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Thoughts on players selling their medals

edited January 2012 in General Charlton
Thought i would start this as a separate thread than the specific one on Sir Clive.

I'm just not sure i could.

Being a professional footballer is one of the most privileged jobs you could possibly do in this country. Very few of those who get to live that dream actually get to win anything.

If you were lucky enough to get to play at Wembley in a final, the biggest game in your career, and you go and win, score a hat trick and be man of the match, then that is possibly the greatest thing you could ever happen throughout your career, particularly if you were a bit of a journeyman.

That medal, and that matchball, would be my most sacred of possessions. Sure, you've got the video and the memories, but these were the tangible rewards and evidence of your achievements. Baring medical treatment or losing my house, there is no possible way i could part with them.

Not to start a kids football team, nor to give your missus a few quid to start something up.

Not knocking those that do, just saying its not something i think i could ever do. That applies across the board really, whether a sportsman selling his medals, or a soldier selling his.

How do you see it ?

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Comments

  • I thought you played to win things. I could never sell mine. Could understand it more when a player from the forties/fifties sold their medals as they earned sod all back then. Not saying Steve Jones or Clive were on mega 50k pw money but even so must have been earning a fair old wedge. Find it all rather sad tbh.
  • if i was clive i would keep at least one of those mentioned; either the matchball or the medal, preferably the medal. Im with you though on this one, id want to keep every item that signified my achievements, and would not part with them unless it was impossible for me not to have to.
  • You can never put yourself in another person's shoes - surely you would put your wife and family above objects and nobody can take the memories away from you.
  • Agree with you AFKA but not everyone puts the same significance into objects. Maybe the memories are more important than the medals.

    Either way medals etc belong to the person who won them and so theirs to do with as they wish. Just wish I could afford to buy any of the stuff.
  • edited January 2012
    It's just stuff.
    If he's really broke it's stuff that could help him out.
    Says I a cluttered up hoarder
  • We're having our house done up at the moment at and the missus was trying to convince me that I might be better off selling some of the memorabilia (or tat as she calls it) I've got. Amongst them are a few Charlton related things that are probably worth something. A sword from the old gates, a Stuart Leary contract from 1956/7, and some other interesting bits of paperwork. Could never sell them though.
  • DaveMehmet 2:26PM
    We're having our house done up at the moment at and the missus was trying to convince me that I might be better off selling some of the memorabilia (or tat as she calls it) I've got. Amongst them are a few Charlton related things that are probably worth something. A sword from the old gates, a Stuart Leary contract from 1956/7, and some other interesting bits of paperwork. Could never sell them though.

    --------------------

    I make her right. De-clutter the house and give the stuff to me to auction off.
  • Agree really but at the end of the day, There theres to sell although wouldn't mind if they contacted the club first to see if they wanted to make an offer.
  • I see it that the person has to be in pretty dire straits to have to sell such prized possessions. So we shouldnt judge. I hope him and his family are ok.




  • not in the same league as CM as my trophies/medals are worth nothing but they mean a lot to me. I come across them in the loft every now & then, look at them and re-live some great memories

    similarly my boy's medals/trophies mean a massive amount to me, just think they're nice things to have & keep.
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  • A Stuart Leary contract, how on earth did you come across that ? Sword from the gate sounds great too, you should definately hold onto that stuff, the sort of thing you'd want to pass onto someone special.

    Re the original point, I guess if Super Clive had any other option he wouldn't be doing it....but if I had to sell one I'd sell the medal and keep the match ball.
  • DaveMehmet 2:26PM
    We're having our house done up at the moment at and the missus was trying to convince me that I might be better off selling some of the memorabilia (or tat as she calls it) I've got. Amongst them are a few Charlton related things that are probably worth something. A sword from the old gates, a Stuart Leary contract from 1956/7, and some other interesting bits of paperwork. Could never sell them though.

    --------------------

    I make her right. De-clutter the house and give the stuff to me to auction off.

    Not to self, never let Ben know my home number!!
  • edited January 2012
    I can think of no items more valuable to me as a Charlton fan than Clives medal and the match ball. It was without doubt the highlight of postwar Charlton , and certainly the best match that I have had the pleasure to attend. The fact that it was at old Wembley, and my wife and family were there I will always treasure. What price do you put on that a magical day?
    Wether Clive approached the club to sell them I have no idea?...... I have no idea what he expects to get for them, £25,000, £50,000. When you think of the millions that have been spent in recent years, on so called premiership players, I think most of us are just gutted at this.
    The last thing I would want to do is question Clive's right to do this, I am sure he has his reasons, which are his concern's and for him to decide. As previously posted I really hope that the club can secure the winners medal, if nothing else. Let's hope that someone like Michael Grade can organise something, before some rich buyer has this for his own collection, who might not even be a fan and it is lost to all CAFC fans. The Directors are the custodians of the club, put on £2 a ticket for a league match, or have a game to raise the funds with the wembley team/Charlton all stars playing against the current squad, surely a sell out?
  • I have a dedicated Charlton wall - It has on it a signed shirt from 2003/4 in a frame, The Valley (Long picture the club did a few years back), Play Off celebration picture, Richard Rufus cartoon (Legend) but I have overspilled, I have another signed shirt in a frame and Superclive photo with play off trophy on his head in our bedroom. Also have 1921 team photo in my living room and pictures of my son with Darren Bent x2 and Peter Crouch - God too many when you think about it, what do visitors to my houes think of me?????
  • My parents have a Charlton fa cup winner and runner up medal but regardless of their financial position they'd never sell it.

    It's a shame but if circumstances mean he must sell then I hope the club gets them back somehow
  • I know it's not quite the same thing, but football, more specifially Charlton and it;s history is in your heart. You pay to go and watch it, rather than get paid for doing it. I know playing professional football is lots of young boys dreams and for some that transfers into a reality, and some enjoy every single day they get to live out other peoples dreams. However, there must be lots of footballers who don't/didn't enjoy their job and although glory was enjoyable at the time because it may have meant a good time, a bonus or a payrise, it was still a job.

    I also think footballers must have varying thoughts with regards to winning medals and what football clubs they win those with. I can't believe that it would mean the same to them to win a medal for Charlton than it would to us. Although it is an achievement it must differ to how we think it feels for them to win something?

    And ultimately, some people just aren't as sentimental as others. Some people collect things, some people don't.
  • It makes me want to stop giving people medals as everyone - from war vetrans to sports poeple - seem to end up selling them. If they mean so little to the individuals then whats the point?

    Needing more money is a lame excuse - whatever you need it for. Either suck it up like the rest of us or go to the bank like the rest of us. If the bank wont lend to you then there is a good chance your business plan is flawed anyway. If you need money to pay off lifestyle debts then you shouldn't gamble what you don't have anyway. The only reasonable exception is to give them to chairty to sell.

    Medals should mean more to people than money, in my opinion, people should be forced to give back medals if they try to sell them (and yes I appreciate this would be impossible to enforce).

    I am really angry about this!
  • I found charltons 03/04 season on DVD in my room which I didn't even know I had. I watched it, re lived the good memories, then sold it on eBay for £8 because I was jobless and skint. I really regret doing that for that little amount of money.
    That is nothing like the sir Clive scenario, but sometimes you just sell important things for the quick £.
    Agree with you on it though AFKA.
  • Personally if it was me I could not sell something so memorable. However, sure for most people who sell their medals (whether sport or otherwise), it must be close to the last resort for them and the need for money must be desperate and therefore hard to knock them.
  • I personally think that it's very sad that Clive has to do this. I do agree a lot with what Suzi has posted above though.

    I know that one ex-Chartlon player really did see it as nothing more than a job and had nothing to do with the game after retirement. Everyone is different but feel that as he gets older he'll regret doing this.
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  • "I know that one ex-Chartlon player really did see it as nothing more than a job and had nothing to do with the game after retirement. Everyone is different but feel that as he gets older he'll regret doing this. "

    That's fine and perfectly acceptable, so give the medal back to the club when you first receive it. Don't hang on to it simply to exploit other people's passon.
  • edited January 2012
    It's unthinkable for us because we are fans and cannot put ourselves in the position of someone who does it for a living.

    Pro's are always going to look at differently and to them they'll have the memory of the day and probably dozens of other bits and pieces too to remind them hence they can afford to put money over sentiment.
  • Not something I would choose to do but who are we to judge the level of financial desperation that may have led to this decision?
  • I couldn't buy a medal that someone has worked for. You have to earn medals, not just buy them.
  • Neither could i at £5k
  • You gotta do what you gotta do.

    He'll have those 3 goals forever though eh.

  • edited January 2012
    Indeed we will, well put falconwood
  • edited January 2012
    My recollection is that he was on hard times recently, if he and his wife have found a way to improve their lot then all well and good. His attitude will be very different to ours as fans, whilst his prized memorabilia it will just be memorabilia.

    @drf says he could go to a bank and get a loan if he had a decent business plan, but banks don't necessarily loan against good commercial business plans thats why so many SME's are in such trouble these days and they charge extortionate interest rates. And finally, it was only a week or two ago someone mentioned on CL about his daughter getting a log book loan and was castigated along with anyone that borrowed any money on here.

    Hope it goes to the CAFC trophy locker and if CM has done anything wrong it would be to have not come to the club first assuming he did not.
  • Sadly Clive had a bit of a falling out with the club (no names mentioned!) at the time he left us and hasn't been near the club since.
  • I thought I saw him on the pitch a couple of years back?
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