Getting Nostalgic With the 90's - Shiney Magic Merlin

[above - 1996 MERLIN'S International Masters of The Game - Alan Shearer]

After selling off my entire collection of NFL football cards last week, I have become more focused on filling the gaps in my soccer card collection. As much as I enjoyed the other sports cards growing up, I always wanted more soccer material to be produced in the USA. Unfortunately, it never happened. Now, with Upper Deck spitting out their sub-standard product - and  MLS being complacent with it, it looks like nothing much has changed. Thank Buddah for the internet, and cable TV.

Now, I do look at my rebirth into collecting when the wonderful products became available in the 1990's though internet trades - namely, MERLIN'S PREMIER LEAGUE  trading cards.

[above- 1998 MERLIN'S Rainbow foil Golden Moment - Alan Shearer]

There are several reasons why these card sets appeal to me. First of all, they were very managable sizes. Most were under 200 cards. Next, they had small and well designed chase cards inserted in the packs. Both the front and the reverse were guilded in shiney color and gloss. But more importantly, they had good information.

[above - 1999 MERLIN'S Gold - Michael Owen]

Lastly, they were acoompanied by binder books - complete with plastic pages and room for all the base cards and the inserts. The binders featured fantastic photos of the stars and a checklist to track your progress.

[above - 1998 MERLIN'S Permier League Hotshots - Robbie Fowler]

While the inserts were dominated by Manchester United players, it had a good mix of stars that have stood up with time - Alan Shearer, Robbie Fowler and Micheal Owen - all 100 goal scorers in the Premier League.

[above - 1996 MERLIN'S International Masters of The Game - Ryan Giggs]

There were a good number of foreign players that were beginning to star in the Premier league on a regular basis. They soon became fan favorites like - Eric Cantona (France), Ruud Gullit Holland), Giunluca Vialli (Italy), Peter Schmeichel (Denmark) and Faustino Asprilla (Colombia).

This was the start to the Premier League evolving into the "World's Best League". Although they are still relatively affordable ($5-10 range), these inserts are becoming increasingly harder to find as global collectors search for super looking super star cards.

The Super 70's Seen Through the 1978-79 FKS cards

The English FKS footballers sets of the 1970's are making a nostalgic comeback. Not only do they feature different cards of super star players like George Best and Kevin Keegan (below)

but up and coming players like Peter Shilton (below)

and Glenn Hoddle, who would star well into the 1990's.

A good portion of the cards depict the players coming out of the stadium tunnels. Others are in action while the remainer are posed or portraits. The Hoddle and Shilton photos were taken as visitors to Tottenham's White Hart Lane - noticable by the club banner above the tunnel.

One sign of the times is the lack of modern goal keeping gloves - and as in the case of Ray Cashley - poor technique (think Robert Green - vs. the USA or worse - Sylvester Stallone in the movie VICTORY).

Ipswich's Gary Pierce looks to don a pair of gardening gloves while sporting the UMBRO track warm-ups.

Leeds Utd. keeper Graham Moseley wears some funkadelic mits as a "Bobby" policeman watches from behind.

Derby County's Charlie George (below) has a stiff lipped "Bobby" guarding the exit as well.

David McNiven (below) sports the 70's popular track suit by ADMIRAL as a "Bobby" in rain gear watches ...

Leeds Utd. star Allan Clarke wears more ADMIRAL stuff ...

Luton Town's Pasquale Fuccillo, soon to be with the TULSA ROUGHNECKS, wears an orange version ...

as would another future ROUGHNECK - Manchester Utd. Chris McGrath (with huge ADMIRAL logo)

while Q.P.R.'s Eddie Kelly models the defunct GOLA zip up track top.

A close up of the ADMIRAL kit worn by Crystal Palace's Peter Taylor - the last 3rd division player to be picked for the ENGLAND team.

Here Steve Finnieston is seen in a rare CHELSEA all red away kit - with green socks!.

Some of the photos were stock pictures from previous years as Sunderland's Gary Rowell show him with the embroidered 2nd Division Champions on the shirt. They won that in the 1975-76 season.

One of the most significant revelations is the addition of Black players. While this is common place in today's leagues, it was unusual back then.

Two stars that emerge from this set - W.B.A.'s Laurie Cunningham (later transferred to Real Madrid) ...

and Viv Anderson, a key fixture in the rise of Nottingham Forest and England in the immediate years.

The set includes other emerging stars like Birmingham's Tevor Francis (seen in the bright away yellow kit), who would soon appear with the DETROIT EXPRESS, join Nottingham Forest as the very first $ One Million Dollar soccer player.

The 1978-79 FKS set is 400 small sized cards that were meant to be pasted into an album. In addition to the player cards, there were also Team groups like Arsenal (below).

These cards are still very affordable, but hard to find in unused or mint condition.