Charlie Roberts: Pioneering Manchester United star's shirt for sale
Charlie Roberts and Stanley Matthews memorabilia sold at auction
(about 5 hours later)
A football shirt worn by a pioneering Manchester United footballer who helped form the players' union could fetch £50,000 at auction later.
A shirt worn by a footballer who helped form the players' union has sold for £30,000 at auction.
The shirt was worn by Charlie Roberts in the club's first FA Cup victory in 1909 - a 1-0 win over Bristol City.
The top was worn by Manchester United captain Charlie Roberts during the club's first FA Cup final win in 1909, when they beat Bristol City 1-0.
Roberts was a defender who also played for England but was a thorn in the side of the authorities.
Another of his shirts, worn during a Players' Union match, sold for £5,000.
Tim Ashmore, of the National Football Museum, said Roberts was instrumental in the development of the game.
A cap awarded to England footballer Sir Stanley Matthews for what he described as the most violent match in his career fetched £15,000.
Mr Ashmore said Roberts was one of the "star players of the time" who changed the fortunes of Manchester United.
Then aged 19, he escaped unscathed from a 1934 match against Italy, which saw an Italian defender suffer a broken foot after a tackle, an England player get punched and others receive injuries including a broken nose, fractured arm and ankle damage.
He said Roberts was with United when the club changed its name from Newton Heath.
One of his medals - won after his club Stoke City won the Division Two Championship in 1963 - failed to sell at a reserve price of £15,000.
He became captain and went on to be capped by England but would have played more had it not been for the dispute about his role in the players union.
Factbox: Sir Stanley Matthews and Charlie Roberts
The auction starts at 10:30 GMT on Tuesday and a blue shirt he wore is also being sold, with an expected reserve price of £3,000.
Sir Stanley Matthews
Mr Ashmore said the shirt was bought from his team mate Billy Meredith's shop in Peter's Square, the site of Manchester's town hall extension.
Charlie Roberts
Outcasts FC
Roberts also played for England and flouted FA rules by wearing shorts above the knee.
Roberts's style of defence influenced visiting players from Italy and formed the basis for their future football style.
Along with fellow United player Billy Meredith, the defender had a key role in setting up the Players' Union in 1907 in Manchester.
Just before World War One, and well into his 30s, Roberts left Man United and played for Oldham Athletic, leading them to their greatest-ever success in the league.
Tim Ashmore, of the National Football Museum, said Roberts was one of the "star players of the time" who changed the fortunes of United.
He then became a tobacconist and was immortalised by the Ducrobel cigar named after him and Manchester United team-mates Dick Duckworth and Alex Bell. He died in his 50s.
In 1961, after his death, the Professional Footballers' Association - under the leadership of Jimmy Hill - secured the scrapping of the Football League's maximum wage, leading to clubs paying players whatever they thought they were worth.
In the auctioneers' literature, Roberts is described as a "strong, skilful, fast centre-half" and "a rebel on and off the field." He flouted FA rules by wearing his shorts above the knee.
He made 299 appearances for United and scored 23 goals.
Mr Ashmore said he was the player who "led Manchester United to success". He said Manchester City and Bolton, at the time, were much better teams.
The players' union was established by Roberts and Meredith at the Imperial Hotel in Piccadilly, Manchester, which has since been demolished.
This was the second attempt to organise a union of professional footballers, after the Association Footballers' Union, founded in 1898, was dissolved in 1901.
The Players' Union (PU) intended to challenge the maximum wage and the restriction on transfers. When the PU made clear its objectives in 1909, the FA withdrew its recognition, leading to the threat of strike action.
Players from Manchester United refused to relinquish their membership of the union and league clubs turned to amateur players to replace banned players, and the team became known as "Outcasts FC."
In 1961, after Roberts's death, the Professional Footballers Association, under the leadership of Jimmy Hill, secured the scrapping of the Football League's maximum wage, leading to clubs paying players whatever they thought they were worth.
