Football shirt saved from jumble sale worth up to £1,200 as it goes under hammer in Derbyshire

A century-old England football shirt that nearly ended up at a jumble sale was saved by an auction house launched by a Derbyshire antiques celebrity.
Sports valuer David Wilson-Turner with the old England shirt.Sports valuer David Wilson-Turner with the old England shirt.
Sports valuer David Wilson-Turner with the old England shirt.

The historical treasure dating back to 1911, which displays the three lions, was uncovered by Hansons Auctioneers.

It’s now set to go under the hammer on February 18 with an estimate of £800 to £1,200.

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The shirt was worn in an England v Wales British home championship game at The Den, London, on March 13, 1911, in front of a crowd of 22,000.

Though records reveal England won 3-0 and provide full team line-ups, it’s not known which England player wore the shirt as it ended up in the possession of Welsh international footballer Ted Vizard.

David Wilson-Turner, sports memorabilia expert at Hansons, said: “Just like today, players sometimes swapped shirts after a game.

“Vizard was playing for Wales, gaining his third cap in his first match against England. He swapped his shirt with one of the England players – we just don’t

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know which one. It’s a great historical find and very rare. It also demonstrates how much sportswear has changed. It’s a traditional long-sleeved men’s shirt with buttons, cuffs and a collar and is made out of thick

material. It’s a million miles away from the sleek designer football shirts of today. But its England football pedigree is unmistakable thanks to its breast badge displaying three lions and a crown.

“We discovered that it nearly ended up at a jumble sale but for the intervention of the Midlands family who own it now.”

The seller, who did not wish to be named, said: “The shirt was given to my mother about 50 years ago. She used to clean for Ted Vizard and his wife in the early 1970s.

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“She brought the shirt home one day and said the Vizards were having a clear out of items to send to a jumble sale.

“ Mrs Vizard knew my mother had two sons and asked if she would like the England shirt from his first match playing for Wales against England.

“When it was given to my mother about 50 years ago it was probably not of great value. I wonder what else was sent to the jumble sale?

The 1911 shirt will be sold in a sports memorabilia auction at Hansons, Heage Lane, Etwall, on February 18.