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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.
Alan Ball

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.


1965/66 Barratt & Co.,
Famous Footballers A13, No. 18


1966/67 A&BC Gum,
Footballers No. 77


1967/68 A&BC Gum,
Star Players No. 19


1969/70 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 91


1970/71 FKS,
World Cup Mexico, No. 2


1970/71 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 106


1971/72 Top Sellers,
Football 72, No. 111


1972/73 FKS,
Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 2


1973/74 FKS,
Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 2

Of all the players who played in the English football league in the period from 1965 to 1980 none appears in more football cards than Alan Ball. This is partly due to his fame won early through the 1966 World Cup win, and partly due to his long and distinguished playing career covering each of the fifteen seasons of interest to this website.

The diminuitive Alan Ball made his first team debut for Blackpool in 1962. He made his first appearance in football cards in 1965/66 in Barratt's A13 series, which states: "Stands around 5ft. 6ins., weighs less than ten stone - yet the fiery, flame-haired Ball has a heart as big as a house. Had a great season in 1964-65 and the climax came in Belgrade when he made his England debut at inside-left in a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia. Alan kept his place for the subsequent tour games in Germany and Sweden, and then went back to the Continent with the Under-23 side. At 20 he must have a bright future". Oh, if only today's football cards would have the same insight and passion!

21-year old Ball was picked as the youngest member of Alf Ramsey's 1966 World Cup squad. At this stage of his career he had only a handful of international caps, but emerged from the tournament with great personal credit (as well as a Cup Winners' Medal).

He played in England's first game of the tournament, against Uruguay (0-0), but made way for Terry Paine in the next match against Mexico (2-0). Ian Callaghan was used for the third match, against France (2-0), suggesting that the right wing position was unsettled at this stage. Ball was recalled for the quarter and semi-final games, and provided the cross in the Final for the decisive but infamous Hurst goal in the 98th minute.

By the time he appeared on the 1966/67 A&BC card set he had helped win the World Cup and been transferred to Everton: "Everton inside right, Alan was transferred to Everton for £110,000 shortly before the start of the 1966-67 season from Blackpool. Capped 14 times for England, his place in the international team seems secure for many seasons to come.".

The 1968/69 FKS sticker notes: "Flame haired, effervescent attacker who was allowed to slip away by both Bolton and Wolves before Blackpool snapped him up". Ball left Blackpool after 116 league games, scoring 40 goals.

The 1969/70 FKS album notes: "Fiery little red-headed forward with high work rate". The phrases 'fiery' and 'high work rate' tend to occur frequently in descriptions of Ball.

Ball's time with Everton coincided with the continuation of a great Division 1 run for the Toffees. 5th in 1967/68, 3rd in 1968/69, Champions in 1969/70, before a drop to 14th in 1970/71. He played a total of 220 league games for Everton.

Ball went to Mexico with the England team in 1970. He played in the first two group games against Rumania and Brazil, but was on the substitute's bench for the game against Czechoslovakia, coming on as substitute for Jeff Astle at the 65th minute mark. Ball did play in the fateful quarter-final game against West Germany, though the Mexican heat is reported to have sapped his normal high levels of energy.

The 1971 Top Sellers card notes: "One of England's World Cup stalwarts. An all-action player and now Everton captain... Tremendous competitor who never knows when he is beaten".

Ball moved to Arsenal in December 1971 for a £220,000 fee. A surprise, and major disappoint perhaps for Everton fans, but it was a record transfer fee at the time. In that year Arsenal finished 5th in the League, and runner-up in the F.A. Cup Final (remembering that this followed on from their League and Cup double the previous season).

Arsenal finished 2nd to Liverpool in 1972/73, and then 10th in 1973/74. The 1974/75 FKS album notes: "Broke a leg late last season". He broke the leg in the last game of the 1973/74 season and returned to the Arsenal side only late in 1974. In 1974/75 Arsenal finished 16th in the League, and 17th the following year, often flirting with relegation.

In 1976, after five years with Arsenal, including 177 league games, Ball moved to Southampton, then in the Second Division for a £60,000 fee. His time at Arsenal had been patchy. Arsenal fell from grace after their 1970/71 double win. His tough, determined and forthright style meant that he was often at loggerheads with management, and sometimes with fellow players.

Ball's debut for the Saints was in December 1976. He was 31 at the time. Southampton finished 9th in Division 2 in that year, climbing to 2nd (and promotion) the following year. He played in all bar one of the League games in their promotion season.

Around this time he also joined a legion of U.K. players who played in the fledgling U.S. leagues.

In 1980 Ball moved back to Blackpool, the club he had joined 18 years earlier, though this time he was in the role of player/manager. He played only 30 games for them before rejoining Southampton, where he made 63 more starts. In 1982 he joined Bristol Rovers where he finished his playing career. In all Alan Ball made an amazing 743 league appearances in a playing career which finished when he was 37.

Following his long playing career Ball enjoyed some level of success as a manager with a string of clubs, ending his management career in 1999.

In 2000 Alan Ball was awarded an M.B.E. for his services to football.

Alan Ball died on April 25, 2007, aged 61.


1966/67 A&BC Gum,
World Cup Stamps


1968/69 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 61


1969/70 Anglo Confectionery,
Football Quiz, No. 55


1970/71 A&BC Gum,
Footballers (orange backs), No. 32


1970/71 A&BC Gum,
Footballer Superstars


1972/73 Barratt & Co.,
Soccer Stars, No. 3


1972/73 FKS,
Circular stickers - T


1976/77 Topps Chewing Gum,
Footballers (Blue/Grey backs), No. 150

Football cards featuring Alan Ball, 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.
1965/66 Barratt & Co Famous Footballers A13 018
1966/67 A&BC Gum Footballers, Series 1 (001-110) 077
1966/67 A&BC Gum World Cup stamps  
1967/68 A&BC Gum Star Players 019
1967/68 A&BC Gum World Cup pin-ups  
1967/68 Carrs Biscuits Soccer cards 007
1967/68 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 061
1967/68 Fleetway Lion & Champion Album of Soccer Stars 083
1967/68 Typhoo Tea International Football Stars, 1st series 001
1967/68 Typhoo Tea International Football Stars, Premium Issue 001
1968/69 A&BC Gum Footballers, Yellow backs, Series 2 (055-101) 097
1968/69 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 061
1968/69 Longacre Press Charles Buchan World Stars 001
1969/70 A&BC Gum Football Facts, Green backs, Series 2 (065-117) 088
1969/70 A&BC Gum Footballers, B&W, crinkle cut (01-18) 015
1969/70 Anglo Confectionery Football Quiz 055
1969/70 Coffer Postcards 105
1969/70 Esso World Cup Coin Collection  
1969/70 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 091
1969/70 IPC Magazines My Favourite Soccer Stars (Blue backs), Tiger 001
1969/70 The Sun Footballers  
1970/71 A&BC Gum Footballer pin-up posters 009
1970/71 A&BC Gum Footballers transparencies  
1970/71 A&BC Gum Footballers, Orange backs, Series 1 (001-084) 032
1970/71 A&BC Gum World Cup Footballers  
1970/71 Anglo Confectionery World Cup / Learn the Game 037
1970/71 Barratt & Co Goldflake Famous Sportsmen 034
1970/71 Daily Sketch World Cup Souvenir Cards 006
1970/71 Daily Sketch World Cup Transfers  
1970/71 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 106
1970/71 FKS Publishers World Cup Soccer Stars Mexico 002
1970/71 Thomson, D.C. World Cup Stars (Hotspur and Hornet) 057
1970/71 Tonibell England's Soccer Stars  
1971/72 A&BC Gum Footballers Superstars  
1971/72 A&BC Gum Footballers, Purple backs, Series 1 (001-109) 002
1971/72 Cadbury / Hartley Football Stars 1971/72 (Jam Jar lids)  
1971/72 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 076
1971/72 IPC Magazines My Favourite Soccer Stars (Red backs), Tiger 001
1971/72 Marshall Cavendish Book of Football Top Teams 080, 317
1972/73 A&BC Gum Football Card Game 005
1972/73 A&BC Gum Footballers, Orange/Red backs 210
1972/73 Americana Soccer parade 009
1972/73 Barratt & Co Soccer Stars 003
1972/73 FKS Publishers Soccer Stars, Circular stickers T
1972/73 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 002
1972/73 The Sun Gallery of Football Stars, 3D  
1972/73 Top Sellers Football 72 111
1973/74 A&BC Gum Footballers, B&W, autograph, crinkle cut 004
1973/74 A&BC Gum Footballers, Blue backs, Series 1 (001-131) 073
1973/74 Barratt & Co Football Stars 036
1973/74 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 002
1973/74 Top Sellers Football 73 014
1974/75 A&BC Gum Footballers, Red backs 121
1974/75 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 002
1975/76 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 002
1975/76 Top Sellers Football 76 015
1975/76 Topps Chewing Gum Footballers - Red/Grey back 105
1976/77 FKS Publishers Soccer Stars Trump Card game (Blue backs) 001
1976/77 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars 024
1976/77 Top Sellers Football 77 004
1976/77 Topps Chewing Gum Footballers - Blue/Grey back 150
1977/78 Topps Chewing Gum Footballers - Red back 210
1978/79 Americana Football Special 79 272
1978/79 FKS Publishers Soccer Stars 78/79 - Golden Collection 255
1978/79 Panini Football 79 322
1978/79 Topps Chewing Gum Footballers - Orange back 097
1979/80 Bassett & Co Football 020
1979/80 FKS Publishers Soccer Stars 80 224
1979/80 Panini Football 80 300
1979/80 Sigma Sport Silhouettes Action Portraits of Famous Footballers 001
1979/80 The Sun Soccercards 003
1979/80 Topps Chewing Gum Footballers - Pale blue back 210
1979/80 Transimage Football 79/80 239

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