Here we have an actual footballer called Roy, but as we were going to delve into the realms of imagination, we were thinking of Roy of the Rovers, who, sadly, I could not find on a card.
Roy Race played for Melchester Rovers, and he took the field in 1954, in the "Tiger" comic. He was so popular that he ended up with his own comic. Then, for some reason, and rather shockingly for a children`s comic, he was injured in a helicopter crash and could no longer play football. The action then switched to his son who also played for Melchester Rovers, and took the field in his stead. This may well have been done to make the character younger, and not so out of touch with its also younger audience, but why not just retire our Roy, peacefully, to a bungalow in the country, overlooking a football field. Especially as our Roy did come back later, as manager of Melchester United, with his son still playing on.
This card shows an actual Roy, Roy Thomas Frank Bentley, shown here in his Chelsea strip.
In fact he played for several teams, starting with his local team, Bristol City in 1939, though, almost certainly due to the date, he made not a single appearance for them, and only took the field once football resumed in 1946, by which time he had been signed by Newcastle United, and become married. He had spent the Second World War in the Royal Navy. And he stayed with Newcastle United two years, during which he played in the F.A. Cup semi final for the first time.
He then moved to Chelsea in 1948, on advice from his doctor, and possibly inspired by Tommy Lawton, who had also moved there to ease a similar lung problem. It seems likely that this was a side effect of our man`s Royal Naval service, but not of Tommy Lawton`s who had served in the Army. With Chelsea he made his first appearance on a cigarette card, Carreras "Turf"`s 1948 set of "Footballers". most of his appearances on the field, some three hundred and twenty four matches, and he also got the nod to play for England, gathering twelve caps.
In 1956 he moved again, but not that far away, for he went to Fulham. And he ended his career in 1962 after two years at Queen`s Park Rangers.
After he retired from them, he became a manager, first with Reading and then to Swansea City. He moved to Essex after that, but came back to Reading, which is where he died, on the 20th of April, 2018, aged ninety-three, and the last surviving player from the 1950 World Cup Squad.
This set first appears in our British Trade Index part two, as just one set :
DAILY HERALD
Cards inscribed "Daily Herald Copyright". Issued about 1948-50
- FOOTBALLERS (A). Sm. 61 x 37. Black. Nd. (32) ... DAA-2
There is an update in our British Trade Index part three, which tells us that special albums were issued for each of their three sets ("Cricketers", "Footballers", and "Turf Personalities"). These were inscribed "Sporting Publicity (Leeds)", with the cards in the set enumerated on the inside front cover.
Now by the time of our updated British Trade Index, all was changed. The three sets are now listed, with another title, as :
- SPORT STARS. 61 x 37. Black. Nd. Issued in three series with special albums for each series inscribed "Sporting Publicity (Leeds), "Sport Stars", with titles of the three sets, Subjects listed on front cover of each album. ... DAI-180
- Cricket Stars. Nd. (32). Two printings for numbers 1/22 :
1. Daily Herald Copyright" at base
2. As above, with "Sportfoto" added beneath
Nos. 23/32 are anonymous, numbered, titled "Past Masters", and are black line drawings.
- Racing Personalities. Nd. (32)
- Soccer Stars. Nd. (32). Two printings. See also under "Sportfoto", SPO-130. All three issues are listed at HD-7 to illustrate the differences.
1. 1951/2. "Daily Herald Copyright" at base, player`s name in a) bold thick, b) thin letters. See HD-7.A
2. 1953/4. As above, "SPORTFOTO" beneath, in a) bold, thick, b) thin letters. See HD-7.B
There could be a case for believing that the difference between the two versions of our set was simply lighter ink, but you can decide that for yourself, as we feature the b. version with the thin letters as our diary date this week for Saturday the 24th of January.