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A&BC CHEWING GUM

     A&BC Chewing Gum were one of the first producers of cards back in the mid fifties and churned out sets on a seasonal basis from the late fifties through to the mid seventies. Their first set in 1954 was an 'All Sports' series of some 120 cards, 36 of which were footballers with their first all football series being produced for the 1958-59 season. A football series was then issued from that date right through to the 1974-75 season when the company folded.

    Wolves had players featured in every season with the exception of the final two. Detailed and illustrated below are the cards I have collected to date.

     For a fuller history of these cards visit Nigel's Webspace for more details.

1954 - All Sports

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The 1954 series featured just two Wolves players. Those players and there card number were 5 - Jimmy Mullen and 118 - Billy Wright. The backs were blank.

1958-59 - Topstars Famous Footballers

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The cards were 88mm x 63mm in size and featured a brief synopsis of the players career on the reverse. Two Wolves players again featured, both detailed below.

23 - Bill Slater (front).jpg
23 - Bill Slater (rear).jpg
31 - Billy Wright (front).jpg
31 - Billy Wright (rear).jpg

1959-60 - Footballer

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The 1959-60 cards were issued in two series of 49 cards each. There were three cards featuring Wolves players 15 Billy Wright & 40 Bill Slater as illustrated below and 49 Team Group

15 - Billy Wright (front).jpg
15 - Billy Wright (rear).jpg
40 - Bill Slater (front).jpg
40 - Bill Slater (rear).jpg

1960-61 - Footballer

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The 1960-61 cards were issued in two series of 42 cards each. There were four cards featuring Wolves players all as shown below.

6 - Ron Flowers (front).jpg
6 - Ron Flowers (rear).jpg
42 - Team Group (front).jpg
42 - Team Group (rear).jpg
6 - Ron Flowers (front).jpg
6 - Ron Flowers (rear).jpg
6 - Ron Flowers (front).jpg
6 - Ron Flowers (rear).jpg

1961-62 - Footballer

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The 1961-62 cards were issued in a single series of 64 cards There was only one card featuring a Wolves players, 46 - Eddie Clamp as shown below. The backs were blank.

1962-63 - Footballer - Bazooka

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The 1962-63 cards were issued in two series of 40 cards There were three cards featuring Wolves players all as shown below.

51 - Eddie Stuart (front).jpg
51 - Eddie Stuart (rear).jpg
51 - Eddie Stuart (front).jpg
51 - Eddie Stuart (rear).jpg
51 - Eddie Stuart (front).jpg
51 - Eddie Stuart (rear).jpg

1963-64 - Footballer - Make-a-Photo

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The 1963-64 cards were issued in two series of 55 cards There were two cards featuring Wolves players as detailed below.

24 - Chris Crowe (front).jpg
24 - Chris Crowe (rear).jpg
84 - Ron Flowers (front).jpg
84 - Ron Flowers (rear).jpg

1964-65 - Footballer - Quiz

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The 1964-65 cards were issued in three series totalling 149 cards. There were five cards featuring Wolves players as follows - 76 Dick Le Flem, 95 George Showell, 114 Ray Crawford, 133 Chris Crowe & 143 Ron Flowers

1966-67 - Footballer

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The 1966-67 cards were issued in two series of 110 each giving a total of 220 cards. With Wolves being a second division team there were two cards featuring Wolves players as follows - 13 Ron Flowers & 153 Ernie Hunt

51 - Eddie Stuart (front).jpg

1967-68 - Footballer (Star Player)

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The 1967-68 were a single series of 55 cards. With Wolves still a second division team, surprisingly there were two cards which are shown below.

45 - Derek Dougan (front).jpg
45 - Derek Dougan (rear).jpg
47 - Mike Bailey (front).jpg
47 - Mike Bailey (rear).jpg

1968-69 - Footballer

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The 1968-69 series (know as the Yellow Backs) were issued in two sets totalling 101 cards. Wolves had two players featured as shown below.

25 - Peter Knowles (front).jpg
25 - Peter Knowles (rear).jpg
48 - Mike Bailey (front).jpg
48 - Mike Bailey (rear).jpg

1969-70 - Footballer

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Issued in three series the 1969-70 (Green Backs) totalled 174 cards. There were six Wolves representatives all shown below.

7 - Dave Wagstaffe (front).jpg
7 - Dave Wagstaffe (rear).jpg
62 - Peter Knowles (front).jpg
62 - Peter Knowles rear).jpg
109 - John Holsgrove (front).jpg
109 - John Holsgrove (rear).jpg
40 - Mike Bailey (front).jpg
40 - Mike Bailey (rear).jpg
100 - Jim McCalliog (front).jpg
100 - Jim McCalliog (rear).jpg
117 - David Woodfield (front).jpg
117 - David Woodfield (rear).jpg

1969-70 - Crinkle Cut Photographs

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Alongside the general cards an additional set of black and white photographs were issued. In two series of 18 cards per series one Wolves player was included - Alun Evans.

1970-71 - Footballer

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Again issued in three series the 1970-71 (Orange Backs) was the largest total set yet with 255 cards. There were twelve Wolves players featured as shown below.

18 - John Holsgrove (front).jpg
18 - John Holsgrove (rear).jpg
41 - Dave Wagstaffe (front).jpg
41 - Dave Wagstaffe (rear).jpg
192 - Phil Parkes (front).jpg
192 - Phil Parkes (rear).jpg
192 - Phil Parkes (front).jpg
192 - Phil Parkes (rear).jpg
212 - Bobby Gould (front).jpg
212 - Bobby Gould (rear).jpg
220 - Les Wilson (front).jpg
220 - Les Wilson (rear).jpg
30 - David Woodfield (front).jpg
30 - David Woodfield (rear).jpg
53 - Jim McCalliog (front).jpg
53 - Jim McCalliog (rear).jpg
188 - Danny Hegan (front).jpg
188 - Danny Hegan (rear).jpg
198 - Derek Parkin (front).jpg
198 - Derek Parkin (rear).jpg
215 - Mike Bailey (front).jpg
215 - Mike Bailey (rear).jpg
222 - Mike O'Grady (front).jpg
222 - Mike O'Grady (rear).jpg

1970-71 - Footballer (Scottish version)

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A & BC Gum first began producing cards for the Scottish market in 1962 with cards exclusively for players based in Scotland. In 1968-69 they expanded the set by introducing their first English based player. From there they went on to feature Scottish players plying their trade in England.
1970-71 saw them feature a Wolves player for the first time in the 171 cards produced. The image was the same as the English version but the text on the rear was different.

1971-72 - Footballer

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Issued in three series the 1971-72 (Purple Backs) totalled 277 cards. There were ten Wolves representatives all shown below.

14 - Phil Parkes (front).jpg
14 - Phil Parkes (rear).jpg
49 - Derek Dougan (front).jpg
49 - Derek Dougan (rear).jpg
95 - John Holsgrove (front).jpg
95 - John Holsgrove (rear).jpg
174 - Mike O'Grady (front).jpg
174 - Mike O'Grady (rear).jpg
193 - Dave Wagstaffe (front).jpg
193 - Dave Wagstaffe (rear).jpg
35 - Bobby Gould (front).jpg
35 - Bobby Gould (rear).jpg
70 - Jim McCalliog (front).jpg
70 - Jim McCalliog (rear).jpg
167 - Hugh Curran (front).jpg
167 - Hugh Curran (rear).jpg
186 - Derek Parkin (front).jpg
186 - Derek Parkin (rear).jpg
211 - David Woodfield (front).jpg
211 - David Woodfield (rear).jpg

1971-72 - Football Club Crests

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This was a set of 23 cards issued alongside the second series of cards from this season. The teams represent were the 20 teams who remained in the top division from the previous season plus the top three teams from Second Division in 1970-71. The cards were actually printed on paper and were intended to be glued into an album.

1971-72 - Footballer Superstars

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Like the Club Crest series above this was a set of 23 cards issued with the third series of the main cards. The footballers representing each of the clubs in the Crest set and were again intended to be glued into the album provided. Mike Bailey was Wolves representative.

1971-72 - Footballer (Scottish version)

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This time 2 series were produced with 144 cards in total. One Wolves player featured and again the image for the English version was used with different text on the rear.

1972-73 - Footballer

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The next set (Orange/Red Backs) was issued in two series and totalled 219 cards. There were four Wolves players featured, 68 Jim McCalliog being the one missing from those below.

2 - Mike Bailey (front).jpg
2 - Mike Bailey (rear).jpg
24 - Dave Wagstaffe (front).jpg
24 - Dave Wagstaffe (rear).jpg
46 - Danny Hegan (front).jpg
46 - Danny Hegan (rear).jpg

1972-73 - Footballer (Scottish version)

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2 series again with a total of 178 cards. Jim McCalliog was for the third season Wolves only representative with the image again matching the English set.

1973-74 - Footballer

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The penultimate set (Blue Backs) was issued in two series and totalled 262 cards. Rather surprisingly Wolves were not represented in the set, however, Second Division Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion were?

1973-74 - Footballer (Scottish version)

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The same format as the previous season with 178 cards. Frank Munro this time was the only Wolves representative for the final outing in the Scottish version

1974-75 - Footballer

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The final set (Red Backs) was the smallest set ever with only 132 cards. Despite being holders of the League Cup trophy Wolves were again the only top flight team not represent with Second Division Manchester United included.

HOME
SEASON BY SEASON 1945 to 2000
TEAM GROUPS
PROGRAMME GALLERY
MEMORABILIA
88 page issue - 240 x 165 in size - £3.00

Sat 5th April 1947

Wolves Res. v Preston North End Res.

details unknown

88 page issue - 240 x 165 in size - £3.00

Mon 7th April 1947

Wolves Res. v Derby County Res.

details unknown

88 page issue - 240 x 165 in size - £3.00

Sat 19th April 1947

Wolves Res. v Liverpool Res.

details unknown

88 page issue - 240 x 165 in size - £3.00

Fri 26th March 1948

Wolves Res. v Barnsley Res.

details unknown

88 page issue - 240 x 165 in size - £3.00

Sat 3rd April 1948

Wolves Res. v Preston North End Res.

details unknown

88 page issue - 240 x 165 in size - £3.00

Sat 17th April 1948

Wolves Res. v Manchester United Res.

details unknown

LINKS
SEASON BY SEASON
2000 onwards
SEASON BY SEASON 1877 to 1915
SEASON BY SEASON
1919 to 1945

TOPICAL TIMES

HOME
SEASON BY SEASON 1945 to 1970
TEAM GROUPS
PROGRAMME GALLERY
MEMORABILIA
LINKS
SEASON BY SEASON
2000 onwards
SEASON BY SEASON 1877 to 1915
SEASON BY SEASON
1919 to 1945
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