Here's how much Sunderland AFC fan's memorabilia went for at auction
Sunderland mad Bob Dixon, 72, had built his collection over 63 years, but decided that the time had come to part with it. He wasn’t sure his family would know what to do with it if anything was to happen to him.
The collection, sold at Boldon Auction Galleries, included tickets and match programmes from the 1973 FA Cup win, a final programme autographed by the team and a signed photograph of goal scorer Ian Porterfield.
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Hide AdThere were programmes from every game Sunderland played home and away in the 1958-59 season - the club’s first outside the top flight.
Also sold was memorabilia from the last days of Roker Park and the early days of the Stadium of Light, plus the testimonials of Brian Clough and Charlie Hurley.
There was much more besides. But auction lot which attracted the highest bidding was of miscellaneous articles from the 1937 FA Cup final, the first time SAFC lifted the trophy, beating Preston.
These items includes a match ticket, a programme signed by record scorer Bobby Gurney - who also scored Sunderland’s first goal that day, a Football Echo with full match report and, most unusually, a song sheet that was handed out to fans before the final.
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Hide AdThe 1937 lot alone brought £520. The 1973 lot went for £170, the 1958-59 programmes £90 and two signed Brian Clough autobiographies £45. A range of other SAFC souvenirs were also successfully sold.
Bob is a retired taxi driver who used to run a shop called Bob’s Football Programmes in Chilton Moor. He was very pleased with the auction.
He said: “I’m over the moon with how it went. I’m very happy with what I got for the two main lots.
“I don’t know who bought it. The 1937 stuff was sold to a bidder online. It’s gone. The only thing is if you don’t get what you expect for it.”
Bob has a little more room in his home now. But what will he do with his windfall?
He said: “Well I’ll not be buying any more football memorabilia.”