Leicestershire Football Archive
Bringing football of a bygone era back to life!
The connection between Bob Wilson and Loughborough University—then known as Loughborough College—is a defining chapter in the history of the “student-athlete.” After leaving Chesterfield Grammar School in 1960, Wilson chose…
Michael Boot, born in Leicester in 1947, remains one of the most intriguing “what if” stories in the history of English football. A standout talent from a young age, he…
The legend of Roy Race is the ultimate “Leicestershire story” that never actually took place in Leicestershire. While the fictional Melchester Rovers played their home matches at the iconic Mel…
The official founding year of the Leicestershire & Rutland Football Association (LRFA) is cited as 1886. However, historical newspaper records strongly suggest the association was not formally established until 1887,…
Founded in 1815 by frame-smith Nathaniel Corah, N. Corah and Sons evolved from a modest pub-side trade into a titan of the British textile industry. The company’s journey began at…
In the 1890s, the Victorian trainer’s bag was less of a medical kit and more of a mobile apothecary, filled with glass vials and pungent tonics designed to “fortify the…
While Gola is a globally recognised name today, its soul belongs to the East Midlands. For over 120 years, the brand has been a flagship of British craftsmanship, and its…
Long before the modern era of Panini stickers and digital trading cards, the “Football Card King” was John Baines, a toy retailer and lithographer from Bradford. His trade cards are…
Long before the roar of modern stadiums, Leicester was already alive with an earlier era of sporting obsession. It didn’t involve a grass pitch or a traditional ball game, but…
The single-sheet football programme for the Leicester City versus Wolverhampton Wanderers match on 17 November 1945 is a compelling relic of the transition from war to peace. During the 1945–46…