This clue was simply to a cup, which can be open cup, showing the gills if you turn the mushroom bottoms up, or closed cup, which are also known as "button" mushrooms. There are also many mushrooms which are proper cups, including the Scarlet Elf Cup, one of the second class stamps amidst this issue.
As for our footballer, named simply on the card as J. Maconnachie, he was very well known, and he did not only play for Everton, he was also a manager, and a manager overseas.
He was born in Aberdeen on the 8th of May 1885, but we don`t know much about his early footballing story, only that in 1903 he turns up as moving to Hibernian from Glasgow Perthshire. Now Glasgow Perthshire was only founded in November 1890 and did not join the Scottish Football Association until 1892.
He moved to Everton in 1907, and it would be the team he spent the most time with, not leaving them until 1920, However that would include the First World War, during which he joined the RAF as a mechanic. Now it does appear that he was based in the UK because he played football for Hibernian in 1914, on loan, and also for Shelbourne, in Ireland in 1918. Between these times he also seems to have been sent to Holland, as he played for a team called Djurgarden, in 1916 and 1920.
When the war was over, he rejoined Everton, but did not stay long, moving to Swindon Town in 1920. He stayed there until 1922, and then had a really exciting opportunity, to move to Holland and manage that team called Djurgarden. He accepted, but only stayed for one season, before coming back to England.
Our card is one of a large series, so until I use the first part of it this will be the home page for them all, with links to and from the rest.
Sadly Smith`s never had a reference book, though one was later produced by the London Cigarette Card Company. We did plan to have one though, with fellow Glaswegian manufacturer Stephen Mitchell, but it did not come to completion. Therefore all we have is the following, from our original World Tobacco Issues Index :
- FOOTBALLERS. Sm. Nd. ... S84-9
- Size 63 x 36. Brown to dark brown, almost black. Back in brown, without series title, inscribed "Smith`s Cup Tie Cigarettes" ... in packets of 10" (120)
- Size 65-66 x 35-37. Brown to dark brown, almost black. Back in blue, without series title, inscribed "Smith`s Cup Tie Cigarettes"
i) Nos 1/52, excluding 1 and 13 (50). Base of back "10 for 2 1/2d."
ii) Nos 52/104, excluding 53 and 54. (50). Base of back "In packets of 10"
- Size 67 x 35. Dark brown, yellow framelines and caption. Back in blue, with series title (150), Vari-backed 8 wordings, - see C.C.N. Vol 21. page 67.
By the time of our updated World Tobacco Issues Index the group is described as ;
- FOOTBALLERS. Sm. Nd. ... S548-220
- Size 63 x 36. Brown to dark brown, almost black. Back in brown, without series title, inscribed "Smith`s Cup Tie Cigarettes" ... in packets of 10" (120)
- Size 65-66 x 35-37. Brown to dark brown, almost black. Back in blue, without series title, inscribed "Smith`s Cup Tie Cigarettes"
i) Nos 1/52, excluding 1 and 13 (50). Base of back "10 for 2 1/2d."
ii) Nos 52/104, excluding 53 and 54. (50). Base of back "In packets of 10"
- Size 67 x 35. Dark brown, yellow framelines and caption. Back in (a) light (b) dark blue - many different type settings, with series title (150), Vari-backed 8 wordings.