Description

A wonderfully unusual piece of Manchester City match-worn memorabilia – Harry Dowd’s original socks and shin pads, worn during Tommy Booth’s testimonial fixture at Maine Road on 20 May 1981.

The testimonial brought together two generations of Manchester City players, with City’s 1981 FA Cup Final side taking on the club’s 1969 FA Cup-winning side in a memorable gathering of Maine Road favourites.

These original match-worn socks and shin pads were worn by former City goalkeeper Harry Dowd in the testimonial. Dowd was an important member of City’s hugely successful late-1960s side and was the goalkeeper when the Blues defeated Leicester City at Wembley to win the 1969 FA Cup.

What makes this particular piece especially interesting is its provenance. The socks and shin pads were subsequently gifted by Harry Dowd to his next-door neighbour and were later acquired by Mark McCarthy during the late 1980s, remaining part of his extensive Manchester City memorabilia collection.

They are accompanied by a letter of provenance detailing their history and connection to Harry Dowd.

Condition: These are genuine vintage, match-worn items dating from 1981 and should be viewed accordingly. They show signs of age, wear and use, with imperfections consistent with their history. Please specifically note that there is a hole in one of the socks.

The signs of wear are part of the history of these pieces – they are being offered as original match-worn memorabilia rather than modern or pristine examples.

Not every important piece of football memorabilia has to be a shirt. Original match-worn accessories such as socks and shin pads are something a little different, and examples surviving with such an interesting history and provenance make fascinating additions to a serious Manchester City collection.

If you are looking for that little something different – genuine match-worn City memorabilia with a great story behind it – these certainly fit the bill.

Harry Dowd • Manchester City • Match Worn • Tommy Booth Testimonial • 20 May 1981 • Socks & Shin Pads • Direct Provenance • Letter of Provenance Included