# ELTON JOHN HAND-SIGNED VINTAGE WATFORD FC PROGRAMME (1980) WITH COA
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We are privileged to be dealing with the disposal of the museum quality archival collection of Paul Smith ,one of the world's best known superfan's of Elton who over the last 54 years has put together an amazing collection of music and memorabilia spanning the entire career of arguably one of the most successful solo rock stars to have come out of the UK, Sir Elton John.
Over the last 54 years since becoming a fan aged 8 in 1972, Paul has been to 80 concerts across the world including two landmark concerts at Madison Square Garden , New York. Paul has personally met Elton 6 times over the years including two official EJAF events where he obtained in person autographs after brief chats with Elton.
Paul together with his two daughters, both fans, was recognised as a superfan by Elton's own management and they were chosen to appear in the official Rocket Entertainment video shot for the backdrop to Elton singing " Crocodile Rock " on the 330 date Farewell Tour, you can see a still from the video in the listing photos and you can also see a photo of Paul & Elton when they last met in February 2023.
So now the time has come as Paul reaches retirement age for him to downsize his collection and pass on the batten and give other collectors the chance to add some amazing Elton music and memorabilia to their collections.
In this listing as per the heading this is a rare one off item that has helped make Paul's collection unique over the years and now it's time to make someone else's collection special.
Full details of this listing........
**Competition:** Football League Cup – First Round, 1st Leg
**Match:** Watford F.C. vs. Millwall F.C.
**Date:** Saturday, 9th August 1980
**Cover Feature:** Player of the Year – Ian Bolton
### ITEM OVERVIEW
Up for auction is a premium piece of crossover memorabilia uniting rock-and-roll royalty with English football history. This original, vintage matchday programme from Watford's 1980 League Cup tie against Millwall has been beautifully hand-signed by the club's legendary former Chairman and global music icon, Sir Elton John.
Sir Elton John famously transformed his boyhood club alongside manager Graham Taylor, taking the "Hornets" from the Fourth Division to the top tier of English football. Items directly connecting Elton John to this historic 1980s era at Vicarage Road are incredibly sought after by both sports historians and music memorabilia investors.
### KEY ATTRIBUTES & SIGNATURE QUALITY
* **Standalone Signature:** This is a clean, crisp, full signature ("Elton John") with no personal dedications or inscriptions, offering maximum collector value.
* **Perfect Placement:** Autographed in vibrant blue ink in the top-left corner against the light sky background, ensuring the signature remains distinct, highly visible, and visually striking.
* **No Overlap:** The autograph is completely clear of the central image of Ian Bolton and the matchday text banner.
### CONDITION REPORT
* **Overall Grading:** Very Good vintage condition.
* **Front Cover:** Retains excellent color vibrancy. Features a natural vertical fold line down the center and light handling ripples near the spine, entirely consistent with its 45+ year age.
* **Interior & Spine:** Complete, flat, and intact.
*(Please review the high-resolution listing photographs to view the excellent contrast and condition of the autograph).*
**BACKSTORY (PROOF OF ATTENDANCE):**
This program was signed directly on-site during this historic league cup match when Elton was still in the UK ahead of leaving on 25th August to the USA to launch his world tour to promote his recently released album 21 @ 33 . It was purchased by Paul from a season ticket holder & long time Elton fan known to him personally and in attendance on the day who obtained the autograph in person. Elton often appeared in the entrance foyer of the club on match days and willingly signed items presented to him.
Provenance & Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee:
As a dedicated Elton John historian and autograph specialist Paul has personally analyzed this piece against verified early 1980's archival exemplars.
Certificate of Authenticity: This item comes accompanied by his formal, serial-numbered Certificate of Authenticity specifying the piece's history and signing era.
The Lifetime TPA Guarantee: Paul is so entirely confident in the authentication of this signature that he offers an absolute lifetime money-back guarantee. If this item is ever submitted to a top-tier third-party authenticator (PSA/DNA, JSA, or Beckett Authentication Services) and fails to pass, a 100% full refund of your purchase price will be issued immediately upon its return. You are buying with zero risk.
An absolute must-have investment piece for any serious Elton John collector, autograph seeker, or Watford F.C. completist.
**SHIPPING Details:**
Will be shipped securely flat in an acid-free protective sleeve, sandwiched between heavy cardboard backing, and sent via Royal Mail Special Delivery (fully insured and tracked) to guarantee safe arrival.
Worldwide shipping available via tracked and fully insured method for complete peace of mind.
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