The days of board games such as Subbuteo or Striker! seem almost from a bygone age – though Subbuteo still has a decent following and competitions around the globe.
Rewind nearly 50 years ago and the kids of the 1960 and 1970s couldn’t plug their console into the back of the TV and while away hours playing somebody on the other side of the world.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Japanese warriors and Darth Vader
FROM THE ARCHIVES: City’s 114-year old flag
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Polar bears and the Ice Trophy
It was the more traditional games that came in a box, maybe with a roll-out cloth pitch and tiny (easily broken) figures of players.
One collectable example of the era was the die-cast metal figures of footballers produced by a company called Keymen.
Pictured above, from the Manchester City archive, are figures of Colin Bell and Francis Lee in home, away and England kit – part of a series that was launched between 1968 and 1970.
The hand painted die-cast scale models made between 1968-1970 measure 67mm high and were believed to have been painted by the inmates of Walton Prison in Liverpool!
The collection has been added to the Club archive and were obviously well loved by their owner - other footballers made into the models were Bobby Charlton, Alan Ball, Peter Osgood, Bobby Moore and Gordon Banks.
Not a bad group of players!
Do you have any rare City treasures you’d like to share with the Club - we’d like to hear from anyone who has any items from yesteryear...
