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1957-58 Collectables

CHIX Confectionery Co. Ltd
Famous Footballers : 3rd Series
Coloured, numbered series of 48 cards, "2nd Series".
Inscribed on reverse "the Best Chix Bubble Gum". Album issued to accompany the series.
7. John Bond
Wrapper
7. John Bond (Variation)
MERRYSWEETS Ltd
Soccer Teams No.1 Series
Coloured, numbered series of 48 team groups. Anonymous series, inscribed on reverse "2-4 Scutton Street, London E.C.2." Special album issued to accompany the series.

West Ham United appear as number three from a set of 48 Soccer Bubble Gum cards. At the time of the photo, the club were performing in the Second Division. The picture featured (back row): J. Bond, A. Malcolm, M. Allison, R. Wyllie, W. Lansdowne, N. Cantwell; (Front row): M. Musgrove, D. Parker, E. Lewis, J. Dick and K. Tucker.
Several members of this side went on to be successful Football League managers in later years including John Bond (Bournemouth, Norwich City and Manchester City), the flamboyant Malcolm Allison (Manchester City and Crystal Palace) and Noel Cantwell (Coventry City).
3. West Ham United
THE STAR (Newspaper)
Advertisment Message Card
Black and white, half-length portraits of well-known footballers of the day, in a series of 8. Facsimile signatures in blue to front.
Reverse of each card carries a facsimile hand-written message in blue ink by the player.
Size 138x87mm
Ernie Gregory
D.C. THOMSON & Co. Ltd
Football Stars
Black and white numbered series of 48 portrait cards. Nos. 1 to 18 issued as singles, others issued in strips of four.
Inscribed on reverse "Presented with Adventure The Paper for Boys".
15. Malcolm Allison
D.C. THOMSON & Co. Ltd
The 'Rover' Pocket Guide to Football Club Colours
(WORLD CUP SWEDEN)
Fotbolls Stjarnor
Numbered series of ??.
Album issued to accompany the series.
John Bond

John Bond made his senior appearance for West Ham in February 1952. A powerful defender during the 1950s and 1960s he spent 16-years at the Boleyn Ground making 449 competitive first team appearances, winning the FA Cup in 1964 and contributed over 30 goals before transferring to Torquay United in 1966.

The long-serving full-back could consider himself unfortunate not to have received a full England cap, although he came very close with call-ups to the Football League XI in 1957 (v. Irish League) and again in 1958 (v. Scottish League).

On 16th April 1958 he came even closer when the Football Association informed West Ham United that John Bond was likely to be considered for England’s 1958 World Cup squad for the finals in Sweden, and two passport sized photographs were required of him.

News of his impending selection must have filtered through to Swedish football merchandisers’, Bond was featured prominently on one of the 40 Fotbolls Stjarnor (Football Stars) pin badges, a photographic portrait housed within a blue plastic frame.

Sadly for Muffin, he wasn’t chosen in the squad of 22, apparently Bond put his lack of an England cap down to a disciplinary misunderstanding. “Alf (Ramsay) put me in a Football League squad once to play the League of Ireland in Dublin. I had two bottles of beer as we waited at the airport for our plane. This was exaggerated to 10 by certain people, and Alf believed it. I never got the call again”.

ANONYMOUS
Club Badge
Plastic badge with metal clasp to reverse
Eddie Lewis
Vic Keeble
Ernie Gregory
Malcolm Musgrove
Andy Malcolm

Booklet

WEST HAM UNITED
Youth Soccer with the Hammers
An Introduction to the Youth Section of the West Ham United Football Company Ltd
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