The invention discloses a shoulder (1) for retaining a railway rail fastening clip (3), which comprises two interconnected spaced-apart walls (10), between which a portion of the clip (3) to be retained is held in use, and clip-engaging means (11), supported by the walls, for engaging a portion of the clip (3) to be retained, does not have any feature or surface which engages the surface of that clip portion which faces downwardly when the clip is in use. As selected, when the shoulder (1) is located at an effective work direction, the shoulder (1) is used abutting with the rails, at this point, any portion of the contact regions 11OA and 11OB of the shoulder (1) can be seen from upwards to downwards. As selected, when the shoulder (1) is in use, the contact regions 11OA and 11OB of the shoulder (1) both has a same apart horizontal distance from the edge of the foot, wherein, the horizontal distance is measured by a railway rail axis perpendicular to the foot plane.