Posted on 31st Jul
A collection of memorabilia awarded to Paul Matthews, a Mansfield Town midfielder of the 1970s, is to be auctioned on Tuesday, 6th August.
The auction will take place at Market Harborough-based Gildings Auctioneers, just three days ahead of newly promoted Mansfield Town FC’s debut EFL League One match away to Barnsley FC on 9th August, following almost a decade in the fourth tier of English football.
Two 9 carat gold Football League plaques dating from Mansfield Town’s 1970s glory years when they won the only league titles in their history, will be offered as one lot with a pre-auction estimate of £3,000 – £5,000.
One plaque commemorates the Stags’ Division Four win in the 1974/75 season; the other marks their victory in Division Three in the 1976/77 season.
Paul Matthews, who made 124 appearances over five years at the club, was one of only nine players to have been involved in both winning campaigns.
“After years of sitting in a drawer, it’s time I passed these pieces of Mansfield Town history on to a new home”, says Matthews, now 77 and back living in his home city of Leicester. “It’s a fantastic traditional club, forming a backbone to the town and the community. They have certainly had their ups and downs, and thankfully I played a part in providing some of the ups! With them gaining promotion to the EFL League One this coming season, hopefully now is a good time to sell these pieces of club history.”
The second lot in the auction is a Leicester City shirt and Umbro tracksuit commemorating the Foxes’ 1969 FA Cup Final against Manchester City, which they lost 1 – 0.
Matthews made 61 appearances for Leicester City between 1964 -1972 and his transfer to Mansfield Town after the 1972 season was a common move for Leicester City players of the era.
“We’re excited to offer this football memorabilia at auction,” said Gildings director Will Gilding. “Just days before the kick-off of the football season, it’s great that fans of two historic East Midlands-based clubs will have the opportunity to get their hands on some vintage football kits and league winners’ medals from the personal collection of Paul Matthews.”
Alongside Paul Matthews’ collection, items from a much larger private collection of sporting and entertainment memorabilia are also up for grabs in the auction, including a well-presented signed World Cup 1966 winner’s shirt and a signed Pelé shirt, both estimated at £200 – £300.
To view the auction catalogue, go to https://www.gildings.co.uk/
