Massive programme collection of lifelong Town fan
If there was a league for collecting Shrewsbury Town programmes, Dave Bridgwater would be an all-time top scorer.
A lifelong Town fan, he died at the age of 84 on June 8, leaving a huge number of programmes dating back to the club's entry into the Football League in 1950, with one or two even older than that.
His final tally is not known exactly but his family think that it's just over 3,000.
It was not just programmes either. He methodically kept a detailed record of Shrewsbury Town matches, opponents, statistics, and scores down the years.
"It was beyond fanatical," said his son-in-law, Andy Bate.
"It isn't very often people have collections of such magnitude today."
That collection which until a few days ago lined the walls of a room of his home in Telford has more than sporting history value.
The collection is now in the care of Hansons Auctioneers of Charles Hanson fame - well known to viewers as the antiques expert on the television show Bargain Hunt. When the representative viewed the collection "you could see his eyes lighting up," said Andy.
"There's a programme in here from the 1950 to 51 season, and we don't know which one it is, which is most sought after. The oldest programme is for Shrewsbury Town v Gainsborough played in October 1946. However, prior to joining the league and when in the Midland League there were no programmes, just team sheets. Dave’s collection includes a fixture against Hull which is also most rare”.
Dave's widow Barbara says he had always been a Shrewsbury Town supporter, even in the days when she first got to know him, when he was serving in the Army.
He hailed from Worthen and went to school at the Priory in the county town. He played both football and rugby for the Army, and played football for Worthen too. He also played cricket.
When daughter Zara – Andy's wife – was little she would accompany him to the Gay Meadow, always standing in the same place on the terraces behind the goal.
"He went to all the home games, until recently when he fell ill," said Barbara.
There are just one or two gaps in the collection which was built up through a mix of programmes he picked up at programme fairs and so on, and those he got from going along to matches.
Dave's passion for keeping and collecting things was deep seated, and ranged from those football programmes, to model cars, and from stuff from his school days, to menus of meals he had on holiday.
"I used to moan at him for collecting all these things," she said.
Andy said Dave had always thought there was only one other collection of Shrewsbury Town material that was more complete than his – that of Chris Smith, a lifelong supporter and the only non-playing member inducted into the club's hall of fame.
