Newcastle-Online comment: 11th June 2004
Toon
legend and FA Cup hero Alf McMichael yesterday sold his treasured
mementos from the 1952 FA Cup Final where the former full-back helped
United to beat Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley Stadium as the Magpies picked
up their second win in consecutive years.
McMichael, who was United's most capped player for decades decided
to auction his mementos after learning of break-ins at former footballers'
homes which made the former Northern Ireland international concerned
about the treasures that he kept and with a family to support Alf
knew his family could benefit from the money generated from the sales.
At an auction in Olympia his prized medal went for £6,325 and the
shirt he wore against Arsenal went for 3,910. Also included in the
auction was his souvenir album of that great day at Wembley, a scrapbook
signed by his team-mates, rosettes, programmes, telegrams, match tickets
and various press cuttings.
A silver miniature replica and plaque form United's 1951 and 1955
Charity Shield games and his 40 Northern Ireland Caps also went under
the hammer.
All told his collection fetched a total of £19,779.
Alf, now in his 70's and living in Bangor spoke of his sorrow at seeing
his prized possessions being sold;
"I hate to part with any of the collection but I would rather my family
had some benefit from it.", he said.
Alf who signed from Linfield and earned £8 a week described his time
on Tyneside as the happiest days of his life.
He said: "When we came away from Newcastle it was a heartache.
"I remember the marvelous Newcastle fans. The one thing I miss is
the Gallowgate roar.
"They are great supporters and those days at St James's Park will
live with me for the rest of my days."
On his day out at Wembley the living Toon legend added: "Wembley was
a lucky ground for me."
It's a damn shame when a former player has to sell his prized possessions,
especially in an age where footballers of today earn more in a day
than what the likes of Alf McMichael earned in a year and it must
be heart wrenching to see some stranger buy the very things that he
would have dreamed about achieving as a lad growing up hoping to become
a professional footballer.
The modern footballer is pampered and luxuries are dished out on a
silver plate for even the most average of players today - football
well and truly looks after them but what about former players? That's
all they are, former players with their memories and mementos. I'm
happy that he got a substantial sum of money but I'm saddened that
he had to sell them in the first place.
The very club he played for with distinction could so easily have
made a great gesture by buying his mementos to display in the St.
James' Park trophy cabinet - a cabinet containing a 1952 FA Cup that
Alf McMichael helped to bring back to Tyneside no less.
It sickens me reading things like this...
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