When readers of The Wizard opened their comic on 3 March 1934, they were greeted by an eye-catching advertisement for its companion publication, Adventure. Alongside photographs of many of Britain's leading footballers was the promise of a brand-new game, Hunt the Cup!, a football-themed promotion that combined the excitement of collecting cards with the thrill of competition.

The set consisted of 52 double-sided cards. On the front were photographic portraits of some of the game's biggest stars, while the reverse sides transformed the collection into a playable tabletop football contest. Youngsters were encouraged to collect the full set, gradually building the complete pack needed to take part in the cup-hunting adventure.

Unlike an ordinary football card series, the players were not simply grouped according to their real-life clubs. Instead, the game divided them into a number of fictional teams with names such as The Rangers, The Rovers, The City and The Swifts. Among those recruited into The Rangers was West Ham United's prolific centre-forward Vic Watson, already one of the most celebrated players of his generation and a hero to supporters at Upton Park.

Once the cards had been shuffled, players effectively staged their own cup competition. Progress was far from straightforward, however. Hidden within the pack were special "Penalty Cards", represented by selected footballers whose appearance could halt an advance or bring an unwelcome setback. Success depended upon navigating these obstacles while continuing the quest for the game's ultimate prizes, the coveted "Trophy Cards".