Ball to get rolling at historic auction
IT’S a double reminder of a longgone football world. To mark the end of this season, Historic England has compiled a list of aerial views of football grounds which no longer exist.
One of the featured grounds is Roker Park in 1936 and memorabilia linked to games played at the stadium will be on offer at a two-day sale today and tomorrow by Graham Budd Auctions.
Roker Park was Sunderland’s sixth ground. Previously farmland, the club began developing the site in 1898, opening that September with a grandstand, the Clock Stand opposite, and open terraces behind each goal.
Historic England writer Gary Winter says: “Nearest the camera in this view is the Roker End.
“It was built in 1911 using reinforced concrete supports, replacing the original solid bank of terracing.
“Opposite is the Fulwell End, which was extended in 1925 and roofed in 1966 for the World Cup.”
The grandstand was rebuilt in 1929 as the main stand, designed by the renowned architect Archibald Leitch. Opposite is the new Clock Stand, shown under construction in July 1936. It was opened two months later. One of the items in the Graham Budd auction is a Sunderland v Moscow Dynamo presentation souvenir programme, the first match played under floodlights at Roker Park on November 14, 1955,
The 16-page programme is bound in a red hardback cover with gilt tooling, signed by both teams in ink on the centre team line-up page.
Moscow Dynamo signatures include legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin. The estimate is £300-£500.
Also in the sale is the Sunderland AFC Centenary team signed match football v an England XI played at Roker Park, on November 7, 1979, which is rated at £500-£700.
The ball is signed by Sunderland’s Chris Turner, John Hawley, Gordon Chisholm, Barry Dunn, Gary Rowell and Mick Buckley and for England by Bob Latchford and Stuart Boam.
The ball has more than 40 signatures from those playing and involved including England manager Ron Greenwood and Sunderland ex-players who took part in a prematch ceremony.
These include Billy Death (192428), Ernest England (1919-30), Jack Hedley (1950-59) and Charlie “Cannonball’’ Fleming (1954-58).
A First Division Sunderland v Chelsea programme from October 30, 1909 (£400-£500) and a Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday programme of March 11, 1911 (£350£400) will also be auctioned.
The sale features the days when Chelsea and South Shields met each other as Second Division equals.
Two Chelsea programmes are on offer from 1926 and 1927, when South Shields were the visitors.
A Second Division programme from 1923 from the Crystal Palace v South Shields fixture is priced at £200-£250 while an FA Cup tie programme for Liverpool v South Shields in 1920 is also £200-£250. The teams had drawn 1-1 and Liverpool won the replay 2-0.
A Carlisle United v Jarrow North Eastern League programme of April 15 1926 is estimated at £200-£250.
A Newcastle United v Chelsea programme of January 1 1910 is £400£500.
For more on the lost grounds go to https://heritagecalling. com/2022/05/19/12-lost-englishfootball-grounds.