An historically interesting 'First World Cup' winner's medal for the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy 1909 won by James Dickenson the goalkeeper of West Auckland FC Great Britain's representative team, an Italian medal with the obverse struck with a footballing scene, the reverse struck with a football enclosed by a laurel wreath and inscribed TORNEO INTERNAZIONALE DI FOOT-BALL, INDETTO DALLA STAMPA SPORTIVA , TORINO, APRILE 1909 In Turin, in 1909, Sir Thomas Lipton organised a football tournament in what is sometimes descrbed as the First World Cup. The Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was contested by Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Great Britain. The first three named nations all sent their most prestigious professional club sides to represent them, namely Juventus, Stuttgart & F.C.Winterhour. The Football Association, however, declined Sir Thomas's invitation. The millionaire businessman was determined that Great Britain should be represented and, for reasons that appear vague in the mists of time, West Auckland of the Northern League came forward as the British representatives. The team of amateurs were mainly comprised of coal miners. Heroically, West Auckland took on the professional teams and progressed to the final beating Stuttgart 2-0 before becoming 'world champions' by beating F.C. Winterhour by the same scorline in the final played on 12th April 1909. Two years later West Auckland returned to Italy to defend their title, beating Juventus 6-1 in the 1911 final. As stipulated in the rules of the competition, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was then won outright by the north-east club. The tours had put considerable financial strain on the club for which a solution came when Mrs Lancaster, landlady of the Wheatsheaf Hotel, which served as the club's HQ, loaned West Auckland the sum of £40 using the trophy as security. It remained in her possession for almost 50 years when, in 1960, officials at West Auckland FC managed to track down Mrs Lancaster in her retirement home in Liverpool. The trophy was returned to the club for a sum of £100 and put on display in the Eden Arms Public House, which was the home of the club secretary Mr Sid Douthwaite. Security was only tightened after the disappearance of the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966 where after it was kept under lock & key. Tragically, however, in 1994 the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was stolen from the West Auckland workingmen's club. Despite the efforts of the police and a financial reward, the 32'' silver trophy was never recovered. The Sheffield silversmith Mr Jack Spencer, working from photographs and video tape, was able to manufacture a replica which stands proud as the workingmen's club as a permanent reminder that West Auckland were the winners of the First World Cup. In 1981 a film was made by Tyne-Tees Television entitled 'A Captain's Tale' which reconstructed the story and starred Dennis Waterman in the part of Bob Jones, the club captain. The medal being offered for auction here was loaned to Tyne-Tees TV and used for the medal presentation in the filming. The medal was won by James Dickenson, the West Auckland goalkeeper, and grand father of the present vendor. Although goalie, Dickenson was the team's penalty taker and scored the second of the West Auckland goals in the 2-0 win over Stuttgart.
£15,000 - £20,000
An historically interesting 'First World Cup' winner's medal for the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy 1909 won by James Dickenson the goalkeeper of West Auckland FC Great Britain's representative team, an Italian medal with the obverse struck with a footballing scene, the reverse struck with a football enclosed by a laurel wreath and inscribed TORNEO INTERNAZIONALE DI FOOT-BALL, INDETTO DALLA STAMPA SPORTIVA , TORINO, APRILE 1909 In Turin, in 1909, Sir Thomas Lipton organised a football tournament in what is sometimes descrbed as the First World Cup. The Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was contested by Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Great Britain. The first three named nations all sent their most prestigious professional club sides to represent them, namely Juventus, Stuttgart & F.C.Winterhour. The Football Association, however, declined Sir Thomas's invitation. The millionaire businessman was determined that Great Britain should be represented and, for reasons that appear vague in the mists of time, West Auckland of the Northern League came forward as the British representatives. The team of amateurs were mainly comprised of coal miners. Heroically, West Auckland took on the professional teams and progressed to the final beating Stuttgart 2-0 before becoming 'world champions' by beating F.C. Winterhour by the same scorline in the final played on 12th April 1909. Two years later West Auckland returned to Italy to defend their title, beating Juventus 6-1 in the 1911 final. As stipulated in the rules of the competition, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was then won outright by the north-east club. The tours had put considerable financial strain on the club for which a solution came when Mrs Lancaster, landlady of the Wheatsheaf Hotel, which served as the club's HQ, loaned West Auckland the sum of £40 using the trophy as security. It remained in her possession for almost 50 years when, in 1960, officials at West Auckland FC managed to track down Mrs Lancaster in her retirement home in Liverpool. The trophy was returned to the club for a sum of £100 and put on display in the Eden Arms Public House, which was the home of the club secretary Mr Sid Douthwaite. Security was only tightened after the disappearance of the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966 where after it was kept under lock & key. Tragically, however, in 1994 the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was stolen from the West Auckland workingmen's club. Despite the efforts of the police and a financial reward, the 32'' silver trophy was never recovered. The Sheffield silversmith Mr Jack Spencer, working from photographs and video tape, was able to manufacture a replica which stands proud as the workingmen's club as a permanent reminder that West Auckland were the winners of the First World Cup. In 1981 a film was made by Tyne-Tees Television entitled 'A Captain's Tale' which reconstructed the story and starred Dennis Waterman in the part of Bob Jones, the club captain. The medal being offered for auction here was loaned to Tyne-Tees TV and used for the medal presentation in the filming. The medal was won by James Dickenson, the West Auckland goalkeeper, and grand father of the present vendor. Although goalie, Dickenson was the team's penalty taker and scored the second of the West Auckland goals in the 2-0 win over Stuttgart.