I used to be an avid programme collector when I was a lad. I used to advertise in Soccer Star and all sorts. My best memory was seeing an ad for Norman Lovett's programme shop opening up on Queensgate Street in Hull, I was there the same day I saw the ad, and surprisingly in was half football programmes and half a green grocers shop. Norman was a bit flustered trying to sort the stock out and he let me rummage through the boxes of programmes to my hearts content. I found half a dozen Doncaster Rovers programmes, dated about 1920/30 with an elastic band around them and I asked how much he wanted for them. He said 'sixpence each', that's less than 40p in todays money for the lot. I bought them and advertised them the same day in Soccer Star ( it was free to advertise) and got £5 each for them. That was a fortune in those days, late 60's? for a 12 year old lad.
I stopped collecting when all programmes started to look the same, and the last one's I actually bought was every one home and away of our first season in the Premier League and I sold a huge collection, only last year, to a City fan in Pocklington for £250, just to get rid of them. The guy who bought them actually filled his van up with them.
When I thought I'd been chosen to be a fans rep for the East Stand, until 'they' pulled the plug, one of my suggestions was for the club to open up a kiosk on a matchday for fans to buy or sell old football programmes. It would be somewhere too where fan's could donate old collections they no longer have room for. I was offered loads when I had my shop, most times for free, from people who's relations had died and they just wanted the City programmes to go to a good home, sooner than take them to the tip.
It's the pre war ones which are worth good money simply because they are scarce, I've never actually owned a Hull City pre war one. I do know of a fella who was given a collection of every Hull City home and some away's from our very first season on Anlaby Road, 1904, by an old lady he'd done a job for. She found them in her loft and they were all in mint condition. Amongst the aways was Chelsea v City which was the first league game Chelsea played at Stamford Bridge and the fella sold it to a Chelsea fan and took the old lady a cheque round which amounted to a couple of grand.
ps; and they do get damp if you leave them in the shed or garage as I found out to my cost.