Greater Manchester Programme Fair Friday 27th December 2013

[footballprogrammes.com]

The biggest programme fair of the year outside of London takes place two weeks today on Friday 27th December 2013 when the annual Greater Manchester Programme Fair is staged at the Cresta Court Hotel, Church Street, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4DP 11am – 3pm.

Over the last 11 years the event has typically attracted 200/250 collectors which apart from the two big London fairs, is the biggest attendance in the UK. The number of dealers exhibiting is exceeded only by the Premier programme fair in London each June. Given the relatively easy access from all parts of the North of England and North Wales I would recommend that all forum members make the effort to come along.

As well as adding to your collection and chatting/putting faces to the names of the dealers, the fair represents an excellent opportunity to meet fellow collectors and forum members for a chat/swop/drink etc… The hotel has a bar or alternatively the town centre is just a few minutes walk. Regular forum contributors such as Treble99, ManchesterUnitedman1, oldbolt are regular attendees and I would guess several other members are too? An ideal opportunity for forum members to arrange a meeting at the fair!

I have listed the participating dealers below (in no particular order) with a brief stock summary.

David Simon – Making his debut at this fair, David offers a fine selection of vintage programmes from Pre-War to the 1950s.

Gordon Bennett – Another debutant, Gordon without a shadow of doubt attends more fairs than any other dealer. A regular on this forum, Gordon will no doubt publish an advance list of the choice items available on his stand.

Crewe Club shop – Neil Hassall and Harold Finch present a fine selection of current season programmes with the Alex an obvious strength. Neil has also advised that thye will have a variety of 1940s/50s North West clubs' programmes at the fair.

Stewart Roberts / Tony Lazenby – Bradford City expert Stewart ably assisted by West Yorkshire football and rugby dealer Tony offer a wide variety of programmes including current season and some rugby items.

Peter Leather – A new face on the scene, Peter has indicated that he has a collection of big match back to the 1940s and league and cup club issues dating from before the War.

Sportingold – Proprietor and keen City fan Chris Williams represents the hobby’s largest auction house. Pick up a catalogue, browse some straight sale antique stock, enquire about buying/selling at future auctions etc…

AP Programmes – Based in Halifax, Andrew Pinfield not only specialises in his local club but ALL teams in the North of England from pre-war onwards.

PM Publications – Former Programme Monthly editor and co-organiser of this event John Litster offers his vast array of PM back issues plus the recent editions from the new publishers too. Stockist of bespoke programme binders, football history books and a selection of programmes from his huge archive.

Ruth Crawshaw – Long established Bolton specialist Ruth is without a shadow of doubt Wanderers foremost collector and supporter. Simply a legend!

Soccer History – Editor Ian Nannestad offers the latest edition and also back issues of this high quality quarterly magazine devoted to the heritage of our national sport.

Tom Roe – Fine selection of antique football memorabilia with a strong North-West bias.

Mick Hewitt – Yorkshire’s largest dealer, Mick offers a huge selection of programmes with a particular emphasis on his beloved Leeds United.

Terry’s badges – One of the UK’s leading football badge specialists.

Programme Promotions / footballprogrammes.com – represented by fair co-organisers Elaine and David Allen. Over 1,500 excellent condition 1960s programmes available at £2 each - a completely different selection from last year as are the 1,000 plus Non League programmes from £1 each. Over 500 European Competition programmes at £2 each. PLUS a fine range of over 700 pre 1955 programmes all in pristine condition, NO writing. None of which are listed on our website, comprehensive current season, firsts & lasts, vintage magazines etc… Something for everyone at this stand!

Colin Boulter – East Midlands based Colin has been involved in football programmes for well over 40 years now. Great stock boxes of all the local clubs and bargain bundles a particular strength.

John Dee Football Collectables – John and Teresa offer an excellent selection of programmes covering all aspects of the hobby from pre-war onwards.

Barry Swash – West Midlands based Barry aka Bazzabaggies on the forum offers a wide array of vintage programmes and memorabilia from pre war to the 1960’s.

AB Programmes – Ipswich Town scout Alan is a regular face on the fairs and auction scene. Varied stock with 'the tractor boys' a particular speciality.

David Johnson - Lincolnredman on the forum. Always a well stocked stall. Lincoln City, Liverpool and general football memorabilia etc...

Football Sports Auction – The North's only specialist football memorabilia auction house. Pick up a catalogue, browse some straight sale antique stock, enquire about buying/selling at future auctions etc…

We all look forward to seeing you at the fair!
_________________
David Allen
http://www.footballprogrammes.com
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/FOOTBALL-PROGRAMMES-WAREHOUSE

[Westwardprogs]

Hopefully on cue, I list below some of the vintage programmes I will be bringing to the Fair.
PRE-WAR:
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: 32/33 v BRADFORD PARK AVE (4pp, excellent condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds, a very small tear along the horizontal fold and some minor creases in one corner) £40, v BRADFORD CITY (4pp, excellent condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds and some small nicks on edges, text not affected) £40,
33/34 v NEWCASTLE UNITED (4pp, excellent condition apart from a feint vertical fold and a neatly written team changes) £40, v BRISTOL CITY (4pp, excellent condition apart from a feint vertical fold and a small nick on the edge of the front cover) £40,
PRE-1950’s:
ARSENAL: 48/49 v NEWCASTLE UNITED (Good condition apart from team changes written neatly on centre pages) £14, v MANCHESTER CITY (Good condition apart from team changes, score and scorers written neatly on centre pages) £14, v DERBY COUNTY (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £15, v SHEFFIELD UNITED (Good condition apart from vertical centre fold; team changes, score and scorers neatly written on centre pages) £12, v SUNDERLAND (Good condition apart from feint vertical fold; team changes, score and scorers neatly written on centre pages) £12, v MIDDLESBROUGH (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £15, v BLACKPOOL (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £15, v PORTSMOUTH (Good condition apart from name on front, score and scorers neatly written on centre pages) £12, 49/50 v BURNLEY (Excellent condition apart from cover being detached and half-time scores written in pencil and two small marks on rear cover) £12, v WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds and small nicks on edges) £12, v DERBY COUNTY
(Excellent condition, apart from minor speck marks on front cover and slight creasing, no other obvious defects) £12
ASTON VILLA: 45/46 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition, no obvious faults) £24, 46/47 v DERBY COUNTY (Excellent condition, apart from spine showing signs of being bound, no other defects) £20, 49/50 v WEST BROM RES / DERBY COUNTY (2 in 1, Good condition apart from minor tears, feint horizontal and vertical folds and neatly written team changes) £12,
BARNSLEY: 47/48 v DONCASTER ROVERS (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £18
BIRMINGHAM CITY: 47/48 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Good condition, apart from one minor restoration repair) £18, 49/50 v PORTSMOUTH (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds and staple missing) £12
BOURNEMOUTH: 47/48 v EXETER CITY (Excellent condition apart from feint horizontal fold) £18, v BRISTOL ROVERS (Excellent condition apart from several very small stains) £18
BRENTFORD: 45/46 v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (Worn condition with neatly-written score on front, feint horizontal and vertical fold, several small holes along folds, small nicks and tears along edges) £12 v SOUTHAMPTON (Christmas Day, worn condition with three feint horizontal folds and one vertical fold, small tears and minute holes along two of the horizontal folds, some slight creases and a few small nicks) £14, v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (FA Cup, good condition apart from neatly written team changes) £22, v ASTON VILLA (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds, neatly-written team changes, some minute holes on page 3 along fold lines and minor nicks and creases on front edge) £16, v ARSENAL (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds and neatly-written score on front) £22, v CHARLTON ATHLETIC (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds and neatly-written score on front) £22, v LUTON TOWN (Good condition apart from a small nick and crease at top of the spine) £22, 47/48 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £18, v BURY (Excellent condition apart from a small tear at the top of the spine) £18, 48/49 v LINCOLN CITY (Good condition apart from a feint vertical fold and slight fading of the paper) £14, 49/50 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition apart from feint horizontal and vertical fold0 £12,
CHARLTON ATHLETIC: 47/48 v BLACKBURN ROVERS (Excellent condition apart from one small tear) £18, v CHELSEA (Excellent condition apart from several small nicks, a neat pencil team changeand small tears near the staple) £18, 49/50 v BIRMINGHAM CITY (Excellent condition apart from feint horizontal fold) £10,
CHELSEA: 45/46 v BIRMINGHAM CITY (Good condition apart from a tiny torn hole at the foot, a feint horizontal fold and neatly written team changes) £20, 46/47 v WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (Excellent condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds, score written on team page and small split on spine) £20, 47/48 v BOLTON WANDERERS (Excellent condition apart from small spine split) £18, 48/49 v DERBY COUNTY (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £16, 49/50 v STOKE CITY (Good condition apart from two punched holes and neatly written team changes) £10, v DERBY COUNTY (Excellent condition, apart from minor rust marks, no other obvious defects) £12,
CHESTERFIELD: 46/47 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds; no other obvious faults) £20
CRYSTAL PALACE: 48/49 v SWINDON TOWN (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £16
DERBY COUNTY: 47/48 v MANCHESTER CITY (Excellent condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds) £18, v ASTON VILLA (Excellent condition apart from neatly-written score on front, changes on team panel and half-time scores) £18
DONCASTER ROVERS: 47/48 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition apart from neatly-written pencil team changes) £18,
EVERTON: 46/47 v PRESTON (Excellent condition apart from feint horizontal and vertical folds) £20, 47/48 v HUDDERSFIELD (Excellent condition apart from minor staple rust) £18
FULHAM: 45/46 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition apart from two horizontal folds, with a very minor tear along at the edge of one fold; no writing or other defects) £24, 46/47 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition apart from neatly written scores on half-time and fixtures panels) £19, 47/48 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (CHRISTMAS DAY, Excellent condition apart from neatly-written pencil score on team panel) £18, 48/49 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition apart from feint horizontal and vertical folds, score written on front and team changes) £14, 49/50 v ARSENAL ( Excellent condition apart from small tear bottom corner of front cover) £10, v ARSENAL ( Excellent condition apart from small marks on front cover and team page and a small tear on back cover) £10, v CHELSEA (Excellent condition apart from match details neatly written on team page) £12, v CHELSEA (Excellent condition, apart from feint horizontal and vertical folds) £12 v WOLVERHAMPON WANDERERS (Good condition, apart from feint horizontal and vertical folds, name and score written neatly in ink on front and team change in pencil) £11,
FULHAM RESERVES: 49/50 v PORTSMOUTH RES (F. Comb. Cup, reasonable condition apart from score neatly written, a few minor tears at the edges and some feint creases) £12
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN: 47/48 v PRESTON NORTH END (Excellent condition apart from two minor marks close to the spine on the front cover) £18
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN RESERVES: 49/50 v STOKE CITY RES (Good condition apart from team changes neatly written on team page) £12, 50/51 v ASTON VILLA RES (Excellent condition apart from two minor rust marks on back cover) £10
HULL CITY: 46/47v GRIMSBY TOWN (Excellent condition apart from feint horizontal fold) £20, 47/48 v STOCKPORT COUNTY (Excellent condition apart from a feint vertical fold and minor rust on staples) £18, v HALIFAX TOWN (Excellent condition apart from score written on front) £18, 49/50 v COVENTRY CITY (Excellent condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds) £12, v BARNSLEY (Excellent condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds) £12, v PRESTON NORTH END (Excellent condition apart from feint vertical fold and small holes where staples have been removed) £11, v LEEDS UNITED (Excellent condition apart from date and number written on back cover) £12
LEYTON ORIENT: 47/48 v SWINDON TOWN (Excellent condition apart from two minute tears) £18,
LIVERPOOL: 47/48 v MIDDLESBROUGH (Good condition apart from feint horizontal fold and minor scuff marks; players include Paisley, Liddell, Mannion and Hardwick) £20, 49/50 v BLACKBURN (FAC, excellent condition apart from score and scorers neatly written) £14,
LUTON TOWN: 47/48 v BURY (Excellent condition apart from feint vertical fold and staple removed) £18
MANCHESTER CITY: 44/45 v HUDDERSFIELD (Good condition apart from minute holes a junction of vertical and horizontal folds, and scorers and team changes written neatly on team page) £24; 46/47 (Christmas Day) v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Fragile condition with feint horizontal and vertical folds, a hole where staple missing, a partial spine split, grubby back cover, but no writing and all text easily readable) £20; 47/48 v GRIMSBY TOWN (Excellent condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds) £18
MILLWALL: 47/48 v LEICESTER CITY (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £18,
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: 47/48 v BRENTFORD (Good condition apart from repaired spine and neatly written team changes on team panel) £14, v FULHAM (Good condition apart from minor crease on cover, neatly written team changes, mild staple rust and a small stain on the front cover) £18, v LUTON (FAC) (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £19; v WEST BROMWICH ALBION (Good condition apart from neatly written score on front cover and changes on team panel, plus feint horizontal and vertical folds) £18, 48/49 v BURY (Excellent condition apart from staple missing and minor rust marks) £18; v NOTTS COUNTY (FAC, Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £16, v BRENTORD (Good condition apart from feint vertical and vertical folds) £20,
QUEENS PARK RANGERS: 47/48 v WALSALL (Excellent condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds) £18, 48/49 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition apart from slight staple rust) £14, v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Excellent condition, no obvious defects apart from minor staple rust) £12, v GRIMSBY TOWN (Good condition apart from minor creasing) £14, 49/50 v SWANSEA TOWN (Excellent condition; no obvious faults) £12,
Q. P. R. RESERVES: 49/50 v LUTON TOWN (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds, four small tears professionally repaired and a few tiny marks, no writing or other obvious defects) £9
SHEFFIELD UNITED: 45/46 v STOKE CITY (Good condition apart from slight smudging of black in on front cover, a feint horizontal fold and two tiny tears) £20, 46/47 v GRIMSBY TOWN (Excellent condition apart from stain on corner of front) £20,
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: 45/46 v BLACKBURN ROVERS (Good condition apart from one minor spine tear and a feint horizontal fold) £20, v YORK CITY (Good condition apart from a feint horizontal fold and minor creasing) £20, 46/47 v BLACKPOOL (FAC; Good condition apart from feint horizontal and vertical folds plus a small tear at top corner of front cover) £20, 47/48 v COVENTRY CITY (Good condition apart from feint horizontal fold) £18
SOUTHAMPTON: 47/48 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Single sheet in good condition apart from a feint horizontal fold and a tiny unobtrusive tear) £15, 48/49 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (4pp in excellent condition apart from a feint vertical fold, no other obvious defects) £15
SOUTHEND RES 49/50 v BRIGHTON RES (Good condition apart from small rust stains, staple removed and feint vertical and horizontal folds) £12,
STOCKPORT COUNTY: 47/48 v SHREWSBURY TOWN (FAC, 4pp in fragile condition, with feint horizontal and vertical folds, plus minor holes and tears, but only writing is score on team panel and all text easily readable) £17,
TORQUAY UNITED: 47/48 v EXETER CITY (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £18, v BRISTOL ROVERS (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £18
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 48/49 v BRADFORD PARK AVENUE (Good condition apart from feint horizontal fold and neatly written half-time scores) £15,
WATFORD: 50/51 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (Fragile condition, no writing but has horizontal fold and several small tears) £5
WEST HAM UNITED: 47/48 v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (Excellent condition, no obvious defects) £18,
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS: 47/48 v BLACKBURN ROVERS (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds,
and a minor tear on back cover) £17, v ASTON VILLA (Good condition apart from feint vertical and horizontal folds and pencil team changes and score on team panel and match details on back cover) £15, 49/50 v NEWCASTLE (Good condition apart from a feint vertical fold plus neatly written name on front, team change and scorers) £10

[efcbluenose]

I went to it and I took along a good mate who enjoyed himself and picked up a fair bit i think i may have converted him to our art and ways lol.Seriously though as always the Altrincham Fair didnt dissapoint and loads on offer and to choose from and usual faces there with their usual quality stuff.I chatted away to Stuart and Tony and had a very informed chat with them.Alan Benedict as always was on form cracking jokes smiling and with his usual standard of high quality stock and his gorgeous little dog who was snooring away in the background lol.Naturallly Mick Hewitt and his lad were also present and put our their usual standard of high stock Mick always seemed to be packed at these fairs its tough to get a good look on his stall as it is with Alan Benedict also on his.Mick i know personally and rate as i do Alan also.Good people and good dealers.Dave Allan also was there in attendance again with a fantasticly high standard of stock that he brings with him and I had a real good chat with him about Programme Business in general and times of opening and people and their mentalities.I did a deal with Dave on Sheff Utd Liverpool League Cup Semi that i needed to box off all my league cup semi list and thats now sorted and done.Loads of other dealers nice to see Ruth and her lad again with quality stock and she's still increbidly cheap.I picked up a load of England also from Dave which has made a huge dint in my England homes list which im collecting for some strange reason..i also made a dint in Utd homes list from 59/60 to 67/68.Overall very very enjoyable day.I always make an effort for Altrincham as i know it doesnt dissapoint ......and it doesnt.