Woking Collectors' Fair Review - 2nd March 2003

(Thanks to Jon Shelley for providing this review and the excellent pictures).

Woking Football Club - The Venue

  
 

Another insight into the world of the Subbuteo Collectors' Fair. This one was held on 2nd March 2003  at Woking Football Club, Woking, Surrey, UK.  As always it was an excellent venue, free to enter, with plenty of items on offer and even some pitches to play on, including a cricket pitch. The turnout again this year was very good with an estimated 200 people in the room at the peak (double that of last year's event, due to more of the general public attending).

"Little Green Boxes" everywhere !

Paul Woozley did an excellent job of organising the event and several of the regular collectors' fair goers were in attendance. (Paul Woozley, Jon Shelley, Andy Boucher, Craig Bland, Tony Blake, Gordon Findlay, Trevor Spencer, Chris Smith, Steve Pollard, Michael Peacock, Stan Russell (plus others). This year saw a full time toy and memorabilia trader there. His stall was an absolute collectors dream, with spare players, empty team boxes and much more besides. The famous Peter Upton and club creator in the making Steve Pollard both added their expertise to the event, whilst Flats collector Stan Russell charmed all alike with his honest and informed views. 

More "Little Green Boxes"

      
 

Prices held steady, with regular common heavyweights fetching around £10 each. Some rarer teams up for grabs, included ref 60 FC Subbuteo, ref 36 Rapid Vienna, and ref 55 Anderlecht, ranging from £20 up to £50. Best find of the day goes to Paul who bagged a cracking mint Football Express and several tasty original heavyweights in numbered boxes. (I managed to prise the ref 7 West Ham away from him for my own collection). On show was the Brazilian licensed version of Subbuteo called Pelebol. This was notable for the fact that the players were moulded base heavyweights one team of which were green. Steve Pollard was later seen sneaking off with an extremely rare Floodlit Cricket set tucked neatly under his arm... price to be kept quiet about...eh Steve?

Brazilian Subbuteo "Pelebol"
     
        

Again alongside the sellers' tables were three pitches. Both football and cricket were played most of the day with the highlight of course being the Peter Adolph Trophy match between my miniature Toffeemen and Tony Blake's miniature Bournemouth team. This year we decided to play with 50s flat players and this led to a far better spectacle than last time out. The score at full time was 1 - 1, with the Toffees equalizing an astute chip from the Cherries. Bournemouth eventually ran out 4 - 3 winners in the Shoot Out and Tony takes the trophy home to the South coast.

Match of the day! Toffees v Cherries 1-1 (3-4 after Penalties)

 

Tony Blake (right) - The Peter Adolph Trophy Winner 2003

 

All in all another fantastic day out, with all people attending asking for Paul make it a regular yearly event.

The Clubhouse.