FL125 Exhibition Begins

THE Football League and the National Football Museum have launched a major new exhibition at the NFM’s stunning new Manchester home entitled Game Changers: 125 Years of The Football League.

The exhibition, which is free to all visitors, celebrates the 125th anniversary of the world’s original league football competition. It runs until April, replicating the length of the first season of the Football League in 1888-89.

Game Changers tells the story of the origins of the professional game and its place at the heart of our nation’s sporting culture. The exhibition brings to life the personalities and events that have shaped league football, both on and off the pitch. It also features some of football’s most iconic and historic items - including many never before seen objects - with each of the Football League’s 72 member clubs providing an item of historical importance.

Our contribution to the display is the original minute-book which details our founding as a professional club in 110 years ago.

Another Argyle-related item is the shirt goalkeeper Jimmy Glass was wearing when he scored his famous injury-time goal against the Pilgrims in 1999 to keep Carlisle United in the Football League.

Also on display are Sir Alf Ramsey’s Division One, Two and Three winners medals from his time as manager at Ipswich Town; the red book presented to Sheffield Wednesday legend Derek Dooley on ‘This is Your Life’ in 1961; and the coracle used by Shrewsbury Town for more than 40 years to rescue balls from the River Severn next to their old Gay Meadow ground.

Greg Clarke, the Chairman of the Football League, said: “The content of the exhibition is extraordinary; it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see items from 125 years of football history and we’re thrilled that it features contributions from all 72 League clubs.

“I strongly encourage supporters to go and see the exhibition and the rest of this outstanding museum.”

The National Football Museum boasts three floors of objects, stories and ‘hands-on’ interactives. Highlights include a shirt from the world's first international match played in 1872, the 1966 World Cup Final ball and the shirt worn by Maradona during the infamous 1986 ‘Hand of God’ quarter-final match between England and Argentina.