Subbuteo Anyone?

bingaddick

Who amongst us used to play? For those of my generation and pre-computer games, this was what me and my mates played from about aged 10 to around 15 in those cold and wet winter evenings when we could be outside playing.

My first set was very basic with two teams, a red and white one and a blue and white one. As I got more into it, pretty much all my pocket money was saved to by new team sets. I had Chelsea, Blackpool, England, Wolves, Burnley, amongst others.

I also splashed out on new goals which were easier to hold, and smaller balls which could be hit harder. One of my mates bought Floodlights as well.

The picture above includes a mark 2 goalkeeper which had an easy to hold plastic handle. The original ones had metal handles.

We held tournaments and even had a trophy awarded to the winner.

thai malaysia addick

I used to play the previous version of Subbuteo - Newfooty. Same principle except that the players' bodies were a piece of perspex. I had Burnley and Spurs - the two teams that competed the 1962 FA Cup Final.

moutuakilla

Absolutely adores this game! Definitey had man u and Liverpool, think maybe a couple of generic sets as well. I think I had a small stand, and a couple of other bits and bobs. Have to say I only really played when I was fairly young and played vary sparingly once the playstation came out. Also collected loads of those football bigheads as well. This has got me thinking of old train sets and scalextric! the good old days of simple games

Stefco

I used to play. I loved the peripherals. I still have the stands, some terraces, floodlights & the astropitch knocking around. I didn't play Subbuteo as much, but I played Striker on it instead. You had much more control over the ball & could score some really spectacular goals.

Anyone remember 'Mikes Mini Men'?

Tomy Super Cup football was another cracking game, even though it sounded like a hoover & caused interference on the TV.

Baldybonce

There is a chap called Tony who sells Subbuteo and other retro board games in Greenwich market. He's recognisable by the Wolves scarf hanging from his stall.
oh, and he loves a chat about football.

MuttleyCAFC

A great game. We used to have leagues at School, playing matches on the wet days when we couldn't paly football outside. I remember the Stadium edition was my best Xmas present ever.

mascot88

Used to love subbuteo .... Had these amazing deep goals with the yellow nets ... And all kinds of balls and teams ... Loved it ....

Oakster

just introducing my son to it now, bought a set from someone in Ontario on ebay - to be honest I think I'm having more fun with it than he is

MuttleyCAFC

I did for my son too but despite being into it for a while, FIFA has taken over now. This place is worth a look: http://www.subbuteoworld.co.uk/. I have bought quite a few things from them.

BDL

My Nan, bless her, bought me Palace. I wanted Charlton but that one wasn't available.

Elthamaddick

loved it and still got all my stuff up in the loft, couldn't bare to part with it......must have 30 odd teams, stands, floodlights, astroturf pitch, various goals (different shapes), balls (used to use the yellow sponge balls on the astroturf pitch.

great memories of playing it over 20 years ago with mates and especially my Dad

Melrose

Used to play. Great game. Did sort of commentary on the games as we were playing, complete with crowd noises. We used to drag the payers rather than use finger tips. Had loads of teams and can always remember the satisfaction of buying a new one(team). Always use to play against the boy next door who was an avid Leicester fan on Wed evenings and afterwards watch "Sportsnight with Coleman". Could get a bit nasty if I was beating his beloved Leicester, as he would accuse me of purposely kneeling on some of his players. Remember the floodlights. There was another footy game, can't rember it's name. The players were set on a board. They were metal, and each one had a little metal lever. You used to pull back the lever to kick the ball. Fantastic it was. Talking of this era, does anyone remember the card game " Wembley" and the TV show " Quiz ball"?

BIG_ROB

Yeah we had Subuteo, with all the stands and fans and even a little copper on a horse!

smudge7946

I've just introduced my son to panini.
He has just started to collect Euro 2012 stickers.
It could be argued that as he is only 2 that its me doing the collecting,
but its great to have a second childhood.

tangoflash

Yeah we had Subuteo, with all the stands and fans and even a little copper on a horse!

..........Then the copper fell off and all the fans in the stand began to sing................................

Friend Or Defoe

I must have been amongst the last age group to play it (born mid 80s) as the first Fifa game came out in '95. Subbuteo and Scalextrics, those were the days! We don't even use words that good anymore!

McBobbin

I used to do the ironing at an early age... Ironing my subbuteo pitch that is! I think I had Arsenal and Liverpool (too young to know better), but my mate's Dad had a boxed set with every team you could imagine. He also had a hockey and rugby version, but we didn't play those. When my mate bought a rubber-based astro pitch, I actually though God had been invented. I also had a table football set, and this electronic game where the players were on rails, and you could move them laterally and rotate them with these little dials behind each goal. That was awesome.

donnyaddick

Used to love it. Had a team in red that were probably Liverpool but pretended they were Charlton, also had Brazil I think plus scoreboard, floodlights and a stand with a scattering of fans many in flat caps!
Never got the hand of the throw in takers though always seemed to either go nowhere or backwards across the kitchem!

Friend Or Defoe

I also had a table top cricket game as well that was brilliant! Can't remember it's name though.

donnyaddick

I also had a table top cricket game as well that was brilliant! Can't remember it's name though.

Was that the one where you rolled the ball down like a half tube on the bowler, the batsman had a piece of string that you pulled back to hit it and then the pitch was divided up into numbers so if the ball went there thats what you scored? Seem to remember if the ball stopped between a playerslegs you were out caught as well.

suzisausage

test card score or test match or something?

my brother had subbuteo and the cricket game, although my sylvanian family animals used to be subs and when he wasn't there i used to play with about 18 players each side. He definately had leeds and liverpool teams.

DaveMehmet

I also had a table top cricket game as well that was brilliant! Can't remember it's name though.

Was that the one where you rolled the ball down like a half tube on the bowler, the batsman had a piece of string that you pulled back to hit it and then the pitch was divided up into numbers so if the ball went there thats what you scored? Seem to remember if the ball stopped between a playerslegs you were out caught as well.

Test match.

I've got loads of subbuteo stuff in the loft. Teams, floodlights etc. I've also still got the pitch my dad stuck onto a piece of board for me. Used to play it now and then when the boys came over after the pub but not for a few years now.

MrOneLung

I loved this.
Had about 40 teams including non league Yeovil, and multiple national teams.
Also could get unpainted players and design your own kit, but only did that once as quite a pain.

Had cloth pitch and astroturf pitch, stands, fans, floodlights, all the cups, scoreboards, advertising hoardings the lot. Used to get my stuff from Phillips toy shop in Dartford.

The action goalies looked good but were rubbish as saving as the arced backwards too much. Loved the Adidas tango football as well as the 1966 world cup ball too.

used to enjoy Mikes Mini Men in Roy of the Rovers too.

Greenie

Had the subbuteo game, brilliant fun. But then Striker came along and the figures actually kicked the ball. Cutting edge technology.

MrOneLung

I think I had Striker first, or as I called it - 'push the heads'

McBobbin

I had striker too! quality game

ValleyGary

had all the subbuteo stuff. all the stands..scoreboards..floodlights..crowd. took so long to set-up by the time it was all ready, it was time for bed.

BIG_ROB

Had to glue the goalie back on it's holder more times than I care to remember!

bc_addick

My Nan, bless her, bought me Palace. I wanted Charlton but that one wasn't available.

I used to know a couple who used to hand paint the various team colours onto the figures. Very dexterous and interesting to watch. With the Palace kit they had to throw up in the box to replicate the unusual colour combinations adorning the Croydonians.

I had Charlton/Middlesbrough (according to the box) and a few others that I don't remember. I had the floodlights too but they were crap in the dark so I upgraded the bulbs and wired them into a transformer. Worked a treat. We played on a small snooker table with a player being retired injured if he fell down a pocket. :-)

SilentAddick

Had the 1970 world cup special with a mini version of the old World cup trophy, spent many a happy moment! Did anyone have the Striker game where you tap the player head and he kicks the ball? Also there was a ribbon around the pitch which was a pain! :-)

Covered End

Subutteo football. Played it every day I think, for years & years. Absolutely loved it. Also had the cricket version.
They are now in the loft like everyone else's.