Odsal matches and speedway memories feature in auction

Speedway badges, photographs and football and rugby league programmes are up for grabs on the Midland Sports Auctions website.

A programme of a rugby league game between a British League XIII side against New Zealand (pictured) will be included.

The clash from Wednesday, December 7, 1955, took place at Odsal and was part of New Zealand's tour of Great Britain and France.

Football fans in Bradford are also catered for in the auction by a two-page programme.

The FA Cup sixth round second leg clash between Birmingham City and Bradford (Park Avenue) from Saturday, March 9, 1946 is included.

The second page of the programme, lot 1328, also features the two team's line-ups, with Avenue including England legend Len Shackleton (pictured), who was nicknamed the 'Clown Prince of Football'.

But Avenue lost 6-0 on the day in front of 49,858 fans, for an 8-2 aggregate defeat.

Odsal Stadium's rich speedway history also goes under the hammer with a gilt badge (pictured) featuring each year between 1947 and 1950. Auctioneer's estimate for this item is between £20 and £30 and the lot number is 1784.

The badge is stamped on the back by Fattorini, Birmingham.

Meanwhile, a black and white photograph of a Odsal speedway star is also featured in the auction.

Ron Clarke (pictured) was a former international speedway who qualified for the Speedway World Championship finals twice, in 1949 and 1950, finishing seventh and 14th respectively.

After the Second World War he joined Odsal Boomerangs and stayed until 1957, including when the team changed to the Bradford Tudors in 1950. He died in 1981 aged 67. The photo's lot number is 1980.

Another item is a programme, lot 283, from a Yorkshire Boys v London Boys football match played at Valley Parade on Wednesday, January 2, 1935.

This is a single sheet programme for the inter-county clash which features both team line-ups and was priced one penny at the time.

It is up for auction, lot 1395, with starting bids of £20 and the online deadline is June 15 at 1pm.

A menu from a dinner straight after the match is also up for grabs as featured in a four-page souvenir programme, lot 1557. It features the food on offer at the dinner, held at the Osborne Hotel in Bradford, which included boiled turbot, shrimp sauce and Christmas Pudding.

The event also featured a presentation of county badges by the then Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor J Hodgson, and a vote of thanks to Bradford City.

Tim Beddow, of Midland Sports Auctions, said: "We have over 2,000 items from football to speed skating in this latest auction.

"There are some nice little items from Bradford. We are always looking for more items, the older, the better really."

All of these items will be available for bids until June 14 and 15. Go to the salesroom section of midlandsportsauctions.co.uk or call Mr Beddow on 0121 421 7117 for more information.