Three Huddersfield Town FA Cup final programmes,which cost a total of one shilling and threepence new – nearly 8p in modern money – sold for £1,170 at an auction.
One programme alone – issued for the 1922 Huddersfield Town versus Preston North End FA Cup final – fetched £600 at the sale at Graham Budd Auctions in London. The programme cost only threepence new (three old pennies, or just over 1p in modern money).
At the same auction a 1928 Huddersfield Town versus Blackburn Rovers FA Cup final programme, together with a ticket from that cup final, sold for £320. It cost sixpence,or a tanner as it was popularly known,which is about 3p in modern money.
The 1922 FA Cup final programme is of particular importance to Huddersfield fans because that was the first, and so far only, time the Terriers have won the FA Cup. They beat Preston North End 1-0 in the that final which was staged at Chelsea’s ground, Stamford Bridge, and was the last pre-Wembley FA Cup final before the very first FA Cup final took place at the gleaming new Wembley Stadium in 1923.
Huddersfield’s outside left Billy Smith scored the only goal in that 1922 cup final, a 67th minute penalty awarded by the aptly-named referee Mr Fowler. This was the first FA Cup final decided by a penalty and the first time a player – Preston goalkeeper James Mitchell – wore spectacles in an FA Cup final.
This was the second of Huddersfield Town’s five FA Cup final appearances – the others being in 1920,1928,1930 and 1938.
The 1928 Huddersfield Town versus Blackburn Rovers FA Cup final programme was sold together with a 1928 FA Cup final ticket. Huddersfield were beaten 3-1 by Blackburn in that final. The Terriers’ consolation goal was scored by Scottish outside right Alex Jackson.
A 1930 Huddersfield Town versus Arsenal FA Cup final programme, which cost sixpence new (about 3p ), sold for £250 despite “a tear to its back cover. All three programmes have had their staples removed.
Auctioneer Graham Budd explained: “Collectors actually removed the staples deliberately to stop any rust marks or to stop any existing rust bleed getting worse.”
Rusty staples, tears, creases, team changes in ink and food and drink stains can seriously reduce the value of pre-war football programmes and, in some cases, can slash the value by hundreds of pounds.
