FA Cup Is Up For Grabs
It’s the most romantic weekend of the season as the big clubs face the minnows in the Third Round of the FA Cup. However, to avoid the acute embarrassment of the possibly becoming the victims of the greatest giantkilling acts of all-time, there is a way that Chelsea and Manchester United can get their hands on the trophy without facing their respective ties tomorrow against Scunthorpe United and Exeter City.It’s the most romantic weekend of the season as the big clubs face the minnows in the Third Round of the FA Cup. However, to avoid the acute embarrassment of the possibly becoming the victims of the greatest giantkilling acts of all-time, there is a way that Chelsea and Manchester United can get their hands on the trophy without facing their respective ties tomorrow against Scunthorpe United and Exeter City.
More exactly, anyone who is prepared to part with a considerable sum will soon have the possibility of owning the oldest existing FA Cup trophy.
It’s a replica of the original trophy, which was stolen in 1895 from the shop window of William Shillcock in Birmingham, and is expected to attract bids of up to £300,000 in an auction of football memorabilia on 19 May to be held at Christie’s in South Kensington, London.
It was presented to winning teams between 1896 and 1910 and during its lifetime it was won by Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Bury, Sheffield United, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester United and Newcastle United.
It was presented to Lord Kinnaird in 1910 to mark his 21 years service as president of the Football Association and has remained in the family ever since.
Christie’s said the second and oldest version of the FA Cup was arguably the most important item of football history ever to be offered for sale. Their head of sporting memorabilia, David Convery said: “This FA Cup is arguably the most important item of football memorabilia ever offered at auction and represents the growing strength of the football memorabilia market.
“This is the oldest existing trophy of the oldest football tournament in the world.”
The highest price Christie’s have previously recorded for football memorabilia was £157,750 for the shirt worn by Brazilian legend Pele in the 1970 World Cup Final.