Issue Dates of Pre-1900 Cricket Cigarette Cards

This article will attempt to provide overview the first issue dates of sets of pre-1900 cricket cigarette cards. It is acknowledged that this list may not be comprehensive as other lesser known sets may exist. For instance, there are reports of a very early Anonymous issue cricket card set from Australia that was released some […]

Chromolithographs and Prints of Association Football’s Early Legends

Pre-Cardboard treasures Like many others, I enjoy sports card collecting as an interactive way of learning the history of a sport. But what should one do, when you discover legendary players that were around before cigarette cards existed? Luckily for association football collectors, there are “shield cards” that were made by Briggs, Baines, and Sharpe […]

Daily Herald SportFoto Football Series

A Complicated but Important Association Football Set Between 1950 and 1954, the now defunct Daily Herald Newspaper issued several sets of association footballers. The sets are important as they include early and rookie cards of some of the games greatest players including the legendary John Charles. However, there are a lot of variations among the […]

Issue Dates of Pre-1900 Association Football Card Sets

The BIG Six Determining the dates of pre-1900 cigarette cards has been a notoriously challenging exercise. The following section reveals through research what are likely date(s) for which the sets were issued. I will focus on the big six in the order from oldest to newest with newest still being over a 120 years ago. […]

LOAFRS 15 – John Charles’ Rookie Card

Legends of Association Football Series – John Charles In this segment, only one player is going to be featured and that player is John Charles. There are two reasons that I am only featuring Charles: 1) additional biography for the achievements for a player, who is arguably the greatest that Britain has ever produced and […]

The Complicated Case of Tommy Burns

Why Tommy Burns just might be the greatest Canadian Athlete ever? The greatest Canadian athlete ever? Come on. Well, hold on, hold on. It’s complicated, let me explain. First, let me tell you a little about Tommy Burns and then I will make my case. Tommy Burns is best known as a professional boxer and […]

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Pre-war Association Football Soccer Rookie Card List

Rookie Card Player Index This index provides links for the cigarette rookie cards of each prewar legend of Football League. Note it does not include Shield type cards such as Baines or Sharpe. No. Player Card Football League Career Rookie CardYear 1. Billy Bassett Rookie Card 1888–1899 1896 2. Archie Hunter (No Card) 1888–1890 N/A […]

LoAFRS 14 -Swift, Mannion, Lawton

Legends of Association Football Rookie Series 14 – Frank Swift, WIlf Mannion, and Tommy LAwton 37. Frank Swift – Football League Career 1933–1951 Spending an entire 18-year career with one club takes a special type of player, and even more special if that position is a goal keeper. Frank Swift shares the title of best […]

LoAFRS 13 – Carter, Copping, Mercer

Legends of Association Football Rookie Series: Raich Carter, Wilf Copping and Joe Mercer 34. Raich Carter Football League Career 1932–1953 Born Horatio Stratton, but known in the football world as just Raich, Carter started his career at Sunderland in 1934, where he quickly became one of the best inside forwards in the game. Shortly after […]

LoAFRS 12 – Matthews, Drake, and Doherty

Legends of Association Football Rookie series 12 – Stanley Matthews, Ted Drake and Peter Doherty 31. Stanley Matthews – Football League Career 1931–1966 A generational talent, Stanley Matthews is the only player to ever be knighted while still playing. Yes, imagine how it must have been for the other players to play against “Sir Stanley” […]