It started, as these things often do, with a shoebox in a garage. The first programmes went back to a first match in the 1980s, and from there the habit took hold — picking things up at grounds, at fairs, from house clearances and from other collectors who were downsizing. Programmes mostly, then magazines, then the old VHS tapes and DVDs nobody wanted to throw away.

For years it was a private collection with no real plan — boxes stacked up, alongside a growing pile of England internationals, FA Cup Finals and one-off souvenirs from big games up and down the country. The original idea was a small site built around one club. It quickly became obvious that would only tell a fraction of the story.

North East Sporting Memories is the result of that rethink. Newcastle United, Sunderland AFC and Middlesbrough FC sit at the heart of it, with equal weight and equal care. Around them: Hartlepool, Darlington, Gateshead and the non-league clubs that have carried football through every corner of the region; rugby at Kingston Park and Sale; cricket at Chester-le-Street and the Riverside; ice hockey, boxing and more. Alongside sits a curated National & International collection — FA Cup Finals, England internationals, World Cups, European nights and the big occasions that anyone in the region might have travelled to see.

From the 1950s Cup Kings and Fairs Cup nights, through Supermac, the Keegan years, Reid’s Roker Roar, Robson’s Champions League run and Boro’s Riverside years, to the modern era — we collect the programmes, magazines, videos, shirts, tickets, posters, badges, photographs and all manner of memorabilia that were folded into back pockets, stuffed into drawers, and somehow kept.

Most items are in honest, well-loved condition. A handful are mint. Every piece is photographed, condition-graded, described accurately and priced fairly — whether it’s a 1955 FA Cup Final programme or a shirt from last season. New items are catalogued and added every week.

Buying is straightforward: find something, add it to your bundle or send an enquiry, and we’ll be in touch with postage and payment details. UK and international postage available. If you’re looking for a specific match, season or player, get in touch — there’s plenty in the archive that hasn’t made it online yet.

This site is an independent collector’s archive. It is not affiliated with any of the clubs, competitions or organisations whose memorabilia it catalogues.