Football fever in World Cup sale
A flag believed to have been flown at Wembley during the 1966 World Cup is set to spark football bidding fever at a World Cup Auction.
The flag, which was part of the 1966 World Cup 50th Anniversary Exhibition at Manchester’s National Football Museum in 2016, is set to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers with an estimate of £2,000-£3,000.
It’s joined the starting line-up in a World Cup and Sports Memorabilia sale on November 3.
The team of star lots ready to score a winner includes some with World Cup connections. Set to go under the hammer is an England cap awarded to Bobby Moore for an England v Hungary match on May 31, 1962. The World Cup Group Stage fixture was played in Rancagua, Chile. The cap, Moore’s second of 108 England caps, has a guide price of £15,000-£20,000.
Moore (1941-1993), a West Ham United legend, captained the England team that won the 1966 World Cup. He is regarded as one of the best defenders in the history of football, and was cited by Pelé as the greatest defender he had ever played against.
The auction also includes a shirt worn by legendary Argentinian player Sergio Aguero when he scored the winning goal in Manchester City’s 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers in the last match of the 2011-12 season. His goal in added time secured the league championship title for the Blues for the first time in 44 years. His shirt has a guide price of £15,000-£20,000.
Another football shirt in the sale has a quirky tale to tell – because it wasn’t worn. The rare Nottingham Forest 1993-95 long-sleeved away shirt is believed to be a match-prepared shirt for Stuart Pearce which he refused to wear. The vendor obtained the item from a relative who worked for Nottingham Forest, £600-£800.
A further sports lot comes courtesy of Forest’s East Midlands’ rivals Derby County in the shape of a 15ct gold medal awarded to Derby County forward Harry Leonard. He was part of the Derby side that won the Football League Division 2 title in the 1914-15 season, the final full season in the run up to the First World War. The medal inscribed ‘The Football League Champions Div. 2 1914-15 Derby County FCH Leonard‘ is enamelled to the front with a crown and two crests and hallmarked ‘Thomas Fattorini & Sons, Birmingham 1915‘, estimated at £2,500-£3,000. Sunderland-born Leonard (1886-1951) was a centre forward who scored 19 goals in 32 appearances during the Rams’ 1914-15 title-winning season. His career spanned six clubs, Newcastle United, Grimsby Town, Middlesbrough, Manchester United, Heanor Town and most notably Derby County where he played from 1911-1920. He also served in the Royal Engineers during WWI from 1915-1919.
Derbyshire heritage emerges again in another item, an original Shrovetide football dating back to 1927. The Royal Shrovetide Football Match is played annually on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday in the Derbyshire town of Ashbourne , and dates back to since circa 1667. The decorated ball, restored by SJC Avery in 1995, was obtained by the vendor’s late father who originated from Ashbourne. It was ‘Thrown Up By Mr C Holmes of The White Hart Hotel, Ash Wednesday 1927’, and ‘Goaled By Redvers Wibberley at Sturston Mill 1927’. Emblazoned with ‘Ashbourne Shrovetide Football 1927 Ye Olde Game’, it was the only ball used on Ash Wednesday 1927, estimated at £2,000-£3,000.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers and a big football fan, said: “This is the best sports memorabilia auction Hansons has ever hosted. It offers some rare and important lots. We were keen to do something special to mark the Qatar World Cup, which starts on November 20. We hope a sale packed with nostalgic football finds will help to spark some pre-World Cup excitement – and a belief that England can bring that trophy home!”