Yeovil FC 1912/13

[derby1884]

Got a 1912/13 Yeovil FC v Dorchester Town issue. Nice condition, given its age. I guess this was the club's original name?
No idea what value to put upon it were I to use it as part of a trade.
Any suggestions?

[Auchinleckian]

Yeovil Football Club was founded in 1890, and shared their ground with the local rugby club for many years. Five years later they were renamed Yeovil Casuals and started playing home games at the Pen Mill Athletic Ground. In 1907 the name Yeovil Town was adopted, which on amalgamation with Petters United became Yeovil and Petters United.

The above is taken from Wikipedia, which isn't always correct but I'd assume something like this would be so? Most of the pre war stuff I've seen refers to the club as Yeovil and Petters. It may be that they didn't affix the "Town" on the programmes for some reason. Does the programme say what league the game was in, or was it a friendly or cup game?

Assuming it is from the present Yeovil club, and given the fact that it is pre WW1, I would assume there'd be a huge interest in it as it could be the earliest instance of a programme from that club? That being the case I'd hazard a guide of about £250 to £300 minimum.

[Wullie]

A lot of them appeared on Ebay laat year and other auction sites, so they are not as scarce has you may think. Having said that, their prices held up well and i would say John's estimate is about right.

[Auchinleckian]

A lot of those that appeared last year though Wullie, were all post WW1. A lot of them were not in the greatest of condition, and a lot in bound volumes which were also in a rather dilapidated state if my memory serves me correctly.

[derby1884]

Thanks for all the feedback. I dug the programme out to have a good look at it and notice there is no year specified on it, nor a competition, though the match takes place at the Pen Mill Athletic Ground which the club (according to the Ciderspace website) vacated in 1920 so, given there were the war years just prior to that, and possibly little or no football at Yeovil, makes 1912 quite likely.
I got this item many years ago from Sports Programmes and they're reputable enough! How they derived 1912, though, I don't know.
The score has been noted inpencil - 4-1 to Yeovil.
It's rather more fragile than I recollected - only 4 pages, printed on amber paper by The Abbot Press, Yeovil.
No programme notes - essentially just a list of the players and a load of small adverts.

[Auchinleckian]

Is there a day and month on the programme, regardless of there being no year? Easy enough to work it out from that.

[derby1884]

Just states 7th September. No year. Was that a Saturday, perhaps?
Kick-off time was 4.15pm rather than 3pm.

What makes me think it is pre-WW1 is the rather quaint way in which, after stating that entrance to the game (either terracing or grandstand) is 3d, it then states that, for ladies, admission is free!

[Auchinleckian]

It was a Saturday, and it was September 7th 1912 - as it was in 1918. If it was 1918 it would have been the wartime league. Your call on the year by the look of it, unless there's any kind of mention of the war?

[derby1884]

Had a good look through the adverts - no indication of wartime goods/services at all. Not as much as a hint.
There's a nice ad for hiring horse brakes/wagons, though........and Mr.Higdon the ironmonger ends his ad with a slice of early self-motivation:
"Play Up, Higdon!"
It's looking like 1912 to me.

[Auchinleckian]

Brakes were the preferred mode of transport for fans going to away matches pre WW1. Looks like you got yourself a wee stotter with this one....

[derby1884]

Always meant to post a scan of this one up in case anyone wanted to see it - but forgot. So, here it is:
If anyone can shed any light on the match in question, I'd love to know more.


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