Introduction

This is a blog about football memorabilia. I've been a collector off and on since I was a kid - stickers, cards, programmes, figures and the list goes on. Anything collectable to do with football and I'd normally buy it, though my main passion has always been trade (or bubble gum) cards.

I grew up in the 70's whilst the Topps cards were at the height of their popularity and a regular sight in the school playground everyday. Though they weren't really collectable back then, at least not for a kid - they were something to play games with against friends. Flicking them to land on other cards or to knock cards down, with the winner taking all the cards in play. In hindsight, not a good idea given the damage it does to the cards.

Though worse than playing with the cards was opening the packs in the first place. Packs that cost 5p or 10p when I bought them would now fetch £10 or more, which is a pretty good return even over 30 years. But what kid wouldn't have opened all the packs they could get their hands on? If only I could go back in time....