6 days ago
Carlisle-born footballer's 1954-5 league win medal to be auctioned
A Carlisle-born footballer's Chelsea FC league winners gold medal is set to go under the hammer.
Sworders fine art auctioneers are to auction the 1954-55 season medal, which was inscribed and awarded to Seamus O'Connell, at 10am on August 19 as part of the 'Out of the Ordinary' auction.
O'Connell (1930-2013), born in Carlisle to a farming family, was an amateur footballer who played in the Scottish Football League for Queen's Park and in the English Football League for Middlesbrough, Chelsea, and Carlisle United.
He made his English Football League debut for Middlesborough on December 26, 1953 - scoring a goal in a 3-2 win over Newcastle United.
The 9ct gold medal is being sold together with 15 signed photographs of O'Connell, who passed away in 2013, and with a silver Football Combination medal engraved 'Winners 1954-55' (Image: Sworders)
O'Connell joined Chelsea in August 1954, and scored a hat-trick on his debut against Manchester United in October of that year (Manchester United would nevertheless go on to win that game).
O'Connell helped Chelsea to secure their first League Championship win in the 1954-55 season.
O'Connell played for Chelsea for one further season before returning to the amateur game with Bishop Auckland.
He also won four caps for the England amateurs.
The 9ct gold medal is being sold together with a silver Football Combination medal engraved 'Winners 1954-55,' and with 15 signed photographs of O'Connell.
The estimated total value of the lot is between £10,000 and £12,000.
Viewings will be held at Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE, on Friday, August 15, from 10am to 4pm; Sunday, August 17, from 10am to 1pm; and Monday, August 18, from 10am to 4pm.
More information is available at
