Football treasures unearthed at Sheffield valuation day to be sold for charity

Geraldine Houlton, from Fulwood, has vowed to support Sheffield City Councils Clean Sheffield campaign and is encouraging fellow litter heroes to join her on her mission.

The owner of the sign, Michael Ebbs, aged 46, of Heeley Green, took the sign along to the first-ever sporting valuation event, held on behalf of Hansons Auctioneers earlier this month.

The event was held by sports memorabilia valuer Alistair Lofley, who owns 100,000 football programmes and has been a keen collector and dealer for decades.

Among the treasures taken to him at The Abbeydale Picture House, Abbeydale Road, was the Bramall Lane cast iron street sign.

Alistair said: “I was amazed when I saw it. It’s a little worse for wear but what a fantastic item to own if you are a die-hard Sheffield United fan.

Owner of the sign, Michael, said: “The sign used to be on the wall of a business in Bramall Lane back in the 1960s.”

Michael, who’s involved in shop refurbishment and maintenance, said the council put up a new, modern sign and the owner of the business wanted the old sign removing from the wall of his property.

It was given to Michael at the time, who now plans to sell it for charity. It will go to help children with cancer.

The sign, which will sell for an estimate of £80 to £100, went under the hammer at Hansons’ Sporting Memorabilia Auction yesterday. It was not known how much the sign was sold for at the time The Star went to print.

Also found at the Sheffield valuation day was a rare bound volume of 30 Sheffield Wednesday programmes from 1912/1913 season, including first team and reserve matches. They were also sold at auction.