How old are we all?

[Rocon17]

54. I started collecting programmes from the matches I attended at Highbury in the mid-70s. As it was only 35p to stand in the schoolboys’ enclosure, I could afford a few other progs. Held on to the modest, boxed-up collection for a few decades until I picked up the habit again in my 40s. I’ve completed the Arsenal post-war Highbury homes, still picking up pre-wars where possible.

[DonQuixote]

Mentally [sic] - beginning of March....physically - late October

[PompeyPhil]

mark01 wrote:

I'm 64 tomorrow and been collecting anything relating to Bristol City over the last 40 years or so. Just come out of hospital after 2 weeks so no watching football for a couple of months. Just have to let the wife look after me! regards, Mark

Happy Birthday Mark! Hope your on the mend and that you have a good one!

[BBlockExile]

53 - Football has been in my blood since day 1 as my mum and dad met at Ashton Gate!! Programmes have been in my blood since day 2!! My dad was one of the co founders of the Bristol City programme shop and I spent my formative years sat in the corner of the shop with my programmes bought with my pocket money. I went on to work in the same shop for 20 years on a match day. I am now retired and am slowly but surely chipping away at my Bristol City wants back to WW2 and collecting the odd big match programme.

[derby1884]

The winter of 1973 - me off school with double bronchitis.
I'd put a postal order for perhaps £4 to Steve Earl for his "Big Bundle".
lying in bed one morning, Mum + Dad out at work, I heard the front door open and the postie drop a parcel with a big thud inside the vestibule.

Issues from Southend 71/2, Man City 72/3, Coventry 71/2, Millwall 72/3 and, for whatever reason, loads of Hull homes. Must have been over 100 programmes. Even a 70/1 Derby home!

I poured over every word of every one of them. Hooked me for life.

Much as I've enjoyed the subsequent 44 years of collecting, nothing ever quite beat that particular day.

Even if I were to pick up the elusive Barrow away from 55/6, I doubt whether even that would beat that day.

I guess it's a bit like you never forget your first kiss
_________________
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[MINSTERMAN]

Sounds like I am Mr Average at 53.

I was always football daft as a kid, but mainly collected the A&BC cards and remember swapping them at junior school. My cousin was a few years older and he had a big collection of footy mags, programmes, cards etc and every time I went to see him I would come back with programmes and FLRs. I was soon hooked, and by the age of 10 I had a fledgling collection, fuelled for a time by the likes of Shoot adverts for Steve Earl's bundles and Peter Holtam's England homes (although he let us all down by not getting any of the Eire home programme in 1976!).

My first match was at Middlesbrough in 1973 (I asked my uncle at kick off why there was no commentary over the tannoy like on TV!) The second game was fatefully at York as City surged into the second division in 1974 - what could possibly go wrong!? The love affair with all things York City FC started there any then, still burning strong despite years of misery on the pitch.
I soon became a one club collector and by 1975 I had begun to get the contemporary homes and always, and started collecting back. I remember the mornings on the phone trying to ring Sports Programmes, and delving though catalogues. The nearest to this now is the wonderfully random DG Taylor offering!
My homes and always are near as damn it complete back to 1953. I still collect the modern issues and can't imagine not doing so, but have also expanded the collection into tickets, teamsheets, and a fair set of badges. And the match reports from the local paper, I just can't kick that habit either.

For a few years from the mid-2000s I also collected Manchester United home and always too, partly in a failed attempt to get my son interested in the hobby, but it then went a bit mad and I collected a full set back to 1962! I've since got that under control as there was so much stuff, so I now only have the United euro homes back to 1956 and teamsheets. My son is a minsterman too if not a collector, and is becoming weary already of the regular setbacks but I tell him the highs will eventually make the lows worthwhile..............last week for example, we won a game and took a really good throw-in . Got to keep the faith!

I completed the 92 in 1999, and have managed to just about keep it up to date but need to do Cardiff and West Ham. I also collect the ground opening and closing issues, just about complete back to 1946.

I am currently researching and writing a book on the history of York City at Bootham Crescent, to coincide with the ground getting flattened at some point. The publication date seems to get further away as I delve deeper into the project, but so does the move date. Back in the 1930s we moved in 4 months, this move has been dragging on for a decade! If anyone has any old pictures of the ground and I'd love to see them so please drop me a PM.

The forum is fantastic, I've made loads of contacts and hope that I have helped others as many have helped me.. Long may it continue.

That's me, you still awake

[CodeXIII]

47

started when I was 40 though! Collected vinyl for years, sold most of it and then wanted a present for my dad's 70th. He played rugby league in the 1960s.
However, it was just the 16 games he played for St helens that I wanted to put in a large frame. It took about 6 months as two were quite scarce. Job done.
I then decided to collect the rest of his career games from 1964 - 1968 when he played for Liverpool City and Huyton's first season. At this point the bug caught hold and Ive been collecting London Highfield 1933/34, Liverpool Stanley 1934 - 1951 and Liverpool City 1951 - 1968 since.
Over 500 RL items plus all Wembley Finals 1929 to 1955.

The football items I have are only related to the tournaments I've been fortunate enough to work on. 2001 & 2002 SuperCup Finals, 2002 Champions League Final, 2004 Olympics Football, 2006 & 20010 World Cups, 2004 & 2012 Euros.
I have a good run of European Cup Finals 1956 - present minus the very scarce ones!

[Ruud Van Driver]

I'm 54 and have the ability to act like I'm 15 one minute and be a grumpy old man the next. Have only met Yachtsmun from the forum and I'm hoping he didn't think I looked a day over 53! That said I don't have any hair left whatsoever but do still manage to play an hour of 5-a-side twice a week and haven't moved on to walking football yet, perish the thought!

I no longer collect programmes having been priced out of the market a few years back when I'd built a half-decent Leeds United collection and couldn't compete with the big players on anything I needed when it either appeared on eBay or came to auction. I therefore sold my early Leeds programmes and kept everything from Revie's era as a player and then manager. My main collecting interest has been football magazines and have amassed an almost complete collection of most publications from the late 40's through to the 80s, missing just a few early Sports Reporters if anyone has any spare. I need 9/7/49 & 16/7/49 plus 29/4/50 and 5/5/50, the latter two may not exist. I also need better condition issues of 26/3/49, 25/6/49 & 2/7/49.

I digress! I dip in and out of the forum daily and find it interesting with great knowledge available and some nice friendly folk.

I note that at 54 I'm slightly above average, not something I've been able to claim in anything up to now
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[goonerboy]

I seem to be mr average at 53. Started collecting Arsenal programmes in the 1970s and even took out the annual subsciption in 76/77 with my pocket money. The programme used to arrive on the day or two after the match, what exciting times waiting for the post with my brand new shiny programme. Collected sporadically until mid 1990s mainly via bundles from Steve Earl. Then got into it more seriously as my disposable income increased. Over the years as my programme collections have become more complete I have branched into tickets and teamsheets but restricted myself to cup games and championship winning seasons plus also newspapers from 1970/71 (i saw my first arsenal game live in a preaseason friendly v Palace at the Recreation Centre 1970 and then they go on and win the double thus has become my nostalgic obsession). I have stopped collecting modern programmes due to storage and focussed more on tickets and 1970/71 ephemera. I also spent a number of years going to watch Croydon play in the Isthmian league in mid70s to mid80s and was obsessed about getting a programme from each match.

Next year I will offload a lot of my programme collection as much of it is simply stored and doing nothing other than sitting "complete" and maintain those related to a more narrow focus.

[Rocky]

This has been a fascinating thread, 'pen pictures' of forum members.

I restarted collecting in 1986 after a 10 years hiatus when music, motorbikes and a certain lady were among the more attractive options. That certain lady is still the more attractive option today

My collection was replenished from the dealers of the day, the likes of Steve Earl, Matchday Programmes & Sports Programmes. However the bulk of my collection came through a sadly missed independent programme shop aptly named ‘Boro Programmes’.

I’m mainly a collator / researcher of Boro stats these days rather than a collector of programmes, although tickets, teamsheets and press photo’s remain on my radar. In more recent years I’ve started to replace old for new.…knees, hips and heart valves! At 58 I’m pleased to say I’m still alive and kicking, just slightly slower than in my heyday.

I religiously visit the forum every day and I’ve seen the good the bad and the ugly pass through. Predominantly though, there are a lot of good people on this forum who provide a fount of knowledge and are always willing to help each other.

Co-author with four like-minded Boro followers, we have a new programme related book out shortly. Watch this space.

[OinkMasterJ]

Hi can see yor an avvid collector so was wundering are you interesed in buying a big collection of mine and my grandads programes dating from just after war of Bradford Park Avenue few 1936-39 47-68, BRADFORD cITY 1958-2010
Leeds United 1967-1989

I am emigrating to austrailia in july this year so need them gone
probably the best part of guessin 200,000 programmes al in mint or near mint. I only aquired these in january when me grandad died , none of family new they existed
Looking for a fair price Ive not even valeud any so it would be a fair price
won't split as i need them gone
make a reasonable offer
and pay cash on collection

Based in Redcar

[manchesterunitedman1]

OinkMasterJ wrote:

Hi can see yor an avvid collector so was wundering are you interesed in buying a big collection of mine and my grandads programes dating from just after war of Bradford Park Avenue few 1936-39 47-68, BRADFORD cITY 1958-2010 Leeds United 1967-1989 I am emigrating to austrailia in july this year so need them gone probably the best part of guessin 200,000 programmes al in mint or near mint. I only aquired these in january when me grandad died , none of family new they existed Looking for a fair price Ive not even valeud any so it would be a fair price won't split as i need them gone make a reasonable offer and pay cash on collection Based in Redcar

ok i will go first.....how much do you want for 200,000?
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[thfcbasil]

A little confused as to the Maths. Give or take 100 seasons of programmes at 50 a season which would mean home and away equals a grand total of 5000. Where does the figure 200,000 come from? There would need to be 40 copies of each game!!!!! A new estimate required or a few more teams/seasons added. As to the value, post 1960 to date, overall 10p each if lucky. The pre- war and 40's especially good money and even early 50's. Much better to sell these individually as few people would want the lot. Just my opinion, but furher info required from the seller please.

[slightfold]

Perhaps this is one of these spambots? The maths and spelling seem a tad dubious, and this is a first poster!!

[OinkMasterJ]

OinkMasterJ wrote:

Hi can see yor an avvid collector so was wundering are you interesed in buying a big collection of mine and my grandads programes dating from just after war of Bradford Park Avenue few 1936-39 47-68, BRADFORD cITY 1958-2010 Leeds United 1967-1989 I am emigrating to austrailia in july this year so need them gone probably the best part of guessin 200,000 programmes al in mint or near mint. I only aquired these in january when me grandad died , none of family new they existed Looking for a fair price Ive not even valeud any so it would be a fair price won't split as i need them gone make a reasonable offer and pay cash on collection Based in Redcar

Sorry for the errror here guys my son did the post it should read between 2000-3000 mixed I personally have not had chance to go through them all yet

[Posh1959]

Have you read and replied to all of your pm,s

[morgan1927]

last night through we were talking 200.000 think we can do a deal