First ever Ipswich Town amateur league medal found and sold on eBay for £850
The league medal for the 1903-04 season - Credit: Archant
Ipswich Town have enjoyed lots of success over the years from the UEFA and FA Cup to the play-off final.
The league medal for the 1903-04 season - Credit: Archant
Now silverware from the Blues’ first-ever amateur league title has turned up 110 years later.
The name A E Bailey may not be too memorable for many current Town fans but in the 1903-04 season he was part of the squad, which won the South East Anglia Football League.
But when David Copland, 60, stumbled upon on his league medal in a scrap gold metal shop in Darlington, some 250 miles away from Ipswich in County Durham, he began to piece together clues to form a profile of the man.
Now he has put the nine carat gold medal up for auction with offers starting at £850.
Included in the team photo from 1902 are Albert Bailey (middle row, fourth left) and Ernest Kent (middle row, first left). Bailey played in excess of 450 games for the club in a career spanning sixteen years. Kent averaged a goal a game in his 200 games for the club and became the first Town player to receive a testimonial for his services. - Credit: Archant
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“It is up for £850 but who knows it could be worth more than that or less, it could be the last one in existence or there could be a dozen around if there were 15 issued. I did my research from what was engraved on the medal, which says ‘A.E. Bailey.’ I went on to a website and found a photograph so I could put a face to the name.”
Ralph Morris from Ipswich Town history website Pride of Anglia kindly sent in the black and white photographs.
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Speaking about the team photograph from the 1902 season, he said: “Included in this team photo are Albert Bailey (middle row, fourth left) and Ernest Kent (middle row, first left). Bailey played in excess of 450 games for the club in a career spanning 16 years.
“Kent averaged a goal a game in his 200 games for the club and became the first Town player to receive a testimonial for his services.”
Mr Copland said the medal was made by legendary jewellers Mappin & Webb.
To find the auction on eBay search for “Ipswich Town’s first ever football league championship 1903-04”.
