Chix Confectionery Co. Ltd.
Chix Confectionery Co. Ltd. was a UK-based confectionery company located in Slough, England. The firm was primarily known for producing Chix-branded bubble gum and collectible trade cards, especially football-themed sets during the 1950s and early 1960s
1953/54
Famous Footballers No. 1 Series
The 1953 Famous Footballers No. 1 Series by Chix Confectionery is a well-known set among vintage football card collectors. Issued in the early 1950s, likely between 1953 and 1955, the series consists of 48 cards featuring prominent First Division footballers of the era, including names like Jackie Milburn, Nat Lofthouse, and Jack Rowley. What makes the set particularly interesting is that the first 24 cards feature hand-drawn illustrations, while the remaining 24 are based on photographic images. Each card is individually numbered and the series was widely collected by children at the time.
Number in set: 48
Gallery: Set gallery
Famous Scottish Footballers
First issued in 1953, Famous Scottish Footballers was one of the earliest post-war football card sets to focus exclusively on Scottish players. Produced by Chix Confectionery Co. Ltd. and distributed with bubble gum, the set includes 24 black-and-white cards, each featuring a well-known player of the time, with a brief biography printed on the back.
Clubs such as Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, and Hearts are all represented, offering a nostalgic glimpse into the stars of Scottish football during the early 1950s. Pictures in gallery from Alan Jenkins’ site.
Number in set: 24
Gallery: Set gallery
1956/57
Famous Footballers – No. 2 Series
Released during the 1956–57 season, Famous Footballers – No. 2 Series was the direct continuation of Chix Confectionery’s original football card set from 1953. Following on from cards 25 to 48 in Famous Footballers – No. 1 Series, this new collection continued the use of colour-tinted full-body or action-style photographs showing players in kit.
The No. 2 Series consists of 48 cards, each featuring a well-known player from English and Scottish clubs, with a short printed biography on the back.
Please note that there are two different front covers for these albums. I’ve attached photographs of both for your reference.
Number in set: 48
Gallery: Set gallery
1958/59
Famous Footballers – No. 3 Series
Famous Footballers – No. 3 Series was the final set in Chix Confectionery’s well-known Famous Footballers line. Like the two earlier series, this collection featured 48 colour-tinted photographic cards, showing full-figure images of leading footballers from English and Scottish clubs. Each card included a printed biography on the reverse, offering a brief summary of the player’s career highlights.
The No. 3 Series followed the same popular format as its predecessors and was once again distributed with Chix bubble gum.
Number in set: 48
Gallery: Set gallery
You may also wish to take a look at the different variations from this series.
1960/61
Footballers (Double picture)
In 1960, Chix Confectionery Co. Ltd. released the Footballers (Double Picture) series , comprising two separate 24‑card sets (Series 1 and Series 2). Each card features a dual-image layout: a portrait-style photo alongside a full‑figure (action or standing) image, all colour‑tinted.
There are four known variations of the card backs in these series: plain, ‘Ask for Chix’, cartoon, and the less common pink cartoon version.
Number in set: 48
Gallery: Set gallery
Scottish footballers
In 1960, Chix Confectionery Co. Ltd. issued a dedicated set of Scottish Footballers, featuring 24 colour-tinted illustrated cards of players from the Scottish League. Each card presents a portrait-style image, showing the player from the chest up, with club badge visible on the shirt and a soft, single-colour background. The reverse side contains a brief biography of the player.
This compact series includes well-known names such as Doug Cowie (Dundee), Bobby Johnstone (Hibernian), Willie Telfer (Rangers), and Gordon Smith (Hearts), and offers a stylised snapshot of Scottish football talent from the 1959–60 season. Unlike Chix’s photographic card sets, this series is fully illustrated.
Pictures taken from Alan Jenkins’ site.
Number in set: 24
Gallery: Set gallery
1961/62
Famous Footballers
In 1961, Chix Confectionery Co. Ltd., in association with Buchan Publications, released a 50-card Famous Footballers set, which stands out for its wide variety of photographic styles. Unlike earlier Chix issues, which often favoured standard portraits, this collection features a rich mix of imagery — from in-action shots and dressing room scenes to more casual or candid full-length photographs, all reproduced in soft colour tones. Each card includes a short printed biography on the reverse, with Buchan Publications credited for the text. The series highlights prominent footballers from both the English and Scottish leagues during the 1960–61 season, including stars such as Stanley Matthews, Bert Trautmann, Ray Charnley, and John Angus.
Number in set: 50
Gallery: Set gallery