Fifty Years of Flicking Football

After many years of playing Subbuteo, Richard set about tracing the full story of the game. He was fortunate in being introduced to the inventor, the Late Peter Adolph, and after many interviews they became good friends. Peter, tried to register his name for the game as,'The Hobby', but this was refused, therefore with typical ingenuity he relied on his ornithological interests, and transposed the name of the 'Hobby Hawk' (bird) to its Latin form - 'Falco Subbuteo Subbuteo'! The game has always attracted a worldwide interest, from youngsters and often contnuing into their adult life; several football personalities recall their experiences in the book, including ex-England Manager Graham Taylor, Neil Warnock and Dave Bassett. Over the years Subbuteo was also developed into other sports (some successful and some not) amongst them Rugby, Cricket and Speedway. The book tells the full story, in words and many illustrations, from the earliest days (sets first being assembled at home) when Adolph’s first single advert sold a staggering 20,000 sets, to the present, still known and sold worldwide and marketed by an international games company.

This is a book that is sure to appeal to countless ‘boys’ (from 8 to 80) who doubtless have played, or still play, Subbuteo, the world famous table football game. The book tells the story through the eyes of Subbuteo enthusiast Richard Payne, with the invaluable personal help of the inventor, the late Peter Adolph. From the beginnings, in 1946 to the present, Subbuteo has become an international favourite. The book, through the years, recalls the development of the game (and also other adapted to other sports, e.g. table cricket and hockey), its elevation to international, World Cup, matches, the experiences of others (including an ex-England football manager), their memories are sure to be also those of the reader. Hints on collecting are included together with many illustrations of nostalgic advertisements from the past together with actual match action!

‘Fifty Years of Flicking Football’ is a concise history of the game of - table football - ‘Subbuteo’, from its inception in 1946 to the modern day. The book will appeal to, and bring back memories, to countless boys (aged 8 to 80), worldwide, who at one time have played the game, and indeed still do. The author Richard Payne, a lifetime enthusiast, had the benefit of the personal recollections from the inventor of Subbuteo, the Late Peter Adolph, together with the memories of several famous football personalities. The book also relates the development of the game over the decades, the offshoots of Subbuteo to other sports, hints on collecting and is well illustrated with nostalgic advertisements, action shots, etc.