John Garrett spent 25-years at Sheffield United Football Club, where he was the instigator of the Club’s “Legends of the Lane” project, raising funds for the facility, its archive and acquisition of ephemera and curation of the collection itself. The items he has traced and brought in form one of the most concise records of the famous football Club and its historic home to be found in the modern game. That process, along with constant opportunities to meet the players and families as part of his research has given him an invaluable understanding of values in the market as well as a unique understanding of the individual stories and folklore that makes each item truly unique in its own right.
The Former Player Register was set up by John and he administers all contact between those and their families and Sheffield United FC. Joining Graham Budd Auctions also sees him step down from his role as Supporter Liaison Officer for the Club as one of the longest serving in the English Football League - a role that he also set up some 15 years ago. He is a lifelong supporter and season ticket holder at Sheffield United as well as having a great love of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. He is a long-term contributor to the Sheffield United match day programme by way of his award winning “Folklore and Fable” article, which is a winner of the Football Monthly article of the year award and is the longest running feature in the popular Club publication.
John also heads up our Vinyl and Pop Culture department, "I love music and records and have been collecting them since the age of 12. I still love the hunt for each, trawling markets, sales, anywhere to find that one you have been looking for for an age.
I cover many styles and kinds which has given me a sound overall knowledge of what to look for and what each record could fetch. Everyone wants to be sat on a fortune of course, and it's not always possible, but the extensive client database of over 20,000 that we have, added to the Graham Budd reputation for honesty will, I believe, set us off on another wonderful journey."