On April 28^th 1969, a football match at Anfield (ending in a 0-0 draw) saw Leeds United clinch the top division title, and thus it became their first ever top division title, with opponents Liverpool, finishing runners up.
 
Sheffield Auction Gallery are delighted to be offering a shirt from this memorable game in their April Sporting Memorabilia Auction.

 
The 1968-69 season Liverpool F.C. number 4 shirt, purportedly worn by Tommy Smith in this game versus Leeds United on April 28^th 1969.
 
The shirt was awarded to the Vendor at a Variety Club of G.B. tribute dinner at Queens Hotel Leeds three weeks later, on Monday 19^th May 1969. The Vendor was lucky enough to have won a competition organised jointly by the Liverpool Echo and the Yorkshire Evening Post, with his Yorkshire counterpart winning Leeds United’s number 4 jersey.

 
Leeds Manager, Don Revie, had insisted a Liverpool supporter be present at the evening in recognition of the tremendous sporting gesture by the Kop (the Liverpool fans) at that game, who had applauded Leeds efforts at the end of that iconic game.
 
The long sleeve shirt, in red with white ring neck and cuffs, hand stitched liver bird badge, over LFC, is accompanied by photocopied documents of the event, letter of invitation and image of Don Revie presenting the shirts.

 
Liverpool born Tommy nicknamed “The Anfield Iron” for his punishing tackles, made 639 senior appearances for the Reds between 1962 and 1978, scoring 48 goals. Later playing in America and finishing his career at Swansea City. He represented England under 23’s on 10 occasions, and surprisingly only once for the senior national team. Former Liverpool Manager, Bill Shankly, referring to Smith’s fearsome reputation, once said of him “Tommy Smith wasn’t born, he was quarried”. Smith passed away in 2019 aged 74.
 
When the shirt comes to auction on 24^th April it carries a pre-sale estimate of £1,000-2,000. Sporting Memorabilia Valuer and Auctioneer, Robert Lea invites consignments for this auction and is available for any enquiries.