Worth Saving
Goalkeeping shirts never appeared for sale to the general public before the 2004-5 season when there was a big clear-out of them and for the first time, we realised how turbulent was that season.....
County actually had on their books no less than six keepers at senior level - Mildenhall (who only played the first game), Deeney, Henderson (on loan from Aston Villa), Elliott (the rookie on loan from Charlton), Peterson and Dryden. The latter two were only cover during international matches and the early part of the season saw competition between Deeney and Hendo before the emergence of the former seemed to settle the issue of who would fill the spot permanently. Little did any of them know, contract disputes would bring in yet another goalie as number one for the beginning of the following season.
All this being stated, only a small number of the jerseys sold off, were actually matchworn - those belonging to Ellliot, Henderson, Deeney and this one belonging to Mildred.....
Mildred played only one game for Notts in this season - the first against Chester City. After that he became only one of a long line of players to act as scapegoat for the failed Mills era. He signed for Grimsby Town and the following season was part of their team - along with three other former Pies (Ramsden, Parkinson and Bolland) that beat Spurs in the Coca Cola League Cup.
After his departure, Notts put his matchworn shirt up for sale on the internet and it went for a goodly sum but....
the shirt sold was only worn until half time and in the second half he came out in the one pictured above.
How do we know all this ? Well, because of the lettering. The name and number were white and black rather than the standard white above, making it difficult to see. The change meant that this shirt was the one he saved the penalty in.
Non-standard lettering is not unusual - Mildred has played in a shirt with premiership lettering on the back (as has outfield player McFaul) and Stuart Garden had a number 2 hastily added to a his goalie shirt so he could come out with his correct squad number. Such anomalies are usually brought about by desperation and the premiership lettering was as a result of Notts not having their machine in working order.... such are the problems facing a lower league side !
The Coca Cola epaulettes that arrived with the Football Leagues new sponsorship deal were really rather poor. Lack of supply and the fact they kept falling off led to the Pies' decision not to sell them in the club shop in the first season. This makes it easier to spot an authentic players shirt as opposed to a replica from this period.
By the time the club got round to selling off the first batch of players shirts in September 2005, they had got some tags distinquishing the product. Worth noting if you are trying to verify the authenticity of a shirt.
Season 2004-5
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