Blue was the colour

Saturday 5th December 2009, 2:29PM GMT.

One of only three blue Guernsey Muratti caps has been unearthed in research for the final part of the 20th Century Football Heroes series. It was awarded to Tommy Zabiela 101 years ago. (0882141)

CLOSE to 350 Muratti caps have been handed to island footballers over the 100 years of the competition.

All but three of them are in the island colours of green-and-white. The others are blue, the colour of the very first Guernsey Muratti team strips.

No blue Guernsey caps were thought to be in existence, but this week one was unearthed and is the proud and prized property of Anita Zabiela, whose grandfather, Tommy, played on the left-wing for the island from 1908 to 1912.

Frank Cusack, author of the definitive Muratti Vase Centenary Celebration, was shocked to see proof of a cap he did not know existed, and considers it to be so rare that it would be highly sought after by collectors if it were to go to auction.