Football memorabilia collection sells for almost £400,000

A football fan's collection of memorabilia, dating back more than a century, has sold for more than double its estimated value.

Bryan Horsnell's collection included football shirts worn by stars including Sir Bobby Charlton, rare match programmes and early FA Cup medals.

Retired postal worker Mr Horsnell, 82, sold the items, amassed since the 1960s, before he moves house.

The collection of more than 200 lots sold at auction for £392,000.

Auctioneer Graham Budd described Mr Horsnell's collection as "an incredible array of treasures".

He said there had been an "intense body of bidding" during the auction which overran by two hours.

"It has been one of the most successful auctions we have had for many years, which is a tribute to the outstanding quality of the Bryan Horsnell Collection," he said.

Mr Horsnell, from Reading, Berkshire, also owned a signed red Manchester United No 9 home jersey worn by Sir Bobby Charlton, dating from the mid-1960s. It sold for £18,075 to a private collector.

Among the highlights of the medals were two FA Cup winner's medals, won by father and son Harry Johnson Senior and Harry Johnson Junior with Sheffield United.

Dating from 1902 and 1925, they were bought by a private collector for £9,038 and £10,243 respectively.

Only three other father and son duos have matched the Johnsons' achievement - Frank Lampard Sr and Jr, Ian Wright and Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Peter and Kasper Schmeichel.

A pennant, given by the Portuguese FA ahead of the Portugal v England semi-final during the 1966 World Cup, sold for more than £7,000.

The highest single price achieved was for a Football League Division One championship medal awarded to Harry Cawthorne, of Huddersfield Town, in 1923/24.

It was bought by a private collector for £19,280.

Sold separately was every England cap owned by Arsenal legend Cliff Bastin, who played for his country 21 times between 1931 and 1938.

The caps collectively sold for £61,817 - nearly double the forecast.

A number of other notable items were sold during the auction, such as the earliest Manchester United football medal ever to have been offered for sale, which fetched £24,100.

The Manchester Senior Cup winner's medal was awarded to Newton Heath's Thomas Fitzsimmons in 1893. Newton Heath became Manchester United in 1902.

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