Inclusion of past legends sees Manchester United autographs stock soaring

Sittingbourne, Kent, (Mynewsdesk) May 12 2010 – Football, like all gladiatorial sports, has its enduring heroes:  players who have stepped out into the arenas of dreams and added pages, or even chapters, to the history of club and country.   There’s probably no club in the UK whose pitch has been graced by a greater number of them than Manchester United – which is why Sports Idols is doing the smart thing by representing Old Trafford folk heroes in its 2010 collection of Man U autographs and memorabilia.

Sports Idols, a Kent-based company whose expert handling of Manchester United autographs (and, indeed, all items of sporting or celebrity memorabilia) has excelled itself just in time for close season with a range of Man United autographs spanning the club’s extraordinary recent history.  Signature-hunters will find, in addition to Manchester United autographs from today’s team (currently enjoying number one spot in the Premiership with only a few games left to play), signed photographs of Eric Cantona and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer; plus the pretty incredible chance to own a signed Eric Cantona boot.

There can’t be anyone over the age of 25 who doesn’t remember the 1999 Champion’s League Final.  Even people who don’t like football stopped what they were doing when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side-footed tap-in crept painfully slowly over the line and catapulted the match into the hall of all-time soccer greats.   Autograph’s Store’s inclusion of Solskjaer in its roster of Man U autographs shows a football-historical savvy not often matched by other purveyors of the beautiful game’s autographs – who, after all, with an interest in Manchester United autographs could imagine anything better than owning the signature of the man who made that history happen?  Unless, of course, it’s to add the scrawl of pseudo-philosopher and certified loony Mr. Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona:  a man whose authenticated Man U autographs are likely to hold their value long after the others have depreciated.  A standalone genius not just in his footballing time but for a whole generation of celebrities, Cantona (whose famously gnomic proclamation about seagulls will haunt pundits for years to come) gives a depth and breadth to Sports Idols Man United autographs range that others can only envy.

Sports Idols have developed another winning habit with their football memorabilia:  including items signed by management as well as players.  Though the modern game is beset with high management turnover and inefficient top-level staffing, the stable manager has been a constant of all repeatedly successful teams.  Had Sir Alex Ferguson been subject to the kind of Draconian measures most Premiership managers buckle under these days, Man U would still be languishing mid-table finishers every year.  Fortunately for Fergie, for United fans everywhere, and for collectors of Man United autographs, the then board at Old Trafford knew when to leave well alone – with the result that the Scottish Man of Steel became the first really legendary British manager since Bill Shankly or Brian Clough.  Completists, fans of the game in general, and collectors with an eye for rich pickings will salivate when they see Sports Idols inclusion of the big man’s flourish.