There are many things you expect to find on the shelves of charity shops in Berkshire. A postcard depicting a mid 70s Coleraine side is perhaps not one of them. However, I stumbled across this beauty over the weekend. (I should add that I did pass up the opportunity to purchase England’s World Cup 82 theme: This Time (we’ll do it right!))

Interestingly this team photo wasn’t taken in their native Northern Ireland. The team picture was taken at Feyenoord’s De Kuip stadium before Coleraine’s 7-0 defeat in the European Cup first round of 1974/1975. They also lost to the Dutch club at home (a 1-4 defeat). Neither result should be seen as too humiliating considering many of the Feyenoord squad were involved with the Netherlands 74 World Cup side. It remains the Northern Irish side’s only sojourn into Europe’s premier cup competition, their other campaigns being in the Fairs Cup, Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup.

Feyenoord went on to beat Olympiakos in the 2nd round before being knocked out to Barcelona in the next round.