Derby County programme seller calls full-time after 60 years

Tony Carter sold his last Derby County programme on Saturday after 60 years

A man who has been selling programmes at Derby County matches for 60 years has blown the full-time whistle on his long career.

Tony Carter took up his regular Pride Park selling spot, under the statue of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, for the final time on Saturday.

The 76-year-old has become a familiar face to Rams fans eager for matchday news over the years.

"I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly of Derby County," he said.

Mr Carter began selling programmes as a teenager outside the club's former Baseball Ground stadium.

Mr Carter has been a staple outside Pride Park for decades

"I've probably sold hundreds of thousands of them - but I didn't keep count," he said.

"I started it with a group of friends, from Pear Tree School, just because it got us a free ticket to the game but I didn't expect then I would still be doing it 60 years later.

"When I began, it was a requirement to shout out 'programme' loudly all the time. It isn't any more but I keep doing it because I like it.

"I've loved it and I have met so many great people, other fans and the players.

"My favourite? David Nish, the full-back - he was pure class.

"And Brian Clough is my favourite manager because he brought us all that success.

"I've also met a few people I didn't expect through doing this - the singer Frankie Vaughan, the boxer Randolph Turpin, and Norman Wisdom - that was the best."

The Rams signed off Mr Carter's 60-year stint selling programmes with a 2-1 victory against Cheltenham Town at Pride Park

Mr Carter, from Littleover in Derby, added: "There have been some downs with the ups. At one point the glossy programmes were changed to a newspaper-type thing, I guess because it was cheaper to print.

"But the fans absolutely hated it and I can't repeat what people said about it. We switched back soon after because nobody wanted to buy it."

He added: "I haven't missed many games over the years, maybe a few but now I'm getting on.

"I find it hard work standing for three hours - sometimes in the biting cold - and the body is telling me I've had a good innings but it's time to stop."