Memories of NUFC's early football glories go under the hammer
Two medals which represent key moments in Newcastle United’s early football heritage are to be sold this week. Tony Henderson reports
A medal from 1884-85, awarded for what is believed to be the first trophy to be won by Newcastle United, is to be sold with an initial price tag of £2,000-£3,000.
And a gold medal from the 1910 match in which United won the FA Cup for the first time will also be auctioned in a separate sale with an estimate of £2,500–£3,500.
The Victorian white-metal Northumberland Football Association Challenge Cup winners medal was discovered four years ago by a collector in a Newcastle jewellery shop, who bought it for £16.
It will be offered by Graham Budd Auctions in a two-day sale, starting today (December 3).
In the Challenge Cup final match Newcastle East End beat Sleekburn Wanderers 1-0 after defeating Newcastle West End in the semi final.
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When West End folded in May 1892, East End took over their rival’s home ground of St James’ Park and in December of that year changed their name to Newcastle United. In May 1893 United were elected to the Football League.
Newcastle United historian Paul Joannou said: “East End and then Newcastle United were the same club. The medal is important historically and it was a great find. It is just a pity that the name of the winning player is not engraved on the medal.”
In the 1910 FA Cup final, Newcastle at last won the trophy after being beaten finalists in 1904-05, 1905-06 and 1907-08 at the Crystal Palace, giving rise to the “Palace jinx” belief.
United were back as finalists at the Palace ground in 1910 when fans were convinced the jinx was still in force as Newcastle failed to beat Barnsley, the game ending 1-1.
But in the replay at Goodson Park in Liverpool, Newcastle were 2-0 winners with a brace from centre forward Albert Shepherd, including the first penalty to be scored in a final.
The gold winners medal will be sold by Newcastle auctioneers Anderson & Garland on December 10.
It was awarded to United director and former club chairman John Graham, who spent a total of 40 years with Newcastle East End which became Newcastle United
Graham was born in North Sunderland in Northumberland, and worked as postmaster at South Shields and North Shields, He died in 1948.
The Graham Budd sale will also feature a batch of Newcastle v Liverpool match programmes over the years.
The collection includes, with an estimate of £250-£350, the rare Liverpool v Newcastle United postponed match programme from August 31, 1997.
The game was called off due to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. The programme for the rearranged fixture on January 20 1998, is also included in which Liverpool’s Michael Owen scored the only goal of the game.
Another rare programme for the fixture is for a Newcastle v Liverpool match in 1899, priced at £300.
Five further Liverpool home games against United include programmes from Boxing Day 1912, 1915 and 1925, all at £80-£120; 1906 at £100-£120; 1923 £120-£150.
Another United home game programme v Liverpool from 1926, in which Hughie Gallacher scored the only goal, is estimated at £80-£120.
The programme reveals that on the same day, South Shields were at home to Chelsea, Darlington to Notts Forest, and Durham City to Barrow, while Ashington were away to Bradford and Middlesbrough to Clapton Orient.
An Alan Shearer white No.18 shirt from the England v Chile Wembley match in 1998, is estimated at £300-£500.