A significant collection of football memorabilia belonging to the late Emlyn Hughes, former Liverpool and England captain, is set to be auctioned in Liverpool next month with an estimated value of around £500,000. The items, which were largely stored in boxes and kept in the attics of Hughes’s family home in Sheffield for many years, encompass a broad range of mementos spanning his distinguished career.
The auction will feature 245 lots, including jerseys, tracksuit tops, and winners’ medals from Hughes’s time with Liverpool, where he secured four league titles, two European Cups, and an FA Cup. Items from his later success with Wolverhampton Wanderers, such as the League Cup winners’ medal, are also part of the collection. Among the apparel on display are memorabilia from other celebrated footballers, including Kevin Keegan’s Hamburg SV shirt, George Best’s Northern Ireland jersey, Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona top, Franz Beckenbauer’s Germany shirt, and Kenny Dalglish’s Scotland kit.
The collection also includes jumpers worn during Hughes’s appearances on the BBC quiz show A Question of Sport, a program that contributed to his status as a national figure beyond football. Hughes, known by the nickname “Crazy Horse” for his energetic playing style, died in 2004 at the age of 57 following a battle with a brain tumour.
Hughes’s children, Emma and Emlyn Jr, inherited the memorabilia after their mother’s passing last year, leading them to decide to auction the items while retaining some pieces of personal significance. Emma remarked that the collection remained largely unseen by the family for over a decade as they relied more on digital media to share Hughes’s legacy with younger generations.
Liverpool fans and friends of Hughes attended a recent preview of the items, with some expressing nostalgic reflections on his career. Les Lawson, a family friend and supporter, highlighted the emotional impact of the memorabilia, particularly recalling Hughes’s role in both the 1971 FA Cup final and the triumph three years later. The auction house BUDDS has contacted Liverpool Football Club concerning items related to the upcoming 50th anniversary of the club’s first European Cup win in 1977.
At the Nations League match against the Czech Republic, Emma and Emlyn Jr were presented with their father’s legacy cap by the Football Association, recognizing his 62 appearances for England. Emlyn Jr reflected on his father’s competitiveness and the drive that characterized both his sporting achievements and the careful accumulation of his memorabilia.
The auction will take place on November 2 at the Hope Street Hotel in Liverpool, with the full catalogue available for viewing online at BUDDS.com. The event is expected to draw interest from collectors and football enthusiasts keen to acquire pieces linked to Hughes’s storied career.