Rare Manchester United Badge Season 1920/21

[Valky]

thanks!

[Deeley]

Valky wrote:

It's stuff like this that I logged onto this forum for - to learn new things - and not to find 23 varieties of a modern league unofficial matchday badge being offered for sale!

It's good then, that this site caters for all tastes in the collecting market.

[markb9060]

manchesterunitedman1 wrote:

Mark I never said it never existed I said ask Mark Wylie to see if he has one and can shed light on the whole matter. When you think about it what u say is right as there has to be something originally produced to make copies from?? all i know is these badges have been turning up recently and always the same season? strange isnt it-never any other seasons just this one. Interesting to see what Mark says. Condition looks very good too-too good and very little wear and tear for an item allegedly so old. All the best in getting to grips with it! Leslie

After taking up your advice, I contacted Manchester United Museum Curator Mark Wylie. Below is a summary of his observations and comments...

He initially didn`t think that he could be of much help due to him having no solid evidence about it. However when he first saw one of these badges online he was surprised as he had never heard of one before.

He like yourself (I did pass on your comments and have permission to include his comments on this forum) had seen others turn up at auctions. He wasn`t sure if it had been the same badge (mine?) that just hadn`t sold and was then hawked around a few others.

He did tend to agree with you that it looks suspicious that they all come from the same season.

Nothing in the museum`s records hint at these items being produced or used but added " this does not mean they weren`t used-just that we have no positive evidence"

Mark also mentioned that one final inconsistency was that it states on the badge `Steward` when at Old Trafford they are called a `Gateman`. However he did mention that they possibly could have been called `Steward` 90 years ago and perhaps this was a token/badge that went with the takings but that he and others at the Club are baffled.

My personal view is that it is a fake but I`ll be keeping hold of it just in case one goes up for sale just to prove that it isn`t mine. Mark Wylie talked me out of binning it !! just in case it is proved to be genuine.

I have tried to be as honest and open about this badge as possible. Most people would have simply sold it on without saying anything...as did the person who bought it from the Reading auction then sold it on to me within two weeks (I still have the Ebay receipt from 25th Aug 2009 including the sellers Ebay details)

Anyone who has ever bought from me on Ebay recognises my 100% rating after over 1000 transactions and knows I am 100% trustworthy anyway so there`s no big issue for me...I`ve got other genuine and more highly sought after items to compensate.

Anyway a big thanks to you Leslie and of course Mark Wylie at the Manchester United Museum, your collective imput on this issue has been invaluable and very much appreciated. Also, if anyone searches for `Lead Stewards Badge Season 1920/21` on Google, they will have a lot more info than I had as these Forum titles are included online which can only be a good thing.