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FOOTBALL MUSEUM, WHAT COULD TIP THE BALANCE CITY’S WAY?
time for our museum
Save Tomorrow is D-Day for the fight to stop the National Football Museum moving to
Museum
ur Manchester. CHRIS VISSER reports on how workers in Manchester are rebelling against
moving the collection - which could be missing a growing list of valuable artefacts...
Move could threaten
museum’s collections
IT is a collection wor-
thy of a world-
renowned museum in
its own right.
But these items are the
ones that won’t be heading
to Manchester if the muse-
um’s future in Preston can-
not be resurrected.
The list of valuable artefacts
includes memorabilia from a
host of World Cups, medals, Sir
Tom Finney’s personal collec-
tion and even Tommy Lawton’s
ashes.
And today more collectors
joined the growing backlash
against the controversial move
and threatened to pull their
own treasured items.
They include the match ball
used in the first World Cup
final in 1930, the ball kicked by
David Beckham to score a cru-
cial penalty and numerous FA
Cup and European Cup win-
ners’ medals.
Neville Evans, who has
loaned more than 600 items to
the museum, said: “If the move
does go ahead I would have to
seriously consider requesting
the return of my collection.
“I am very happy that several
hundred objects from my per-
sonal collections are on loan to
the National Football Museum
based in Preston.
“I firmly believe that this is
the most appropriate location
for the museum based on the
heritage merits of the site.
“However, I am disappoint-
ed that having loaned the mu-
seum such iconic artefacts as
the match ball from the first
World Cup final in 1930, I have
not been contacted personally
by the museum’s director
together with goal of saving museum
the recommendations of
hired consultant PKF
which has been assessing
both the Manchester and
Lancashire bids. But this
has stumped Mr Hen-
drick.
He said: “While it
is important
the re-
port by
Evening Post, Tuesday, November 17, 2009 5
1 The match ball from the first
ever World Cup Final in 1930
2 Brazil 1950 World Cup final
runners-up medal
3 Alan Clarke's 1972 match-
worn Leeds United Centenary
FA Cup Final shirt
4 Franz Beckenbauer match-
worn West Germany shirt
(Kevin Moore) regarding its
proposed move to Manches- 5 Eric Cantona Spitting Image
puppet
ter.”
His views were echoed by 6 Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne Spit-
ting Image puppet
Leeds-based England fan John
Greenhill who loaned the ball 7 Manchester United v Spurs
1967 FA Charity Shield medal
David Beckham used to score a
crucial penalty against Ar- 8 1971 Cup Final Arsenal train-
ing kit
gentina during England’s 1-0
win in Japan in the 2002 World 9 Match worn Di Stefano Real
Madrid shirt
Cup.
He said of the proposed
Manchester move: “If they do
10 An assortment of interna-
tional caps (England,
Scotland, Ireland and Wales)
it, I will withdraw it.
“I loaned it in good faith with
Preston being a founder club
11
medals
A number of FA Cup & Eu-
ropean Cup winners'
and it should be in Preston.
“The only other place I
would consider is Wembley.”
12 David Beckham penalty
match ball kicked into
the crowd after the Argentina
Mark Bushell, a museum v England game in the 2002
founding curator, helped col- World Cup
lect many of the museum’s rare
items.
He says numerous collectors
13 Policeman Peter
Weston’s hat worn
on the World Cup final
have expressed concerns to day when he switched the
him of a Manchester move Jules Rimet World Cup trophy
and are seriously considering for a replica in 1966
removing their items.
Mr Bushell said: “While the
museum has more than 30,000
14 Peter Weston’s armband
and whistle worn on the
same day along with photographs
objects in its collections, few of
these relate to the great play-
ers, personalities and moments
15 Pickles the dog’s collar
and lead (Pickles found
the stolen World Cup trophy in
in the game. 1966)
“What people come to see
are the key objects loaned by
private collectors. If these are
16 Medals awarded to
Pickles from the Ca-
nine Society in recognition of
removed there will be little left the dog uncovering the World
of interest apart from the Jules Cup trophy
Rimet replica trophy and
ephemera like football cards.”
The threat of removing key
17
Material
linked to
Wolverhamp-
items comes days after Tom ton Wander-
Lawton Jnr said he would re- ers manag-
move the ashes of his father er Stan
legendary footballer Tommy Cullis
Lawton from the museum if it
moves. PNE great Sir Tom
Finney is threatening to take REMOVALS? International caps, the Eric Cantona
back his collection which fills a Spitting Image puppet and Franz Beckenbauer’s shirt
whole floor at the site. could all go from the museum if it moves to Manchester
WHATDOYOUTHINK?
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the independent consultant PKF the board meeting so that they can not ● What do you think? Should the National Football Museum stay in
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mon sense to allow both of the Mr Hendrick said those deciding
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the host of the Olympic Games
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