Chris Allen

HWs 29,90,93,103-105,108-112,115,118,122-125,130,131,133,137,141,143,145,147,148,169 round neck,

177, 179-181,188. 195-202,210,213-214,216,220-222,224,225,229-247, 249-259,262-265,267-269,
271-283, 285-295,297,299-301,303-307 309-312,314-316 Email mrchrisallen@aol.com Phone 01457 835903
Andrew Phillips
1 x set of 10 sky blue outer outers (inners optional) for a 378 CCFC. Any refs 1 & 2 zombie players.
Any zombies on orange/claret/black/white outers (white more important than others) - phippsgt500@yahoo.co.uk
Trevor Smith
Morocco WC team in named box. This is the last one I need to complete my 1970 line-up!
Email trev7296@aol.com or write to Trevor Smith, 15 Brightwell Drive, L.F.E, Leicester LE3 3QA.
Andy Simpson
Brochures for the 61/62 & 62/63 seasons. Will pay 10-15 depending on condition. Please send via Trev (above)
Gareth Protheroe
Still hoping somebody has a set of mauve bases for flat teams to sell or swap. Phone 01952 247578
Tony Dunn
World cup squads (14 players and 2 keepers), plus loads of spectators to fill my stadium
jrd1986@btinternet.com (07766 702667)
Kevin Oakley
A Subbuteo Whistle (C151) for an incomplete Munich set Kevin Brittania@aol.com (07989 480 326)
Vikash Ramnath
C170 Crowd Barrier Fence vbt@iafrica.com
John Briggs
Spare players wanted
Original Heavyweights (v neck short sleeves) 1,2,3,18,22,26,46,49
Classic Heavyweights 12,17,19,23,24,26,35,36,44,65,78, 134, 135, 142,149,152,155,170,173,197,
205,208,209,214,226,265,270,285,301,313
Lightweights 9 HP, 301,MP
71 The Mead Darlington DL1 1EU (01325 251918) Email john.briggs@ntlworld.com
Graeme Murrell
1 x HW4 - red inner, white outer, painted flesh
3 x HW19 - red inner, blue outer, flesh coloured plastic
4 x HW49 - white inner, black outer, flesh coloured plastic
2 x HW51 - blue inner, white outer, painted flesh
1 x HW320 - white inner, green outer, painted flesh
Phone number is 01484 322001.
Neil Horabin
nhorabin@yahoo.co.uk, 020 8847 2337
Original Zeugo teams, "15" Sampdoria 2nd, "20" Lecce, "23" Bari, "34" Celtic, "40" Arsenal, "51" France 2nd
LW Spare players; 138 (2x V-neck), 219, 367, 375 (x2), 605 (x5!), 628, 634, 647, 679 (x2), 698, 707,
740 (94 with logo x2), 741(96), 769, 773 (x3 with logo), 811, 821 (x3), 63131 (no logo), 63133, 63333 (96 x2)
S.C. MEMBERS WANTS LISTS (AS OF 16/05/05)
Best of luck!
Made it at last! Our first colour issue (even if its only the cover) and as promised a nice pale green to kick off
with before trying out other shades in future. Thats the end of the black-and-white era and the beginning of a
new-look one as far as the presentation goes but of course the contents policy will remain unchanged
100% Subbuteo throughout and no padding with self-promotional ads!
Ive been a little more expansive with the photos in this issue, using an unprecedented amount but without
detriment to the hard information that I know most readers prefer. Its been another great effort by our
dedicated team of contributors, plus a healthy sprinkling of new names making their newsletter debut.
Id just like to reiterate what Ive said many times before, which is please try and find the time to send in an
article because we always need incoming material and Im sure theres many a Subbuteo tale still to be told.
Since our last issue Hasbros 2005 Subbuteo range has arrived in the shops.or at least in Toys R Us!
It just missed the deadline for #10 but thats given people a good 3 months to weigh the whole thing up, and
long-awaited details of the new products can be found on P. 8 for those still pondering whether to go out and
buy the latest gear or not. Its a bit of a departure from what weve been used to so far, which certainly makes
for an interesting article if nothing else!
Please note that our Leicester Fair has been moved back one week to July 9th (see P.2) so I hope that wont be
a problem for anyone. Leicester is always a popular venue and there will no doubt be a good crowd at the event
as alwaysprobably even more than usual as we hold it in midsummer for the very first time. Its barely
5 weeks away so please note the new date and be there if you can because after a well-attended Wakefield fair
last month it would be nice to keep our present momentum going.
A reminder that up-to-the-minute details of this plus other news is constantly available to Internet members on
the Subbuteo Club Forum at www.subbuteoforum.com. Weve already recruited 260+ enthusiasts since our
launch in January and this has been one of our most successful initiatives to date! In true Subbuteo soap-opera
style there has been some friction because weve dared to challenge the established order but weve gone
ahead anyway and given people more choice as a resultthis cant be bad!
So, have a good summer and see you for issue #12 which marks the start of our 4th year here at the SC.
still going strong!
Bye for now.
TREV.
ISSUE #11 (May 2005)
CONTENTS
(1) Editorial - youve just read it! (2) Subbuteo Club News (3) My favourite swapmeet
(4) DIY all-weather pitches (5) The WC 82 with LW teams (6) Why Subbuteo was best!
(7) Subbuteo v Computers (8) The Subbuteo 2k5 review (9) Subbuteo catalogues 1970-73
(10) Soccer sets price guide (11) Full listings of all soccer sets (12) Members Wants Lists
Leicester Fair : Saturday, July 9th
Start: 9 a.m. Sellers, 9.30 a.m. Buyers Finish: Approx. 1.30 p.m.
Venue: The Trinity Methodist Church, Narborough Road, which is on the A5460
just 3/4 minutes drive from the M1/M69.
Admission: SC Members (past & present) FREE, Non-members 2 on the door.
Directions: After leaving the M1/M69 junction, head for the first major
roundabout. Take the second turning onto the dual carriageway which leads into
town (this is the A5460). After approx. 1 mile you will come to a set of traffic
lights at the large crossroads with the Holiday Inn on the right and a Jaguar car
showroom on the left. Keep going. Continue along the dual carriageway almost
until the next set of lights, but just before coming to these you will see the large
church on the left. Turn left and left again to go round to the back of the
building where the fair is taking place.
*** CLUB NEWS ***
Newsletter back issues now on CD
Thanks to the efforts of Jeremy Morris it is now possible to
get issues 1 to 10 on CD for just 6.00 inc. P&P world-wide.
This means you can print out any copies you dont yet have,
upgrade to colour versions (the CD contains more colour
than the actual newsletters) or just leave them in CD format
to read on your computer. For recent members its a great
chance to catch up on all youve missed so far at a reasonable
price, but anyone who prefers paper back-issues can still
obtain these for 1.50 each inc. P&P.
WELWYN FAIR DATE CONFIRMATIONSUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND
(Further details in issue #12)
Members S.C. Stats Collectors Fairs
Current membership 188 Wakefield attendance -73 members + guests
Cumulative membership 372 Cumulative attendance (10 fairs) - approx. 580
Record membership 253 Record attendanceLeicester, Jan 2004 (100+)
***Newsletter #12 due week beginning Sept. 5th (print deadline Aug. 19th)***
Read 116 pages of Subbuteo
articles on CD exactly as they
appeared in newsletters 1 to 10
Flat Sets
Original Edition
Hasbro Sets
Euro 96
Assembly Outfit France 98
Popular Outfit Manchester United Edition
Combination Edition (sq. box) Deluxe Edition
Combination Edition (rect. Box) Chocolate Edition
Super Set Dream Team Stadium
00 Scale Sets
Display Edition
5-A-Side Sets
Fivesides (small)
Club Edition Fivesides (medium)
Floodlighting Edition Fivesides (large)
International Edition Football Express (Fold-Up)
New World Cup Edition (1970) Football Express (Large Box)
World Cup Edition (1974) Targetman
Munich Edition Top Scorer
Stadium Edition Sport Billy
World Cup 78 Indoor Edition
LW Sets (post-1980)
League
Card Sets
Soccer Market
FIFA Famous Footballers (Series 1)
World Cup 86 Famous Footballers (Series 2)
Grandstand Edition Squads Card Game 1996
USA 94
Premier League Edition
THE COMPLETE SUBBUTEO
SOCCER SETS CHECKLIST
SOCCER MARKET Actually a card game and nothing like the other finger-flicking sets in the rest of the soccer
range. Ive seen the cards and they look distinctly unimpressive, but their worth could be 200.00+ per set.
FAMOUS FOOTBALLERS Another set of cards (or rather 2, each containing 24 players) but this time theyre
collectors cards rather than playing cards. As far as Im aware theyre both of equal rarity and value, and sell
surprisingly cheaply considering their age and 40.00 should get you either set.
FIVESIDES There were 3 versions of this, all of which are rare. The smallest is little more than a 6 square box but
as its a 50-year-old one youd probably still get/pay 50.00 for it. Id value the others at 70.00 and 90.00, but
having never seen them on Ebay or at fairs I must admit theres an element of pure guesswork involved.
FOOTBALL EXPRESS Best known and loved of all the 5-a-side sets. Once thought to be a genuine rarity (thus
attracting 200.00+ panic buys) but they now turn up quite frequently and you shouldnt pay more than 50.00
even with the teams includedmaybe 75.00 for the much rarer fold-up version.
TARGETMAN Comes in the same huge-format box as the International/Express?Snooker editions. A poor mans
Striker but for rarity alone it could easily go for 150.00 or more if mint.
TOP SCORER Nothing spectacular here and, as is often the case, 90% of the value (which Id put at 50.00) is in
the box!
SPORT BILLY Aimed at youngsters and a very unpopular attempt. Like so many rubbish sets though, it sold few
copies and so now has a high-ish collectable value, maybe 70.00 if mint.
INDOOR A quite beautiful set on a blue felt/Astro type pitch with a board backing. Relatively recent (1982) but not
many made during its short lifespan because like the NASL upon which it was based it never really caught on.
A shame, but their scarcity means they now sell at around 125.00 to todays collectors.
SQUADS A boxed set of 165 cards with a playing board but Ill spare readers further details of this disaster! 5.00
CHOCOLATE EDITION I still remember them on sale at 1.00 a box as the chocolate sell-by date expired.
Theres been renewed interest since they disappeared though and an average of recent prices would be about 7.00
DELUXE EDITION The selling point here was most likely the re-vamped grandstand with cardboard spectators,
otherwise nothing special amidst a healthy quantity of items (3 teams, fence, scoreboard etc) 35.00
MAN. UTD. EDITION By definition this will have limited widespread appeal but many parts (bearing the
Man. Utd. logo) are not available in any other sets. Not a big seller either so it may just be a future rarity. 25.00
DREAM TEAM STADIUM Some innovative ideas in this set (see article on P.4) and currently retailing at 30.00
This is a belated follow-up to my Soccer Sets Price Guide way back in issues 4 & 5. With the help of Jon French
weve just about valued all the remaining boxed sets in the Subbuteo soccer range and rounded this off with the
ultimate Subbuteo soccer set checklist at least until we find one weve missed! So here is the list of all the
soccer sets not covered so far in chronological order - they really do vary from the sublime to the ridiculous :-)
SOCCER SETS VALUATIONS
(Concluding Part)
.and now for a complete list of all the Subbuteo Soccer sets available from 1947 to the present day. See P.11 >>>
The best swapmeet I ever attended was in Leicester towards the end of the 90s. There wasnt a great attendance by any means
because it was before the Internet exploded onto the scene and messages had to be conveyed by phone or letter. I doubt there were
more than 25 people at the event, the venue being so remote that it took me as long to find it 5 miles from the motorway as it did to
travel the 80 miles along the motorway to Leicester itself.
Still, I finally made it for about 10.30. This would be disastrous nowadays because all the best stuff would be gone and there
wouldnt be a bargain left in the place, but remember this was 1998! I strolled round the hall, not talking to a soul because I had the
impression of being an outsider. Perhaps a false impression, and for all I know everybody else could have been thinking the same,
but a big social occasion it was not! There was a nice lady serving tea and cakes though and after acquiring a few bits I had a chat
there for a time. There was little sense of urgency on my part because sellers were standing round waiting for customers and it
wasnt as if I was going to miss much by having a 5 minute snackthere were about 8 tables stacked with stuff which wasnt going
anywhere! Refreshed, I then resumed my quest for Subbuteo bargains at around 11 oclock.
I must say that looking back there was no shortage of these, but how do you know what will be a bargain several years later???
People were shunning HWs at 5 a team because this was deemed a little dear, and I was haggling over 6 of them which I eventually
got for 20 from a shaven-headed trader (this was Pete WhiteheadEd.) but at the risk of repeating myself, these were 1998 prices!!
.It all seems like a different Subbuteo age now!
Well if Id just gone home with 6 HWs for 20 you might think Id had a good day, but wait! I also got 2 rugby sets for a fiver each,
an Indoor Edition for a tenner and so many accessories for 1 each that I couldnt possibly list them all here, but one which comes to
mind is a C172 League Cup! I think I paid a little more for my WC Winners pack, which cost me 5 if my memory is correct and I
recall thinking this was my worst value-for-money deal of the day!!! There were also flat teams galore and one guy had a load of
brochures for 50p each that I bought a dozen or so of, some of which went back to the early 1960s. I sometimes try and work out the
value of the stuff I got that day for well under 100, even including the petrol money, but I couldnt begin to calculate what it would
cost me today.
I could understand people saying, oh, the lucky **** and theyd be quite right! Id definitely agree here up to a point but do you
know what? I cant stop thinking about the bargains that got away!!! Ungrateful, stupid or just plain greedy? Maybe all three,
but there must have been a good couple of dozen rugby teams at 2-3 quid each which escaped my grasp and eventually cost me
10-15 each 2 about years later. OHWs, although fewer in number, were going for the same prices as classic HWs and I left them on
the tables! I probably only got 50% of what I could have bought if my budget had not been a factor, but if Id told my partner Id
blown 200 quid on Subbuteo shed have gone nuts!!!!!!
Towards the end of the fair there was an auction, which I thought was a novel idea. With no Ebay back then (or if there was, nobody
had heard of it yet!) and very few bidding rivals for each item this was a great chance to get some special stuff for a snip.
Unfortunately, being towards the end, a lot of people were spent up (myself included) so again this kept the prices down and even
the Floodlight Cricket set didnt reach its 40 reserve! Can you believe that???
Shortly afterwards there was a steady trickle out into the car park. Whether people thought it had been a good event or a bad one
perhaps depended on which side of the table they had been standing. The funny thing is that when I got home and was asked if Id
enjoyed the swapmeet I said it was okay. This was an honest answer based on the day as a whole, which really didnt seem that
remarkable at the time. But history is not always judged on the spur of the moment and Id put this down as the last great swapmeet
for Subbuteo buyers. Its been a sellers market ever since!
I went to a different event barely 18 months later and what a difference!! If anyone ever asks me when Subbuteo inflation took off I
always say early 2000 and Ive only been to 2 more fairs in the past 5 and a half years since Subbuteo became a business instead of
a hobby. It would be great if we could go back to pre-2000 prices because Id be quite happy to play the game here by selling HW
teams for 3-4 quid in exchange for being able to buy others for the same price. But this is just the stuff of dreams because you
cannot artificially deflate a market thats become inflated or, as some would claim, where Subbuteo has found its true value
according to the law of supply and demand.
So Leicester was truly a once in a lifetime experience for Subbuteo collectors like myself. For the record, I still have most of my
loot to this day although I managed to do some good swaps for a few of the items found. Sadly, the club that organised it eventually
went bust and I felt a bit guilty about this as Id attended a couple of their events FOC and got so much stuff. It was like I owed
them something. Id like to belatedly thank all those responsible and - as prices continue to escalate - my memories of that
October morning in Leicester grow ever fonder!
My favourite Subbuteo fair
Robert Pratt
Has anyone else got a nostalgic fair review theyd like to share with us? All contributions gratefully received! - Ed.
Leicester, October 1998
Subbuteo soccer pitches are not very dear these days and you can pick up even quality baize ones for 1
each at fairs etc. This is just as well as we tend to get through rather a lot in our house! When youve read
how we use them below you will easily understand why.
To recreate rainy conditions we dampen the pitch. This creates a slower game and if we want to simulate
snow its very simplejust use talc!! We experimented with salt at first but the little grains made it
unworkable, and then fine white sugar was tried with better results but we opted for talc in the end.
Whether its water for rain or talc for snow, the conditions created will vary in extremity according to
how much you apply. If soaking the pitch, be warned that significant shrinkage will occur unless its
firmly attached to a board to prevent this.
As in real football these adaptations introduce an element of lottery, but whats wrong with that?? We all
enjoy the glamour of the FA Cup where prestigious teams get drawn against lowly opposition and come a
cropper on a dodgy pitch.great stuff!!!!! Im not recommending this for the FISF circuitits just a
means of adding greater realism to informal games with a few new house rules.
My own personal favourite is windy conditions and here we use one of those fans which, if set at the right
distance from the pitch, can create anything from a gentle breeze to a howling gale. Its trial and error
really, but you can get it just right within a matter of seconds - its not too difficult! And if you buy one of
those models which turns automatically through about 180 degrees you can even get the gusty effect.
Weve also sprinkled sand onto the surface of a pitch to reproduce mud, although were still working on
this latest idea and a little more practice in applying it is required. A patchy covering is no problem as
thats the very nature of muddy pitchesyou never know for sure where the stickiness will be! Coffee
powder is another option under consideration but the expense alone may rule it out. Weve all seen games
where a long through-ball holds up in the mud whether its the 3rd round of the cup at Scarborough or
the 1/4 final of the Champions League in the San Siro so were keen to perfect this technique ASAP.
Sometimes ideas arrive spontaneously, like my Grandads excuse for smoking whilst playing by saying
that it recreated fog. I wouldnt recommend this latest idea, but thats another possibility we could add
to the list. Obviously, you can combine any of the above to get such things as a rainy and windy match
etc In fact heres an almost unlimited amount of conditions you can create with a bit of imagination and
(if you can afford the pitches) they give extra realism to an already exciting game. These ideas are not just
for soccer either. You could easily substitute the word rugby above and the same comments apply.
Apart from the weather conditions, the speed of game can be determined by the choice of material.
Nylon is faster than baize, and then there are different thicknesses of baize with the really old ones being
thickest (and thus the slowest). In cricket, you could use a nylon pitch when the wicket is quick (as is
the case at certain cricket grounds) and the more common baize ones for slower tracks which would also
enable slightly more spin. I have actually played cricket on a nylon pitch stretched out on hardboard and I
can guarantee the game was at least 50% faster than a standard one!
Inclining the pitch very slightly can reproduce either the famous Yeovil slope in football or the equally
famous one at Lords cricket ground. Again, it introduces another dimension for the players to cope with.
Be careful here though because you can easily overdo itwere only talking about raising the board with
the pitch on about half an inch/1 cm. (max!) at one end.
Those wishing to become top-class players will not benefit from any of this - quite the contrary - but I
hope that those who play exclusively for fun will get added pleasure (and a few laughs!) from these tips.
Myself, my brother and our mates certainly have!
Pitches for all seasons
Mark Ainscough
SUBBUTEO CATALOGUES END OF AN ERA
By Gareth Protheroe

In 1969, Subbuteo produced a 24 page brochure which covered Soccer, Cricket, Rugby, Fivesides & the sets C 124,
125 & 126, Training kits. The cover consisted of a green background with the figures of a cricketer,( all in white),
a Footballer , (red shirt, blue shorts) & a Rugby player ( blue shirt, white band & black shorts. The Union Jack Flag
was positioned in the top left hand corner. Included within was pictures of the boxed games available for Soccer &
Cricket, together with a soccer field of play displaying the accessories available as set out in previous catalogues .
Team references 1 to 55 was present as was a full list of the accessories available at this time.
1969-70 The cover of the 69-70 catalogue changed again from the previous
season. A football figure in white shirt, black shorts on a white background
covered most of the cover in kicking action with a black ball above his kicking
foot with the words Subbuteo Table Soccer in white print. One and a half
inches with a red background occupied the top of the page with the words in
white printing Subbuteo Price List 1969-70 Soccer Cricket thereon. At the
bottom there was an inch red border with the words in white print Grand
NEW accessories and replacements for ALL Subbuteo sports games are
contained in this latest price list. The NEW sets introduced included C 117, set
of six line flags, four with built in ball raising recesses for improved corner
kicks. C 118. European Competition Cup, C 119, The world Cup, C 120, Football Statuette, C 121, Three new match
balls, moulded in yellow with black spots, C 122, Two new style goals, C 123, 2 action diving goalkeepers, C 124,
Training kit, set A, C 125- target board, Training kit set B ,goalkeeper reboiund board, C 126, Training kit six
dribbling posts. Set L provided a new log book in a gold-embossed wallet cover. Set LX log book only was
introduced to the list, Set Z indicated a NEW Match Scoreboard , in realistic style with the names of all principle
English & Scottish Clubs & Divisional & Competition insert cards.
Team references increased from 55 to 61 with the introduction of 56, Ajax, 57 Milan, 58
Inter Milan, 59 River Plate, 60 F.C. Subbuteo Barcelona (tangerine shirts with a red band &
blue shorts ) & 61 Red & yellow striped shirts, black shorts, with no reference to any team.
Set 0, Eleven Player figures was reduced from 55 to only 50 team colours available. In the
1970-71 catalogue the team references available returned to one to fifty five in Set 0. >>>
<<< In the 1971-72 catalogue Set D - cardboard figures appeared
for the last time. Set 0 was once again reduced to only 50 team
references available. What was Subbuteo playing at? In one
catalogue there was 1-55 available, then only 1-50 in another and
then back to 1-55, and finally reduced back to 50.
This is the last description of the catalogues which I am providing.
My love has been the celluloids, and in the 1972-73 catalogue >>>
it stipulated that Set 0, would only be available while stocks lasted
in team references 1 50 only. This is the last time Sets E (bases)
& Set 0 (eleven players) appeared in the Subbuteo catalogue.

IT WAS THE END OF AN ERA!
Thanks Gareth for your excellent trilogy on flat teams, reviewing a quarter-century
of Subbuteo brochures in the process. Its been a really popular series judging by
the comments Ive received, so you can now take a well-earned break! - Ed.
The box contains: 1 pitch with already the four bases of the supports fixed on and it is made
with a bizarre materialit is synthetic, of course, and it seems a very thin sponge. The grip is
good and the surface is quite slippery. This material hardly creases and the stick entitled to
stretch it do their work good. In a few words you can set up your field in a few seconds
obtaining a very good result. It is not an Astropitch but it is far better than a standard Subbuteo
field. 24 players. Actually 22 are enough but the players come in hard plastic cards by three, so
you get 8 cards with 24 players. Each card has three players and three discs, you can use every
player with red or blue disc at choice. This is because you can use whatever player in your team
and just replace the disc and base afterwards. The disc has the name of the appropriate player.
Every forward and some midfielders have a black band on the disc. That means that in the
advanced game they are entitled to play the ball up to 4 times instead of 3. Defenders can play the ball only twiceodd! You have, of
course, to remove the players and the discs from the cards to play with. But surprisingly you can stick them back into the cards at the
end of the game. The plastic from which the cards are made seems very good and long lasting. Each card contains three players of the
same team (I remember you that the new team range contains only 9 teams, Juventus, Inter, AC Milan, Barcelona, Valencia, Arsenal,
Chelsea, Liverpool, Man. Utd.). Goalpoststhese are fine, with nice shaped nets and a green base. Poles are rounded.
FootballsThere are 2 standard sized balls (not C144 size) that come with the game, colour white with the Subbuteo logo
(a Subbuteo player) printed on in red/orange.
Of course you can buy new teams or, better, new players. They come in the type of box shown on the right >>
which is called a Skill Academy. Each players box you buy will have 12 players (i.e. 4 cards) and you dont
know what is inside the small box. Subbuteo becomes a trade cards game. But every little box with 4 cards
(otherwise why to sell cards in box) can contain an accessory. The accessory is not random, it is advertised on the
box cover.

<<< You can choose between 4 different fantastic accessories:-
1) Pegs for training
2) Raising chutes but with a completely new shape, arguably more effective
3) A basket/target to train for chipping (never again without!)
4) A deflector for the goalkeeper, enabling him to punch clear the ball.
Also in every little box you will always find 1 ball Prestige (in 3 colours: orange, gold and silver) and 4 special
bases: 2 Cobra and 2 Sidewinder (1 red 1 blue). So theres the full contents, but now lets meet the teams.
<<< Here are the players on their press-out cards. Early reports suggest that
some are very common while others are extremely rarenice one Hasbro! :-)
They have become known as Photoreal players, which is no doubt due to
the box saying 12 photo-realistic players from Europes top clubs inside!

<<< And here is the finished article in the form of a Barcelona team. Perhaps the word squad would be more
appropriate because there are 15 players (5 cards) available for each of the 9 clubs above. After a game the
players can either be left assembled or replaced onto their cards, the latter being a good option with there
not being any boxes to store them in. I wonder if Hasbro have plans to make any in future or, better still,
to sell ready-made boxed teams? There may be further developments to report here.

So, what do SC members make of all this?

Here are some of the comments received so far
ANDY SIMPSON - The teams play surprisingly well and putting the name of each player on the shirt & base is a long overdue bonus.
JON FRENCH - The pitch material is a vast improvement. Having tension rods to keep it flat is a winner, although a bit unsightly.
ANDREW CHURCHILL These flat players are starting to appeal to me but a wider range is required than just the 9 current teams
DAVID FAIR Why dont Hasbro sell complete teams? Its silly and confusing playing with different strips in the same team.
JEZ TOMLIN More base colours are required because the red and blue bases dont match the colours of many teams.
ADAM SPINKS - The accessories are a bit mediocre but I like having trading cards to build up teams gradually (however frustrating!)
JOHN BRIGGS - If they introduce more teams it should become very popular. But I feel it's more appealing to collectors than players.
KEVIN GILL The new rules are interesting and some improvements have been made. Its a nice idea having two types of bases.
RICHARD STOKES I think Hasbro have been very shrewd because collectors will pay far more for their teams by this method.
STEVEN EDBROOKE The teams are pretty good (despite my initial reservations) but boxes are urgently needed to put them into.
Subbuteo 2005 - Reviewed by Marco Longinotti (boxed sets) & Trevor Smith (teams)
Ever fancied recreating that dramatic semi final, the brilliant second round match between Italy and Brazil, or
maybe Scotland actually beating those Soviets to qualify for the second phase. I am of course talking about the
1982 World Cup in Spain. Subbuteo LWs offer an excellent opportunity for the collector to recreate those and
many more memorable games form that stunning tournament. To collect these teams represents a significant
challenge yet to get a good start with some very common refs should be easily achievable. Here is my guide to
collecting LWs to recreate that tournament.
Group 1
Italy ref 415
Italy 2nd ref 443
Poland ref 412
Cameroon ref 403
Peru ref 455
Group 2
West Germany ref 445
West Germany Away ref 393
Austria ref 453
Algeria ref 402
Chile ref 68
Group 3
Belgium ref 444 (probably the hardest to get)
Belgium 2nd ref 21
Argentina ref 457
Hungary ref 281
El Salvador ref 155
Group 4
England ref 329
England 2nd ref 368
France ref 461
Czechoslovakia ref 231
Kuwait ref 404
Group 5
Spain ref 433
Northern Ireland ref 393 ( same as Germany away !!)
Northern Ireland Away ref 459
Honduras ref 405
Yugoslavia ref 149
Group 6
Brazil ref 410 ( should be one of the easiest to pick up)
USSR ref 392
USSR 2nd ref 303
Scotland ref 442
Scotland 2nd ref 469
New Zealand ref 156
I would also recommend using Tournament goals or European goals to give the games an extra sense of reality.
However chances are that you are not going to recreate the whole tournament, but hopefully this gives you the
inspiration to start collecting LWs.
If you wanted to play this group out then the match between Poland
and Peru could mean a colour clash. I would recommend using a ref
214 as an alternative Poland kit for this game.
Best use the Germany away in the match v Austria ( I think the
Austrians changed kit in the actual tournament).
I suggest using a ref 1 for Kuwait in the game against France.
A ref 21 can be used for Honduras in the
game against Yugoslavia.
Should only need the Scotland away
if they progress to the next phase.
Chris Stapleton
Collecting LWs to recreate that World Cup excitement
This ones been around forevercertainly in excess of 100 years and was perhaps the earliest real
football simulation game. Unfortunately, its just 2 straws and a ball and the winner is the one who gets
the headache last. It barely qualifies for a rating because theres just a keeper dangling from the bar and
thats all it had in the way of players but Ive included it on the list because of its incredible longevity and
the fact that (like most people) it was probably the first football game I ever played. Its still passable as
a party game to this day but only 10% as good as the mighty Subbuteo!
Considered to be the inspiration for the great game itself and yes, I can see the likeness.
Born in 1928, it was around 19 years before Subbuteo appeared but did it really evolve
that much? I only ever played this game 2 or 3 times with an uncles incomplete set and
there were both + and - points (I did like the players action poses!) but overall it just
came up short. Nevertheless, alongside my #1 game Id give it a very honourable 80%.
Oh dear! They came up with magnetic soccer in the 50s in the hope that this would create a fast-action
replica of the real game. Well fast-action it was for sure, but you never quite knew who was in control of
which players. It was usually played with each player having one magnetic rod and I dread to think how
youd play the version shown with 6 rods. Okay for a laugh as the chaos descends, but only a quarter
good as old subby and so lets say 25%. There were several producers of this game (the most
well-known being Balyna, the one I had) but the above comments unfortunately apply to all of them.
Into the 60s with some nice ideas and interesting tactics. Yes, I did like the
idea of having chipping and straight sides on the bases too but I dunno.
theres just something about using dice that made it into a game of chance
rather than the ultimate game of skill like our favourite table soccer game.
All the extra lines on the pitch diminished its visual appeal too but were
around 70% of the way there a decent effort!
Another 60s classic. Well, maybe for some! Casdon Soccer was okay until you got the hang
of passing to your own men every time and then the opponents were powerless to stop you
scoring. Me and my mate had this off to a tee back in the early 70s when I bought this game
and our matches were a bit like basketball where the winner is the one who loses the ball the
fewest times. This eventually diminished our interest and so Id only give this one 50%
(sorry Sir Bobby!)
I didnt rate this game but Subbuteo took it seriously enough to emulate it via their Targetman.
Mind you, that was pretty poor too once youd got over the novelty of pressing the players head
down to make him kick the ball - we all found this to be okay for the first 5 minutes or so!
I was surprised to see Striker sets still hanging around in the shops after all these years,
in a different box nowadays but still the same old game and so for sheer tenacity it gets 60%.
A bit of a Subbuteo rip-off here I reckon. The rules seemed remarkably similar to the
Advanced Rules known and loved by us all, but the game was played with a counter!!
Well, that marked it down for me Im afraid, not to mention the cardboard pitch, but there
were still some aspects of it I found appealing enough to hold my attention throughout the
Mid-70s.a 75%-er.
Ive really enjoyed this trip along memory lane and have suddenly come over all nostalgic. Ive only mentioned the manual
games for direct comparison purposes but I also had some happy hours playing such gems as Wembley and Soccerama
with the other lads in the street. There were some fine football games around back then, but the one which always created
the most excitement, tension and controversy was Subbuteo. No other indoor soccer game was quite like it!
Why Subbuteo was best
Mike Bonsall
Taking Subbuteo as the bench-mark 100%, how did the other football games I played compare?
Manual dexterity. This increases due to the high level of skill
involved with Subbuteo. Hand/eye coordination also improves
more by playing a real 3D game than just watching 2D images on
a screen and pushing buttons.

Imagination/Creativity. Computer games look almost real these
days, whereas a Subbuteo set requires imagination. Many players
enhance their miniature teams with numbers on backs and build
stadia full of accessories to which they can relate. The fact that you
can actually TOUCH your players makes you feel an affinity with
them as opposed to their shallow electromagnetic rivals.

Price. Theres no hardware required, which in the case of
computers can cost 200.00 for the latest model! Games are then a
further 30.00 + if bought new, whereas Subbuteo sets and additional teams are just a fraction
of these prices. Although relatively minimal, one could also add on the electricity bill.
Health. Cramp from sitting in the same position too long, eyestrain through staring at a TV
screen for too long (even cases of epilepsy have been reported!) and other conditions such as
repetitive strain injury can all occur. On the other hand, playing Subbuteo requires a fair
amount of movement and keeps the player fitter and healthier as a result.
Sociability is enhanced because Subbuteo is a social
game rather than a lone one. Often leagues are
formed creating interaction between several people
but this is seldom the case with computer games.
True, these can be played with 2 players or even
online (although you cant see or speak to your
opponent this way).
Strategy. Theres more involved in Subbuteo than
in computer games and an almost infinite number of
possibilities and outcomes arise during each game
due to the unpredictability of using a physical ball.
Computer gameseven the most sophisticated
only have a finite number of pre-set moves which
you can ultimately work out given sufficient time.
Excitement. When did you last hear anyone mention
that great goal they scored on FIFA 2003? No, I
thought not! Subbuteo moves arent programmed so
you create them yourself (passes, saves, shots etc.)
and get a greater sense of achievement when they
come off. So dont become an X-Box slaveprovide your own thrills and enjoy them far more!
Ive no doubt there are many more benefits in playing Subbuteo but those above will do for now.
I must make sure that my son reads this articleif he ever finishes playing that ****** FIFA 2003!!!
...and still is!
Andrew Churchill gives us 7 good reasons to set out and not plug in