The clue here was a “Cap” – or fifty-three, which was the number that Mr. Keegan had amassed.
And in football terms, every time a player steps out on to the field to play for their country against another, they are said to receive “a cap”, though it is, more`s the pity, just a number that rises with each appearance, and you can quote on your stats if you feel you need to.
However, when football first started, the players did get an actual cap that they wore on their heads, which is an idea that was borrowed from cricket.
Sadly that has pretty much disappeared, except for milestone moments, like reaching a hundred of them, at which point you may get a single one.
This card is anonymous and plain backed but we know it was issued by Birds Eye, because there is what is said to be an advert, but has a strong resemblance to what may have been a wall chart, illustrated at the Football Cartophilic Exchange/BEE.
However that makes it appear that the set ought to have been called “England`s World Cup Trail”. However the main listing for the set on that site calls it “England's World Cup Team”. They describe it as “12 cards with facsimile autographs, each has '1.7.80' printed in the bottom right-hand corner”.
Oddly the World Cup was not played in 1980, it had just taken place in 1979 and would again in 1982. So I am not sure what the date is for. Does anyone out there know ?
These cards do not appear to be in any of the original British Trade Indexes, but again, if you can find them, do tell us.
They are too late for the updated version.