Leo Pearlman "devastated" after Vic Halom's 1973 FA Cup winners medal stolen from home
“That medal connects my children to where they come from and most painfully, I made a promise to Vic that I would look after it”
Sunderland AFC fan, non-executive director, and the man behind the iconic documentary Sunderland Til I Die, Leo Pearlman, is pleading with football fans across the country to help locate the 1973 FA Cup winning medal awarded to Black Cats legend Vic Halom after it has been stolen by thieves.
Former SAFC centre forward Vic was part of the legendary team that beat Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley to win the FA Cup in 1973.
In 2021, Vic approached Fulwell Entertainment CEO Leo to offer him the chance to buy the medal. As a staunch Black Cats fan, Leo accepted the offer, but always saw himself as a “custodian of a vital part of Sunderland’s history”, rather than the owner.
Leo was therefore left “devastated” when he returned home on Tuesday (September 1) and found an intruder had entered his house and taken the medal.
Speaking to the Echo, Leo said: “I wasn’t alive in 1973, but I grew up with the legendary story of that FA Cup win and this medal is an integral part of the club’s history.
“When I accepted the medal off Vic I had one caveat, that whenever there was an event commemorating the 73 Cup Final, that Vic wear his medal, because ultimately, it was always his, I was just looking after it.
“For generations of Sunderland supporters, Vic isn't simply a former player, he is a hero of 73. I feel an immense sense of guilt that this has happened on my watch - like I’ve let him down.”
The theft is even more painful for Leo after the conversation he had with Vic after agreeing to accept the offer of the medal.
He added: “Vic wanted the medal’s next owner never to sell it and one day, to pass it down to family members who understood what that medal meant to him, our club, our city and to generations of Sunderland fans.
“The medal is irreplaceable, and I want to say sorry to Sunderland AFC fans that the medal has gone missing on my watch.”
Leo has reported to the theft to London’s Metropolitan Police, but is now pleading with football fans to help locate the medal and ensure it remains at the heart of Sunderland’s history and in the hands of a custodian who understands its importance.
In an impassioned plea, Leo said: “Vic Halom’s 73 FA Cup medal is not an anonymous object, there is only one. I’m asking Sunderland fans and the football community that if they ever come across it at collectors or auction houses, or if it is offered privately, then please contact me or the police.
“The medal wasn’t mine to lose, I was trusted to look after it, and more than anything, I would like the opportunity to keep that promise.”
As well as the precious 1973 medal, Leo also had a watch stolen which was given to him by his mother who has now passed away.
Leo said: “All burglaries are horrific, but when things are just items of monetary value they can ultimately be replaced, but items of such sentimental importance simply never can.
“The watch does not contain a piece of my mother and the medal is not the victory at Wembley. But objects are vessels for memory, love, people, places, moments and promises. That watch connects me to my mum. That medal connects my children to where they come from, and most painfully, I made a promise to Vic that I would look after it.”
Anyone who comes across the medal are urged to contact the police or to contact the Echo at [email protected] and we will pass any contact details on to Leo.