Former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Ritchie Humphreys is set to attend the World Cup in Brazil this week, but not on the pitch, but as a Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) delegate.
Humphreys, who played for the Owls during years 1995 – 2001 and who enjoyed 72 games for the club, is the chairman of the PFA and this week will make his way to Brazil as part of the PFA committee at the World Cup.
The PFA is the world’s longest established professional sportsperson’s union which aims to protect, improve and negotiate the conditions, rights and status of all professional players on and off the pitch. The union also helps professional players plan for a future after their first career, whether that be coaching or making the progression to lower level football.
Humphreys, who this season helped Chesterfield on their way to promotion to League One, will lead on making sure issues both on and off the pitch are dealt with and that players are given the right to come forward with any problems they experience whether that be personal or game related.
Humphreys was nominated as Hartlepool’s PFA delegate, the club he was at for 12 years after short spells at Scunthorpe, Cardiff and Cambridge after leaving Sheffield Wednesday in 2001.
The PFA management committee, which Humphreys sits on, meet four times a year on a voluntary basis and go through any issues and accounts that go on and off the pitch. The chairman of the committee, who has to be a current player, was won by the former Wednesday player.
Sheffield Wednesday wish Ritchie a good trip to Brazil with the PFA delegation!