31/07/2024
A collection of memorabilia awarded to Paul Matthews, a Leicester City and Mansfield Town midfielder of the 1960s and 1970s, is to be auctioned on Tuesday August 6th as part of our Antiques & Collectors auction.
The auction will take place at our Market Harborough-based saleroom, just three days ahead of newly promoted Mansfield Town FC’s match away to Barnsley FC on August 9th. This game, which is the first EFL League One fixture of the season, follows almost a decade in the fourth tier of English football for the Stags.
Two 9 carat gold Football League plaques dating from Mansfield Town’s 1970s glory years when they won the only league titles in their history, will be offered as one lot with a pre-auction estimate of £3,000 - £5,000.
One plaque commemorates the Stags’ Division Four win in the 1974/75 season; the other marks their victory in Division Three in 976/77. Paul Matthews, who made 124 appearances over five years at the club, was one of only nine players to have been involved in both winning campaigns.
"After years of sitting in a drawer, it's time I passed these pieces of Mansfield Town history on to a new home", says Matthews, now 77 and back living in his home city of Leicester. "It's a fantastic traditional club, forming a backbone to the town and the community. They have certainly had their ups and downs, and thankfully I played a part in providing some of the ups! With them gaining promotion to the EFL League One this coming season, hopefully now is a good time to sell these pieces of club history.”
The second lot from the collection is a Leicester City shirt and Umbro tracksuit commemorating the Foxes’ 1969 FA Cup Final against Manchester City. Leicester City lost the match 1 - 0, meaning they would have to wait until their fifth FA Cup final against Chelsea in 2021 to finally win the title. This disappointment was compounded by the fact that reaching the FA Cup Final in 1969 was the bright spot in a season that saw them relegated to Division Two.
Paul Matthews was part of the squad on that day at Wembley. However, ultimately his role was as a spectator, as he made way for his team mate David Gibson, who was unexpectedly match fit following an injury. As a result, his shirt and tracksuit, which are being offered with a guide price of £600 - £800, do not have a squad number.
He went on to be part of the Foxes side that moved on from the disappointments of the 1969 season to win the Second Division title in 1970/71.
"Leicester's story is one I’m still very much enjoying being a part of as I first saw them play at Filbert Street aged 14 over 60 years ago and I still go to as many home games as I can. But again, now seems like a good time to pass these items on to a new home where they will be appreciated," adds Paul.
Following 61 appearances for Leicester City between 1964 - 1972, his transfer to Mansfield Town after the 1972 season was a common move for Leicester City players of the era.
“We’re excited to offer this football memorabilia at auction,” comments Gildings director Will Gilding. “Just days before the kickoff of the football season, it’s great that fans of two historic East Midlands-based clubs will have the opportunity to get their hands on some vintage football kits and league winners' medals from the personal collection of Paul Matthews.”
Alongside Paul Matthews' collection, items from a much larger private collection of sporting and entertainment memorabilia are also up for grabs in the auction, including a well-presented signed World Cup 1966 Winner’s shirt and a signed Pelé shirt, both estimated at £200 - £300.
The online catalogue is available here
Public viewing is open Friday 2nd and Monday 5th August 9am-4:30pm, and the morning prior to the auction, 9am-10am. Kick off is at 10:00
