Manchester City owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, has bought a historic FA Cup trophy for £760,000 after it was placed on auction last year.
The trophy which was in use between 1896 and 1910 was owned from 2005 by West Ham co-owner, David Gold, who bought it for £478,000 and auctioned it in September 2020.
The trophy was the first major trophy won by City after the club beat Bolton Wanderers 1-0 in the final of 1904.
“This cup is a visible reminder of the rich and long history of English football to which City is inextricably entwined,” Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said in a statement issued.
“Winning this actual trophy in 1904 was a turning point for the club and for the city of Manchester in that it firmly cemented football in the heart of its community.
“Sheikh Mansour’s view is that a trophy of such cultural significance must be shared with the people of Manchester, the English football family, and those who love the English game.”
The trophy will now be loaned to the National Football Museum in Manchester.
The museum’s chief executive, Tim Desmond, said, “We feared we may never see it again and that Britain would be losing the FA Cup for good.
“The fact that it has been bought by His Highness Sheik Mansour and offered back to us is simply wonderful news for the preservation of our sporting heritage in this country.
“We are blessed to have many wonderful items on display but, as the oldest surviving FA Cup, this particular trophy was among the ‘crown jewels’ of our artefacts.”
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