Alan Harrington, no.4, 1958 Wales v Israel
I’ve always had an interest in match-worn Wales shirts, and I’ve been lucky enough to get a couple to hang on the wall in my office.
This is a historic shirt in Welsh history. It is a no.4 shirt worn by Cardiff City player Alan Harrington in the home play off at Ninian Park against Israel which took us to the 1958 World Cup Finals.
Amazingly I picked this up by answering a notice on the Cardiff City messageboard in the late 1990’s. The vendor’s Father was given the shirt by Harrington in return for some work he had done on his house.
Wyn Davies, v Ireland 1969
I bought this shirt no.9 Wales shirt on ebay in 1999. The vendor had bought the shirt at auction from the Mother of Tommy Craig, the former Newcastle and Ireland player. Craig had swapped his Irish shirt with his Newcastle team-mate Wyn Davies. I have a letter from Mrs Craig which explains all of this.
I’ve often thought about taking the shirt to Wyn Davies for a photograph. The Caernarfon hero now lives in Lancashire. He’s a private character, and I’ve never really had the opportunity to meet up with him.
£3,400, Sotheby's 2007
A few players’ shirts command prices which take them out of the reach of the normal fan. This no.9 shirt wwas worn by John Charles against Scotland in 1953-54. He scored twice in that game, and it is likely that the shirt was bought by a collector with Leeds or even Juventus connections.
This is the most expensive Wales player shirt I’ve ever seen at auction. It went for a staggering £3,400.
£600, Sotheby's 2005
I’ve always been interested in the career of Bryn Allen, a former Cardiff City player who hailed from my home village of Gilfach Goch.
A couple of Bryn’s Wales shirts from the 1950-1951 season came up for auction a few years ago, and both were sold for £600 each.
£600 - Sotheby's 2005
In 2005, the former West Brom full back Stuart Williams had a well publicised sale of his football shirts and memorabilia. I actually bid on this no.3 shirt, thinking that it wouldn’t be of much interest. I was surprised to see that it went for £600.
It is inscribed Wales v Denmark World Cup 1965-66, and I suppose it is that detail which raised it’s price above the £250-300 that you might normally expect for a shirt of this era. There would also have been direct authentication from the player which is of value.
£100 - Sotheby's , 2004
Occasionally you come across a shirt sale that really makes you regret your absence from that particular auction. This is a match-worn no.3 shirt that went for just £100 at Sotheby’s in 2004. It is my 2nd favourite Welsh shirt design of all-time. It was probably worn by Joey Jones, though that hasn’t been claimed or confirmed.
It’s the only time that any team I support has worn adidas, and it was the first replica shirt I ever owned. The badge is interesting on this one – note the lack of green background on the border of the crest. But £100! Jeez, what a bargain.
£320, Gary Sprake GK shirt, c.1975
I love this blue goalkeepers jersey, worn by Gary Sprake circa 1975. It was one of three shirts that Sprake sold at Sotheby’s and fetched £320.
It would have been worth up to £600, like other Sprake shirts of the time, (due to Sprake’s Leeds United connection), but it is a no.12 substitutes shirt and was not worn in a match.
£190, no.13 c.1979
And finally look at this beauty – the most desirable of all Wales shirt designs. Look at the airtex material – you can see that this is a late version of the kit we all drool over – probably 1979. This is a no.13 shirt and it went for only £190 at Sotheby’s in 2008. I’ll have two please.
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