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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.


1966/67 A&BC Gum,
Footballers No. 140


1968/69 A&BC Gum
Footballers (yellow backs), No. 29


1969/70 IPC Magazines,
My Favourite Soccer Stars (Buster), No. 25


1970/71 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 53


1971/72 Top Sellers, Football 72, No. 46


1974/75 A&BC Gum,
Footballers (red backs), No. 14


1977/78 Topps Chewing Gum,
Footballers (red backs), No. 71

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


1968/69 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 38


1969/70 Daily Sketch
World Cup Souvenir Card, No. 4


1973/74 A&BC Gum
Footballers (blue backs), No. 74


1973/74 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 47


1976/77 Topps Chewing Gum,
Footballers (blue/grey backs), No. 283


1978/79 Americana
Football Special 79, No. 257

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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