Graham Budd

A shirt from the first time the famed All Blacks played in white instead has sold at auction.

The growth in the market for vintage football tops connected to popular players continues apace

A timed online sale of sporting memorabilia that closed on August 27 at Graham Budd was topped by a photocard of Cuthbert J Ottaway (1850-78).

This faded red-brown velvet cap worn by Alfred St George Hamersley (1848-1929) is believed to be the earliest rugby international cap to come to auction.

A Tennis Match at Manchester is a very rare print marking one of the first British tennis tournaments.

A chance purchase at auction during lockdown inspired a whole book on a single day of the Tour de France 100 years ago

While the achievement of Manchester City players in winning three titles in consecutive seasons – with a treble – is certainly admirable, spare a thought for Tom Wilson, a footballer of a much earlier era.

In one way, Johnny Berry (1926-94) was luckier than many of Manchester United’s Busby Babes: he survived the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958, that killed many of his teammates.

This jersey dates from between 1886 and 1890, making it not just the oldest Middlesbrough FC shirt but possibly the oldest Football League shirt extant.

With Arsenal still setting the pace at the top of the Premier League as we went to press, several lots offered at Graham Budd’s (24% buyer’s premium) sale on March 7-8 acted as a reminder of the club’s formative days.

Gold has become the standard to aspire to at the Olympics but for the first version of the modern summer Games it was silver.

The soaring demand for sport memorabilia is evident from the result for the shirt of a player who did not even make it on to the pitch for a famous game.

A hat-trick of six-figure prices was achieved for England 1966 World Cup hero Alan Ball’s (1945-2007) winner’s medal, cup final shirt and World Cup cap.

The game between Arsenal v Manchester United in 1979 provided one of the greatest finishes in FA Cup final history.

Two sporting ‘firsts’ are being marked by lots coming up in separate auctions this month.

Long before Mirandinha, Faustino Asprilla and Nolberto Solano graced the hallowed turf of Newcastle United’s St James’ Park, two brothers paved the way for South American footballers to play professionally in England.