Euro 2016 gets down to serious business this weekend with the remaining 16 teams taking to the French stage.
Football memorabilia is as hot as the on-field competition. Earlier this month, the auction of Pelé’s personal collection became the most lucrative sale of football memorabilia in history. The 2000 items totalled £3.6 million, with 100% of the lots sold.
The Brazilian legend’s 1970 World Cup winner’s medal made £280,000 in the London sale, another record, and that eclipsed the £220,000 paid in 2014 for Stanley Matthews’ 1953 FA Cup Final winner’s medal.
The best football-related auction across mainland Europe is taking place in Spain this weekend to coincide with Euro 2016. The Spanish, of course, are football daft.
Titled ‘El Mundo Del Fútbol’ the sale at Duran Subastas in Madrid features a glittering array of football trophies, jerseys, programmes, posters, flags and club merchandise across a 72-page catalogue.
Among several British rarities is the ball used at the 1904-1905 Scottish Cup Final between Third Lanark and Rangers (illustrated). This was the 32nd season of Scotland’s most prestigious football knockout competition and the cup was won by the ‘Hi Hi’ when they beat Rangers 3-1 after a replay.
Sadly, though, this once-great club of the Scottish game folded in 1967, despite finishing third in the First Division just six years before.
One of 200 lots at Duran Subastas, the ball is estimated at 4000 euros and – mature readers will wince at the recollection – is one of those heavy leather types that left a painful imprint of laces after a dunt from a headed clearance.
The ball is painted in Third Lanark’s colours of red and yellow and is inscribed with the team’s Scottish Cup win. ‘New Hampden’ refers to the opening in 1903 of the national stadium, which was also the season that Thirds won the Scottish League.
Scotland may not feature at Euro 2016 but, up until 1950, Hampden Park was the largest football stadium in the world and to this day it holds every major attendance record within European football.
I should finish by mentioning that my beloved St Johnstone offered Thirds no opposition 111 years ago. We were undone by seven offside Airdrieonian goals in the first round!
