Junior Football Championship of Great Britain

[Merseman]

Good afternoon to users of this forum.

I recently started to collect programmes from the finals of the so called Junior Football Championship of Great Britain. This ran from the end of the war until the mid 1950s. It was run by the Star Newspaper with the Empire Stadium at Wembley as a show case for young players. British-wide teams from the Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps, Sea Cadet Corps and National Associations of Boys Clubs were paired into 2 Semi-Finals with the winners meeting at Wembley at the end of the season.

Until 1952 there was an accompanying Junior Boxing Championships at the Empire Pool, held over the same weekend. It was an early attempt by outside parties at what we would nowadays call youth development, I suppose.

I was attracted to make a little side line and collect these programmes: it was an unusual competition and the programmes are very colourful - and distinctive - by 1940 and 1950s standards. I have put cover photos of the programmes I have collected so far under here. There was not a tournament in 1954-55. I understand the last tournament was 1955-56.


I'm looking for the following programmes, if they exist, to complete my set:

1945-46 at Wembley
1946-47 at Stamford Bridge (Wembley hosting England v Scotland)
1947-48 at Wembley
1948-49 replay at Brentford

I know a programme exists for the 1949 replay at Brentford, as 2 have gone on Ebay in recent months. Unfortunately, the first was just before I went looking for them, and the second I forgot to bid on.

If anyone has any of those 4 programmes for sale / know programmes weren't issued for some / knows the tournament did run beyond 1956 - I would be very interested to hear from you.

Kind regards, Merseman

[cfcmartin1965]

Hi,

There was a programme issued for the Semi Final played between Sea Cadets & Boys Clubs at Stamford Bridge on the 12th April 1947.

I have yet to see a copy of this programme but I imagine it would be a single sheet as Chelsea reserve programmes from this season are also single sheet.

Martin

[Merseman]

Thank you. They did issue a bespoke programme, with the usual bright yellow / orange cover, for the replay at Brentford in 1949 so it wouldn't be out of the question for them to have done at Chelsea in 1947.

From what you are saying, I take it the programme could be quite rare?

That leaves the question of whether programmes were issued or not in 1946 or 1948. And if anyone has any going.

[bjm]

Though I have Wembley Final programmes for 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1956 unfortunately I cannot help with your query re earlier programmes. However, as a matter of interest, I do have semi final programmes for matches played at Southall on 22 April, 1859 (ATC v NABC) and 21 April, 1951 (SCC v ACF).
in adition, I also have Youth Championship Final Tie at Wembley 20 May 1950 Essex v Middlesex and Nat.Assoc of Boys Club Final, again at Southall, on 3 May, 1952 between Berkshire v Manchester - trophy from "News Chronicle".

[bjm]

Sorry - typing error - semi final date should have read 22 April, 1950!!!!!

[Merseman]

Thank you for that - I am only interested in Junior Championship Finals for the moment at least. It's possible there weren't any programmes in the early years but maybe someone knows.

[Simon68]

Hello,

I have come across an engraved medal that reads “The Star” Junior Football Championship of Gt Britain 1952-53 Semi-Finalists.

Would this be of interest to you?

Regards

Simon

[manchesterunitedman1]

bjm wrote:

Though I have Wembley Final programmes for 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1956 unfortunately I cannot help with your query re earlier programmes. However, as a matter of interest, I do have semi final programmes for matches played at Southall on 22 April, 1859 (ATC v NABC) and 21 April, 1951 (SCC v ACF). in adition, I also have Youth Championship Final Tie at Wembley 20 May 1950 Essex v Middlesex and Nat.Assoc of Boys Club Final, again at Southall, on 3 May, 1952 between Berkshire v Manchester - trophy from "News Chronicle".

Hi

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[Simon68]

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[se20blue]

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Ipswich Town programmes required,please message me if you are able to help
9/2/46 Norwich City A
29/3/47 Port Vale A

[manchesterunitedman1]

Simon68 wrote:

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The message was not sent to you it was sent to "bjm" ok
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[manchesterunitedman1]

bjm wrote:

Though I have Wembley Final programmes for 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1956 unfortunately I cannot help with your query re earlier programmes. However, as a matter of interest, I do have semi final programmes for matches played at Southall on 22 April, 1859 (ATC v NABC) and 21 April, 1951 (SCC v ACF). in adition, I also have Youth Championship Final Tie at Wembley 20 May 1950 Essex v Middlesex and Nat.Assoc of Boys Club Final, again at Southall, on 3 May, 1952 between Berkshire v Manchester - trophy from "News Chronicle".

PM sent to you-Thanks
_________________
To see 20,00++ original items relating to Newton Heath & Manchester Utd 1878-2023 then visit www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterunitedman1/sets to see entire uploads.

1000's more images to be uploaded, to view the latest uploads go to www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterunitedman1/

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[bjm]

Hi Leslie, Reply sent, Thank you, Bruce.

[Merseman]

Over the years I've acquired most of the other final programmes, here are their covers:








I'm still missing 1947 final at Stamford Bridge. If anybody has it drop me a PM .