Links With The Past: Early 20th Century Fan Scrapbook
The Club’s archives contain several scrapbooks that have been lovingly compiled by fans in times gone by. These contain pictures, letters, autographs and press cuttings which provide fascinating and personal insights into the Club’s history. They are a unique historical resource.
In the years between the wars, Leicester City fan Albert Johnson was an avid collector of football memorabilia and photographs.
He meticulously compiled several very well ordered scrapbooks. These have been brought to the Club’s attention by his son Mick and are now part of the Leicester City archive. They contain a very special collection of original press photographs, many in mint condition. There are even some original negatives.
Albert’s scrapbooks provide a unique insight into the world of football of the 1920s and 1930s.
All of the First Division teams of the time are featured. Included is a significant collection of items relating to Leicester City. These include this photograph of the 1927/28 Leicester City side which finished third that season in the old First Division.
The team contained four England internationals, Hugh Adcock, Ernie Hine, Leonard Barry and Reg Osborne.
The young Albert showed this scrapbook to one of the players in this picture, war hero Adam Black, who played a record 528 league games for Leicester City. Adam responded with a handwritten letter which is included in the scrapbook.
He wrote: 'I have had the pleasure of meeting Albert William Johnson of late 61 Waring Street Highfields, who compiled this book of reports and pictures of my era, 1920-1935. As right back of Leicester City I enjoyed playing for the City and if I had to play again, the City would be my Club. Best wishes to Albert Yours truly, Adam Black'.