In the 1920s, long before the era of digital tickets and online merchandise, football souvenirs were often simple, tangible items that fans could afford. Among the most popular were matchbox covers, which served as both a practical item and a treasured memento. One such artifact, made of tin, tells the story of George Harold Douglas, a dedicated footballer whose long career included a significant period with Leicester City.
This particular tin matchbox cover commemorates a benefit game held for Douglas on September 25, 1920, between Leicester City and Birmingham. These games were a traditional way for clubs to honour a long-serving player and provide them with financial support as they moved on to a new team.
The cover itself is a small piece of history. The spine is inscribed with “Souvenir of George Douglas. Benefit Sept 25th 1920. Leicester City v Birmingham.” One side features a photograph of Douglas himself, capturing his likeness at the peak of his career. The other side shows a photograph of the entire Leicester City team from the 1920-21 season. This image is particularly notable as it shows the team in their last season wearing the now-classic blue and white vertically striped shirts. This unique kit was not a fashion statement but a necessity born from the post-WWI era; a shortage of blue dye meant the team had to wear a striped design.
Douglas’s story is one of dedication and resilience, marked by his service both on the pitch and in the military. He joined Leicester Fosse as an amateur in May 1912, having previously played for Ilford. In his very first season, he earned two England amateur international caps against Germany and Holland, with one of his England shirt crests now on display at King Power Stadium.
His professional career began in 1913 with a £4-a-week contract, but it was cut short in April 1915 due to the outbreak of the First World War. The day before playing in Leicester Fosse’s last-ever league game, Douglas joined the Leicestershire Royal Horse Artillery. A year later, he was transferred to the Royal Field Artillery and went to the Western Front, where he was unfortunately hospitalized in 1917 after being thrown from a mule.
After the war, Douglas’s talent was once again recognized. He was selected for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) football team, competing in the ‘Inter-Theatre of War Championship.’ He even played against Leicester Fosse shortly before the club was restructured as Leicester City in the summer of 1919. Following a delayed demobilization, Douglas went on to score the first-ever goal for the newly-named Leicester City in August 1919, against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Douglas’s significance to the club is further highlighted by archive records, which include a photograph of him being presented to King George V before an FA Cup tie at Chelsea in February 1920. The archive also contains his final Leicester City contract, which was worth £8.50 a week before he was awarded his benefit match later that year.
This humble tin cover is more than just a souvenir. It’s a physical link to a specific moment in football history, celebrating a player’s legacy while also capturing a unique detail about the team’s kit during a period of transition after a world-changing event. It’s a perfect example of how even the smallest items can hold a wealth of stories about the game and its history.