Spotlight on: the Football League 100 Legends

38. Tom Finney - Preston North End (1946-1960)

Playing Position: Striker, Outside Right

Sir Thomas Finney, OBE (5 April 1922) spent his entire Football League career playing for Preston North End. He made 433 appearances for the club, scoring 187 goals.

       c1951 "Turf" Slide (Carreras) Famous Footballers #41

Finney was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1961, and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1992.

Finney also fought in World War 2.

Cards Collected: 6 out of 100 (6%)

Spotlight on: the Football League 100 Legends

29. Frank Swift - Manchester City (1933-1951)

Playing Position: Goalkeeper

Frank Victor Swift (26 December 1913 - 6 February 1958) spent his entire career with Manchester City, where he played as a goalkeeper. He won the FA Cup with Manchester City in 1934.

                                         c1934 JA Pattreioux Tobacco #33*
                             (*first card)

After World War 2, Swift made his international debut for England. In total, he made 19 appearances for his country.

Swift retired in 1949, and began a career in journalism. It was to be a fateful career decision. Swift was killed in the Munich Air Disaster of 1958, after reporting on Manchester United's European Cup match vs. Red Star Belgrade. He was just 44 years old.

Cards collected: 5 out of 100 (5%)
Earliest cards collected: 3 out of 100 (3%)

 

Spotlight on: the Football League 100 Legends

64. Geoff Hurst - West Ham, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion (1959-1976)

Playing Position: Striker

Sir Geoffrey Charles Hurst MBE (8 December 1941) spent 13 years playing football for West Ham United, where he scored 180 goals. He also played at Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion.

                         1964 A&BC #36*
                         (*first card)

Between 1966 and 1972, Hurst made 49 International appearances for England, scoring 24 goals. Hurst is best remembered for being the only player in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. His three goals came in England's 4-2 cup-clinching victory over West Germany in 1966, at the old Wembley.

Cards collected: 4 out of 100 (4%)
Earliest cards collected: 2 out of 100 (2%)

Spotlight on: the Football League 100 Legends

62. Bobby Moore - West Ham, Fulham (1958-1977)

Playing Position: Defender

Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE (12 April 1941 - 24 February 1993) played his Football League matches for West Ham United and Fulham. He captained West Ham United for over ten years, and was the captain of the England team that won the World Cup in 1966.

                       1962-63 A&BC (Bazooka) #20*
                             (*first card)

Moore died in 1993. Of Moore, Pele said, "He was my friend as well as the greatest defender I ever played against. The world has lost one of its greatest football players and an honourable gentleman."

Cards collected: 3 out of 100 (3%)
Earliest cards collected: 1 out of 100 (1%)

Spotlight on: French Soccer Prior to World War 2

In addition to my pursuit of the cards of players from the Football League 100 Legends list, I also collect vintage soccer cards from around the world.

                                              c1935 Byrrh Jacques Mairesse (front)

Jacques Mairesse (27 February 1905 - 13 June 1940) was a French association footballer. He played for FC Sete, Red Star, and FC Strasbourg. He played 6 times for France, including matches during the 1928 Olympics and the 1934 World Cup Finals. He was even named captain for one match.

Off the pitch, Mairesse was very concerned with professionalism and the sport of football. In particular, Mairesse was concerned with the low income that French football players earned while playing (so little, in fact, that most players had to take on second jobs in order to make ends meet), and also that players (prior to their 35th birthday) had no control over which team they played for. In the French system, players could be transferred from team to team, with the players having no say in the matter. (A more modern comparison to Mairesse would be Marvin Miller and his free agency fight with Major League Baseball.) In 1936, Mairesse's concerns with the French football system led him to create the first players' union--the Amicale des joueurs professionnels (AJP).

In 1939, soon after the mobilization, Mairesse was drafted into the French army. In June 1940, Germany invaded France. Many French soldiers, including Mairesse, were taken into custody as prisoners of war. On 13 June 1940, Mairesse was shot and killed attempting to escape.

                                            c1935 Byrrh Jacques Mairesse (reverse)

That this card survived the German occupation of France during World War 2 intact, makes it rare; that it was autographed on the reverse by Mairesse, makes the existence of this card nothing short of remarkable. (Because Byrrh issued these cards c1935, and he was killed in 1940, the period of time during which Mairesse could have signed this card is extremely limited.)

Spotlight on: the Football League 100 Legends

1. Billy Bassett - West Bromwich Albion (1886-1899)

Playing position: Outside Right

William Isiah Bassett (27 January 1869 – 8 April 1937) spent his entire career with West Bromwich Albion. He played 261 Football League games with the club, scoring 61 goals. He made 16 international appearances for England, scoring 8 goals.

West Bromwich Albion won the Football Association Challenge (FA) Cup in 1888.

                                              c1902 Ogden's Tab F Series, No. 245

After his playing career, Bassett became a director and eventually club director for West Bromwich Albion, serving the club for more than half a century.

Bassett died 8 April 1937. More than 100,000 people lined the streets of West Bromwich for his funeral procession.

Cards collected: 2 out of 100 (2%)

Spotlight on: the Football League 100 Legends

37. Nat Lofthouse - Bolton (1946-1961)

Playing position: Centre Forward

Nathaniel “Nat” Lofthouse, OBE (27 August 1925 – 15 January 2011) spent his entire career with Bolton Wanderers. He made his league debut with the club on 31 August 1946 against Chelsea, scoring twice in a 4-3 defeat.

                                             c1950 Clifford Series Footballers #49            

Between 22 November 1950 and 26 November 1958, Lofthouse played 33 games for England, scoring 30 goals. On 25 May 1952, Lofthouse earned the nickname “Lion of Vienna” for his play during England’s 3-2 victory over Austria.

On 1 January 1994, Lofthouse was appointed an OBE.

Cards collected: 1 out of 100 (1%)

The Premier League is the top tier of the English football league system. The Football League was originally founded in 1888. In 1992, the top 20 clubs in the Football League First Division broke away from the Football League to form the Premier League. They did so in order to take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal. Currently, the Premier League operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Football League. At the end of each season, the three lowest placed Premier League teams are relegated into the Football League Championship, and the top two teams from the Championship, along with the winner of a playoff involving the 3^rd to 6^th placed Championship clubs, are promoted in their place.

In 1998, during the 100th season of the (English) Football League, football journalists chose the top 100 players who played all or part of their professional career in what is now known around the world as the English Premier League. For the remainder of 2012, and throughout 2013 (as suggested by a fellow blogger and soccer card enthusiast http://chucksusedcards.blogspot.com/2012/09/collecting-focus-2012-votes-are-in.html), my collection will be focused on the Football League 100 Legends list (please see below).

Here is the list (presented chronologically, in order of first Football League appearance):

Player -- Club(s) -- (Years Active)

1. Billy Bassett - West Bromwich Albion (1886-1899)

2. Archie Hunter - Aston Villa (1888-1891)

3. John Goodall - Preston, Derby, New Brighton, Glossop (1888-1904)

4. Steve Bloomer - Derby, Middlesbrough (1892-1915)

5. Billy Meredith - Northwich Victoria, Manchester City, Manchester United (1893-1925)

6. Bob Crompton - Blackburn (1896-1921)

7. Billy Foulke - Sheffield United, Chelsea, Bradford (1894-1908)

8. Alf Common - Sunderland, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, Arsenal, Preston (1900-1915)

9. Sam Hardy - Chesterfield, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest (1902-1926)

10. Bill McCracken - Newcastle (1904-1924)

11. Viv Woodward - Tottenham, Chelsea (1908-1915)

12. Clem Stephenson - Aston Villa, Huddersfield (1910-1930)

13. Charles Buchan - Sunderland, Arsenal (1910-1929)

14. Elisha Scott - Liverpool (1912-1934)

15. Dixie Dean - Tranmere, Everton, Notts County (1923-1939)

16. George Camsell - Durham, Middlesbrough (1924-1939)

17. Hughie Gallagher - Newcastle, Chelsea, Derby, Notts County, Grimsby, Gateshead (1925-1939)

18. Harry Hibbs - Birmingham, Bristol City (1925-1939)

19. Alex James - Preston, Arsenal (1925-1938)

20. Eddie Hapgood - Arsenal (1927-1939)

21. Cliff Bastin - Exeter, Arsenal (1927-1948)

22. Wilf Copping - Leeds, Arsenal (1930-1939)

23. David Jack - Plymouth, Bolton, Arsenal (1919-1935)

24. Stanley Matthews - Stoke, Blackpool (1931-1966)

25. Ted Drake - Southampton, Arsenal (1931-1939)

26. Joe Mercer - Everton, Arsenal (1932-1954)

27. Raich Carter - Sunderland, Derby, Hull (1932-1953)

28. Peter Doherty - Blackpool, Manchester City, Derby, Huddersfield, Doncaster (1933-1954)

29. Frank Swift - Manchester City (1933-1951)

30. Tommy Lawton - Burnley, Everton, Chelsea, Notts County, Brentford, Arsenal (1935-1957)

31. Wilf Mannion - Middlesbrough, Hull (1936-1956)

32. George Hardwick - Middlesbrough, Oldham (1937-1956)

33. Johnny Carey - Manchester United (1937-1954)

34. Stan Mortensen - Blackpool, Hull, Southport (1938-1958)

35. Neil Franklin - Stoke, Hull, Crewe, Stockport (1946-1958)

36. Trevor Ford - Swansea, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Cardiff, Newport (1946-1961)

37. Nat Lofthouse - Bolton (1946-1961)

38. Tom Finney - Preston North End (1946-1960)

39. Alf Ramsey - Southampton, Tottenham (1946-1955)

40. Len Shackleton - Bradford Park Avenue, Newcastle, Sunderland (1946-1958)

41. Jim Dickinson - Portsmouth (1946-1965)

42. Arthur Rowley - West Bromwich Albion, Fulham, Leicester, Shrewsbury (1946-1965)

43. Billy Liddell - Liverpool (1946-1961)

44. Billy Wright - Wolverhampton Wanderers (1946-1959)

45. Jackie Milburn - Newcastle (1946-1957)

46. John Charles - Leeds, Cardiff (1948-1966)

47. Ivor Allchurch - Swansea, Newport, Cardiff (1948-1968)

48. Danny Blanchflower - Barnsley, Aston Villa, Tottenham (1948-1964)

49. Bert Trautmann - Manchester City (1949-1964)

50. Jimmy McIlroy - Burnley, Stoke, Oldham (1950-1968)

51. Tommy Taylor - Barnsley, Manchester United (1950-1958)

52. Cliff Jones - Swansea, Tottenham, Fulham (1952-1970)

53. Johnny Haynes - Fulham (1952-1970)

54. Duncan Edwards - Manchester United (1953-1958)

55. Jimmy Armfield - Blackpool (1954-1971)

56. Terry Paine - Southampton, Hereford (1956-1977)

57. Bobby Charlton - Manchester United, Preston (1956-1975)

58. Jimmy Greaves - Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham (1957-1971)

59. Denis Law - Huddersfield, Manchester City, Manchester United (1956-1974)

60. Gordon Banks - Chesterfield, Leicester, Stoke (1958-1973)

61. Dave Mackay - Tottenham, Derby, Swindon (1958-1972)

62. Bobby Moore - West Ham, Fulham (1958-1977)

63. Alan Mullery - Fulham, Tottenham (1958-1976)

64. Geoff Hurst - West Ham, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion (1959-1976)

65. Nobby Stiles - Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Preston (1959-1974)

66. Johnny Giles - Manchester United, Leeds, West Bromwich Albion (1959-1977)

67. Billy Bremner - Leeds, Hull, Doncaster (1959-1982)

68. Frank McLintock - Leicester, Arsenal, QPR (1959-1977)

69. Alec Young - Everton, Stockport (1960-1969)

70. Martin Peters - West Ham, Tottenham, Norwich, Sheffield United (1960-1981)

71. Tommy Smith - Liverpool, Swansea (1962-1979)

72. Norman Hunter - Leeds, Bristol City, Barnsley (1962-1983)

73. Pat Jennings - Watford, Tottenham, Arsenal (1962-1985)

74. Alan Ball - Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal, Southampton, Bristol Rovers (1962-1984)

75. Colin Bell - Bury, Manchester City (1963-1979)

76. George Best - Manchester United, Stockport, Fulham, Bournemouth (1963-1983)

77. Peter Shilton - Leicester, Stockport, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Derby, Plymouth, Bolton, Leyton Orient (1965-1997)

78. Ray Clemence - Scunthorpe, Liverpool, Tottenham (1965-1988)

79. Malcolm McDonald - Fulham, Luton, Newcastle, Arsenal (1968-1977)

80. Kevin Keegan - Scunthorpe, Liverpool, Southampton, Newcastle (1968-1984)

81. Trevor Francis - Birmingham, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, QPR, Sheffield Wednesday (1970-1995)

82. Graeme Souness - Middlesbrough, Liverpool (1972-1984)

83. Liam Brady - Arsenal, West Ham (1973-1990)

84. Glenn Hoddle - Tottenham, Swindon, Chelsea (1974-1996)

85. Bryan Robson - West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United, Middlesbrough (1974-1997)

86. Alan Hansen - Liverpool (1977-1990)

87. Kenny Dalglish - Liverpool (1977-1990)

88. Gary Lineker - Leicester, Everton, Tottenham (1978-1993)

89. Ian Rush - Chester, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield United, Wrexham (1978-1999)

90. Ossie Ardiles - Tottenham, Blackburn, QPR, Swindon (1978-1990)

91. Neville Southall - Bury, Port Vale, Everton, Stoke, Torquay United, Bredford City (1980-2000)

92. Paul McGrath - Manchester United, Aston Villa, Derby Co, Sheffield United (1981-1998)

93. John Barnes - Watford, Liverpool, Newcastle, Charlton Athletic (1981-1999)

94. Tony Adams - Arsenal (1983-2002)

95. Paul Gascoigne - Newcastle, Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Everton, Burnley, Boston United (1984-2004)

96. Alan Shearer - Southampton, Blackburn, Newcastle (1987-2006)

97. Ryan Giggs - Manchester United (1990-    )

98. Eric Cantona - Leeds, Manchester United (1991-1997)

99. Peter Schmeichel - Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City (1991-2003)

100. Dennis Bergkamp - Arsenal (1995-2006)

These are my collecting goals for the remainder of 2012, and throughout 2013:

1. To obtain one “career-contemporary” card (a card issued while a player was still active) of every player on the list.
2. To obtain the first card on which each player appears (list to be established).
3. Variety. I would like to obtain a typecard from as many different sets as possible, while still remaining within the scope of my first collecting goal.