of both retail and wholesale orders to customers around the world. He also deals with any and all customer-related issues and is heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. 

Background: Will studied Sports, Psychology and Biology before a stint working in the insurance industry. He went travelling during 2018, visiting Bali, Australia, Hawaii, USA, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil while watching the 2018 FIFA World Cup with the locals – an amazing and unforgettable experience.

Team: Aston Villa

Favourite current player: Jack Grealish

Favourite ever players: Diego Maradona, Steven Gerrard and Juan Pablo Angel

Greatest players ever seen live: Cristiano Ronaldo, during Portugal's UEFA Nations League final win over Holland.

Favourite footballing moment: "Being at Wembley in 2019 and hearing the final whistle confirm Villa's return to the Premier League after a three-year hiatus from the topflight." 

Playing record: "I played for numerous school sides over the years and now the Icons Shop Limited five-a-side team!"

Contact: +44 (0)20 3904 7600 or will@icons.com

 

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