Did you ever as a kid manage to get any footballers autographs ? Collected quite a few famous names when we would have Wales's internationals at The Racecourse. Had the privelge of having the great that was Marco Van Basten sign my programme back in 1989 when the Dutch came to town. Also got Ian Rush, Nev Southall, Kevin Ratcliffe and most of the Swedish squad as they were coming out of the ground to board the coach. Also got Mark Hughes's and he said he would sign my programme if i carried his kitbag to his car ( was a Porsche ). I loaded the bag into the boot and he signed it.
Is it though? Stamps are artefacts with historical interest, autographs are just squiggles, many of which would be difficult to authenticate? Each to his/her own though.
Am sure i won't lose any sleep over your stance. So you would not like to be the proud owner of say an album signed by all 4 of The Beatles. Would be worth a fortune. I will never get rid of the programmes i got signed.
Don't have any interest in it now, but I loved doing it when I was younger. Having something that one of your idols have signed made it that much more special. Got all the Pompey Division One winning squad signatures on one of my programmes.
Oh God i don't do it now. Would n't dream of shoving a piece of paper and a pen under someone famous's nose. As a ( ahem ) mature adult i would never ever go back to wearing a football shirt, there are things you do as a kid / teenager and then grow out of it. The signings you have got will not mean much to anyone else but as a personal memento they do bring back memories.
Have recently moved house and in the process of clearing out my flat found an old 10th birthday present from my Aunt and Uncle - a Leeds United autograph book with the entire 1992 title-winning team. Of course this includes Gary Speed and is it a bit morbid to say it might have increased in value in the last few months?
I wouldn't expect you to. You asked in the opening post, I answered. Yes. In the same way I'd love to be the proud owner of a fully restored E Type Jag, or a Penny Black, or a wheelbarrow full of gold sovereigns . . .
Used to do it all the time as a kid. Went down the training ground a couple of times a season (was allowed on the training ground to sit and watch under certain managers). Also used to go towards the tunnel at games and get a few as they were finished their pre-match warm ups. Never kept any really although I do have a book somewhere with players like Pearce, Crossley, Van Hooijdonk, Stone, Woan, Roy, Collymore etc etc somewhere knocking about.
People probably attach some sort of emotional significance to every autograph I guess. I don't see the appeal but yeah each to their own.
I've got a lot of autographs on old programmes although this season I did get Paul God McGrath's which pleased me meeting the great man.
When i was a kid i used to get my program signed but when got to about 12 i thought it was lightweight so i stopped doing it