Pirate programmes

[Five and In]

I might be being thick here, so please forgive me.
What is the value (if any) or point of pirate programmes?
For years I have dismissed them and had no interest at all, and assumed no value, but I recently found a 1967 Spurs v Birmingham FA Cup QF in a joblot I bought and it set me thinking as to whether I should be looking at them through different eyes?

[Auchinleckian]

Some pirate programmes can generate furious bidding on ebay if the right teams are involved and are of a suitable vintage. In the 40's and 50's they were on sale at the grounds, albeit usually some distance away from the official sellers, and are therefore contemporary. There are pre WW2 FAC Final pirates that change hands for daft money.

The modern pirates, often knocked up at home on a lap top, and sold as pirates despite never having been in the same country as the game was on are even more mercenary than the older ones. Why on earth people touch them I haven't a clue.

[Five and In]

Auchinleckian wrote:

Some pirate programmes can generate furious bidding on ebay if the right teams are involved and are of a suitable vintage. In the 40's and 50's they were on sale at the grounds, albeit usually some distance away from the official sellers, and are therefore contemporary. There are pre WW2 FAC Final pirates that change hands for daft money. The modern pirates, often knocked up at home on a lap top, and sold as pirates despite never having been in the same country as the game was on are even more mercenary than the older ones. Why on earth people touch them I haven't a clue.

I don't ever remember seeing them when at grounds so what you say makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

[manchesterunitedman1]

Five and In wrote:

Auchinleckian wrote: Some pirate programmes can generate furious bidding on ebay if the right teams are involved and are of a suitable vintage. In the 40's and 50's they were on sale at the grounds, albeit usually some distance away from the official sellers, and are therefore contemporary. There are pre WW2 FAC Final pirates that change hands for daft money. The modern pirates, often knocked up at home on a lap top, and sold as pirates despite never having been in the same country as the game was on are even more mercenary than the older ones. Why on earth people touch them I haven't a clue. I don't ever remember seeing them when at grounds so what you say makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

a small selection regarding Manchester United and only 2 days ago a pirate programme for the 1911 Cup Final replay at MUFC fetched just under £10k, so yes there is a market in Pirate/Souvenir items for sure:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsjfvtCFz

I wonder what the Pirate Semi of 1914 would fetch as to my knowledge no official has ever turned up to date just like the one sold the other day.

[bisphamseasider]

Five and In wrote:

I might be being thick here, so please forgive me. What is the value (if any) or point of pirate programmes? For years I have dismissed them and had no interest at all, and assumed no value, but I recently found a 1967 Spurs v Birmingham FA Cup QF in a joblot I bought and it set me thinking as to whether I should be looking at them through different eyes?

Here's an earlier thread which discussed pirate programme in some detail and provided a few examples.

http://www.footballprogrammece.....ght=pirate

[GreatBarrWolf]

Auchinleckian wrote:

Some pirate programmes can generate furious bidding on ebay if the right teams are involved and are of a suitable vintage. In the 40's and 50's they were on sale at the grounds, albeit usually some distance away from the official sellers, and are therefore contemporary. There are pre WW2 FAC Final pirates that change hands for daft money. The modern pirates, often knocked up at home on a lap top, and sold as pirates despite never having been in the same country as the game was on are even more mercenary than the older ones. Why on earth people touch them I haven't a clue.

Remember going to Old Trafford in 1975 to see the mighty Walsall draw with United in the FA Cup (before beating them at Fellows Park in the replay). Pirate programmes were on sale outside the ground and all they contained was Man Utd info - not a mention of the opposition so it was probably a generalistic issue for the season.
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[Five and In]

bisphamseasider wrote:

Five and In wrote: I might be being thick here, so please forgive me. What is the value (if any) or point of pirate programmes? For years I have dismissed them and had no interest at all, and assumed no value, but I recently found a 1967 Spurs v Birmingham FA Cup QF in a joblot I bought and it set me thinking as to whether I should be looking at them through different eyes? Here's an earlier thread which discussed pirate programme in some detail and provided a few examples. http://www.footballprogrammece.....ght=pirate

Much appreciated.

[Footyfan]

I have been adding PIRATE issues (28 so far) from the 60s/70s to my collection for quite some time and have picked up some interesting issues. There appears to have been a couple of 'big players' in that era Starkey (Battersea) and Nicholls (Hammersmith) with both often producing pirate issue for the same game e.g. Crystal Palace v Leeds Utd 1964/65 FA Cup 6th Rd.

I think they make a welcome addition to a collection. I can tell you that my club Leeds Utd changed from publishing the Token inside the programme to placing it on the front page in January 1965 after a pirate issue (Starkey) was found being sold at the Leeds v Chelsea game in January 1965.

[infoman]

My memory of pirate programmes,was Bristol City v Southampton circa late 1960's
Bought the pirate programme,then walked further on and located the official programme seller

[hydemaine]

Here's one of mine from 1949.

[holtie96]

And mine

[hydemaine]

These two as well

[Eck]

I quite like these ones.

[derby1884]

Personally, I love them.

Picked this one up recently - if anyone has any other pirate issues for Amateur Cup Finals, please get in touch!


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[bisphamseasider]

Whilst scanning the 30/1 Arsenal v Blackpool programme for the 'Programme on this day' thread I spotted this small article.



Who would have thought back then that some of these unofficial and worthless programmes, sold by delinquents and pests, would be worth so much today.

[Posh1959]

1914/15 Arsenal v Clapton Orient currently on Ebay has a warning on the front cover " THE PUBLIC Are respectfully WARNED Against purchasing Pirate Programmes.

[Dorking]

40 shillings - ie £2 was a heck of a lot of money back then
not sure how it was unlawful, surely people pays their money and takes their choice!
bit like the unofficial badges and scarves these days - up to the buyer if they want to buy them or not

[Eck]

Dorking wrote:

40 shillings - ie £2 was a heck of a lot of money back then not sure how it was unlawful, surely people pays their money and takes their choice! bit like the unofficial badges and scarves these days - up to the buyer if they want to buy them or not

I suppose you could be prosecuted for selling without a traders license and possibly illegal use of the brand (football clubs) involved.

I think probably the vendors at Ibrox these days pay the club for their pitch.

[derby1884]

Doesn't look like the Highbury pirates were put off by the 40/- fine


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[bisphamseasider]

derby1884 wrote:

Doesn't look like the Highbury pirates were put off by the 40/- fine

They were certainly in abundance post war.

I have more Arsenal pirates (against Blackpool) than any other club.