Trading sweat for success

This week our column features a superb Ardath Tobacco Co Ltd photocard from 1936, which shows the mighty Brierfield Football Club team of the 30s.
By Geoff Crambie
Published 20th Oct 2014, 07:00 BST
Trade card: The legendary Brierfield Football Club, 1935-36Trade card: The legendary Brierfield Football Club, 1935-36
Trade card: The legendary Brierfield Football Club, 1935-36

The card was presented to me recently by my good friend Lee Graves, of the online company “Collectabillia”.

My grandson Nathan works in the office which sends out hundreds of cigarettes and trade cards every day, both home and abroad.

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Lee holds the largest stock of early issue cigarette cards in the country,.

And that stock has many rarities from the world of football, cricket and golf and not forgetting his stock of tens of thousands of prestigious Liebig Trade Cards.

Back now to Brierfield FC, who dominated local football in the early 1930s, winning the League Hospital Cup, seasons 1931/32 and 1934/35.

They were the champions of the Burnley Tuesday Football League, seasons 1933/34 and 1935/36 and won the Nelson Amateur League Cup, seasons 1934/35 and 1935/36. What a team!

Eighty years on and the names of F. Baker, F. Nuttall, J. Starkie and J. Swift (captain) still live on.