Player Pages - a tribute to great players from the period
1965/66 to 1979/80, particularly highlighting their appearance in football
cards. John Hollins A list of all of the appearances of this player in football cards in the period 1965/66 to 1979/80 appears at the foot of this page. |
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John Hollins, born July 1946, has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in football as a player and manager. He joined Chelsea as a youth, and made his first team debut in 1963. His first appearance in a football card was in the 1966/67 A&BC Gum Footballers set. The card states: "Chelsea right half. Widely tipped to gain international honours in the near future. John is another one of the many Chelsea players to come through the succesful Stamford Bridge Youth scheme. He has a terrific right-foot shot and has scored many valuable goals". He went on to enjoy honours with Chelsea, but not too many international honours came his way. The 1968/69 A&BC card notes: "A powerful mid-field worker, Hollins gained his first full international England cap in May 1967 against Spain, four days after playing for Chelsea against Spurs in the (F.A.) Cup Final... A strong candidate for the 1970 World Cup, he also plays at inside forward". The 1969/70 My Favourite Soccer Stars card (presented FREE with BUSTER), states: "A very popular member of the Chelsea side with his non-stop style as a midfield player... He's a little dynamo in defence and attack. This was a period of reasonable success for Chelsea. Having been promoted back to the First Division in 1962/63 they never finished outside of the top 10 in the period up until 1972, a period which coincides with Hollins' career. However, during this period the best that they ever finished was 3rd in 1964/65 and 1969/70. They were a much better Cup side, winning the League Cup in 1965, being defeated in the F.A. Cup Final in 1967 and then winning the Cup in 1970. Hollins also played in the famous Cup Winners Cup win over Real Madrid in Athens in 1971. So, would he be picked for the 1970 World Cup? The Daily Sketch clearly thought so: "Hollins is having his best ever season. Has yet to make the World Cup squad. But he seems a natural stand-in for Mullery". The 1970/71 FKS album notes: "Elected Player of the Year by the club last season". The 1970/71 A&BC orange back card makes it clear "...he was in the party of 40 for the Mexico World Cup". Close, but no cigar, even though he was still in good form. The 1971/72 A&BC Gum purple back card states: "One of the driving forces in midfield behind the Chelsea team, Hollins has been at his best for the past couple of seasons, and is tipped to add to his England cap won against Spain in 1967. A strong tackler, he also possesses a powerful shot and notched some spectacular goals last season". However, it was not to be. The 1973/74 A&BC blue back card laments: "Like Bonetti and Harris, Hollins has been a long-serving servant for his only club. Played his 350th League match in 1973 and must be one of the unluckiest players in the game to have won only one full England cap". In 1975, following Chelsea's relegation to the Second Division, Hollins was transferred to Q.P.R. after 592 games (436 league appearances) for Chelsea. The Top Sellers, Football '76 album was clearly behind the times, including Hollins in their Chelsea selection. Obviously the Football '76 album was planned in mid 1975. The 1976/77 FKS album notes: "First season with the club having been snapped up from Manager Dave Sexton's former club Chelsea". The 1977/78 Topps cards states: "...in the summer of 1975 at the age of 29 joined QPR for £80,000.". At Loftus Road he teamed up with players including Dave Webb, Frank McLintock, Stan Bowles, Dave Thomas, Don Rogers and Don Givens - quite a team! Hollins made 151 league appearances for Q.P.R., including a 2nd place finish in 1975/76, eclipsing any League finish he ever had with Chelsea. In 1979 Hollins moved to Arsenal where he made a further 172 appearances, giving him a career total of an amazing 743 league games. He returned to Chelsea in 1983 and moved into management. He remains in management to this day, having served a number of clubs. John Hollins was awarded an M.B.E. in 1981 for services to football. |
1967/68 A&BC Gum, Star Players No. 3
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Football cards featuring John
Hollins, issued in the period 1965/66 to 1979/80 (note: this is an incomplete list, and will updated as new information is obtained). |
Season | Maker | Set | Card ref. |
---|---|---|---|
1966/67 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Series 2 (111-220) | 140 |
1967/68 | A&BC Gum | Star Players, Black backs | 3 |
1967/68 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 37 |
1967/68 | Fleetway | Lion & Champion, Album of Soccer Stars | 21 |
1968/69 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Yellow backs, Series 1 (001-054) | 23 |
1968/69 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 38 |
1969/70 | A&BC Gum | Football Facts, Green backs, Series 1 (001-064) | 23 |
1969/70 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 39 |
1969/70 | IPC Magazines | My Favourite Soccer Stars (Blue backs), presented with Buster | 25 |
1969/70 | Texaco | Famous Footballers | |
1970/71 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Orange backs, Series 3 (170-255) | 187 |
1970/71 | B.A.B. Products | Shooting Stars | |
1970/71 | Daily Sketch | World Cup, Souvenir Cards | 4 |
1970/71 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 53 |
1971/72 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Purple backs, Series 1 (001-109) | 51 |
1971/72 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 23 |
1971/72 | IPC Magazines | My Favourite Soccer Stars (Red backs), presented with the Scorcher | 19 |
1971/72 | Marshall Cavendish | Book of Football Top Teams | 21 |
1972/73 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Orange/Red backs | 173 |
1972/73 | AVA Americana | Soccer Parade | 39 |
1972/73 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 37 |
1972/73 | Top Sellers | Football 72 | 46 |
1973/74 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Blue backs, Series 1 (001-131) | 74 |
1973/74 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 47 |
1973/74 | Top Sellers | Football 73 | 32 |
1973/74 | Typhoo Tea | Football Stars | |
1974/75 | A&BC Gum | Footballers, Red backs | 14 |
1974/75 | Bassett & Co. | Football Stars | 27 |
1974/75 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 66 |
1974/75 | Top Sellers | Football 74 | 50 |
1975/76 | Topps Chewing Gum | Footballers, Red/Grey backs | 41 |
1976/77 | Top Sellers | Football 76 | 74 |
1976/77 | FKS Publishers | The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars | 285 |
1976/77 | Topps Chewing Gum | Footballers, Blue/Grey backs | 283 |
1977/78 | AVA Americana | Football Special, 1977/78 | 278 |
1977/78 | FKS Publishers | Soccer Stars | 300 |
1977/78 | Topps Chewing Gum | Footballers, Red backs | 71 |
1978/79 | AVA Americana | Football Special 79 | 257 |
1978/79 | FKS Publishers | Soccer Stars 78/79 - Golden Collection | 247 |
1978/79 | Panini | Football 79 | 306 |
1978/79 | Topps Chewing Gum | Footballers, Orange backs | 188 |
1979/80 | Panini | Football 80 | 12 |
1979/80 | Bassett & Co. | Football | 31 |
1979/80 | Topps Chewing Gum | Footballers, Pale blue backs | 288 |
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