Football 80

FOOTBALL 86

Liverpool, Aberdeen and Panini all achieved notable doubles in 1985–86 during a season that reached a thrilling end both north and south of the border.

Football 86 was more anticipated than ever by collectors as the connection between fans and the English game further eroded during the opening months of the campaign when a dispute involving The Football League and broadcasters meant there was no TV coverage.

Giveaways were once more organised with Shoot! and Roy of the Rovers and Eagle & Tiger, while Roy Race, the star of the Roy of the Rovers comic, encouraged readers to ‘Carry On Collecting And Get Stuck In.’

The album cover displayed similarities to the Football 84 design – primarily red with a Union Jack incorporated into its design – with the action shot coming from the opening league game of the previous season featuring Chelsea’s Paul Canoville putting in a challenge on Arsenal’s Brian Talbot at Highbury. The long lead times required for the use of photography meant Talbot’s appearance in the red of Arsenal looked odd as he had already moved to Watford in the summer of 1985.

Manchester United and England great Bobby Charlton provided the foreword. His Soccer Schools were promoted on the back cover, along with a competition to win 10 residential holidays at his training camps.

Each English and Scottish topflight club was given space for 13 players, the manager, team group and badge (Scotland’s finest were again confined to two players per sticker). Panini experimented once more with their ‘shinies’ in Football 86, producing a holographic-appearance on the silver club badges and other glossy stickers. There was also the added attraction for the English clubs of a sepia-toned photograph displaying a classic team from the club’s history.

In light of the European competition ban on English clubs, Panini decided to remind collectors of some of their past successes with a six-page

FOOTBALL 86 ALBUM FACTS

PAGES: 72 PAGES ALBUM PRICE: 20P NUMBER OF STICKERS: 574 PACKET COST: 12P FOR SIX STICKERS

Wimbledon – who only joined the Football League in 1977 – also gained promotion.

A pivotal season in Scotland coincided with the last full season for one managerial great and the arrival of another who would change the face of the game in his homeland, Alex Ferguson at Aberdeen and Graeme Souness at Rangers respectively. As in England, a thrilling season was shorn of television coverage for a large period due to a stalemate in contract negotiations – this time forcing the game off the small screen between September and March. When the cameras returned there was an exciting end to the league season that went to the final day.

Heart of Midlothian only needed a point against Dundee to guarantee their first Scottish Premier Division title since 1960. With nearest rivals Celtic comfortably winning their final game against St Mirren – overhauling the deficit in goal difference to Hearts they started the day with – nerves were jangling at Dens Park as the game entered its closing stages. Dundee substitute Albert Kidd then went down in Celtic (and Hibernian) folklore as he struck twice in the last 10 minutes to change the course of Scottish football history. As if already knowing he would have a significant say in the season, Kidd was seen sporting a huge grin on his Football 86 sticker.

Celtic thus claimed an unexpected league title with Brian McClair and Maurice Johnston sharing 36 goals between them. Old Firm rival Rangers may have finished 15 points behind the Bhoys, but their appointment of Souness in April, replacing Jock Wallace, would lead to a change in the balance in power.

Alex MacDonald’s gallant Hearts side were unable to rally themselves a week later in the Scottish Cup Final when they were beaten 3-0 by Aberdeen. That completed a domestic cup double for Ferguson in his last entire season at Pittodrie, having already beaten Hibernian 3–0 in the League Cup final. Billy Stark scored in both finals as the Dons boss won his ninth and 10th major trophies in his eighth season at the club.

1985–86 HONOURS

First Division:

LIVERPOOL

Second Division:

NORWICH CITY

Third Division:

READING

Fourth Division:

SWINDON TOWN

FA Cup:

LIVERPOOL

League Cup:

OXFORD UNITED

Scottish Premier Division:

CELTIC

Scottish First Division:

HAMILTON ACADEMICAL

Scottish Second Division:

DUNFERMLINE ATHLETIC

Scottish Cup:

ABERDEEN

Scottish League Cup:

ABERDEEN

MEXICO 86

Mexico hosted an iconic World Cup as Argentina’s Diego Maradona pulled no punches on his way to glory, while Panini added another classic to their pantheon.

Panini’s Mexico 86 was eagerly awaited by England, Scotland and Northern Ireland fans, whose countries had all qualified for the finals. This was actually the second time in five tournaments that Mexico had staged the event – on this occasion the original hosts, Colombia, had pulled out, mostly due to financial issues.

Mexico 86’s iconic Avant Garde Extra Light font graced the front of Panini’s latest World Cup album. A busy cover also

featured a red-panelled football, flanked by globes that gave off vibes of the BBC television ident of the time. At the bottom of the page, blended in with the flags of the 24 qualifiers, was the tournament mascot, Pique – the moustachioed, sombrerowearing, jalapeño chili pepper.

The opening page showcased foils of the tournament logos ahead of a brief World Cup history featuring the official posters of the first 12 World Cups. After that came three pages of stadium shots coupled with landmarks from each city.

As they were drawn into Group A, holders Italy were once again the first nation to appear. A foil badge, team group and 16 players alongside results since the previous tournament continued the format of Espana 82. And in a similar vein to the previous album, five out of the 24 nations (South Korea, Iraq, Canada, Algeria and Morocco) had to settle for one page consisting of a shiny, a team group and eight ‘half-and-half’ stickers.

Morocco proved to be the stand-out of those unfancied sides, finishing top of Group F by virtue of two goalless draws – including one against England – followed by a conclusive win over Portugal. Abderrazak Khairi – a smiling presence in Mexico 86 – scored twice in a 3–1 victory.

A busy cover also featured a red-panelled football, flanked by globes that gave off vibes of the BBC television ident of the time.

MEXICO 86 ALBUM FACTS

PAGES: 48 ALBUM PRICE: 20P NUMBER OF STICKERS: 427 PACKET COST: 12P FOR SIX STICKERS

England overcame the disappointment of losing their opener to Portugal and the draw with Morocco – during which Ray Wilkins was sent off and Bryan Robson dislocated his shoulder – to qualify for the knockout phase thanks to a 3–0 win against Poland.

Gary Lineker – like most of his team-mates, photographed in Mexico 86 during the 1985 postseason tour of Mexico and USA – scored a hat-trick at the start of a run of six goals in three games for the Everton striker.

Victory against Paraguay in round two brought Bobby Robson’s team up against Argentina in the quarter-finals. In an unforgiving match, both teams lacked the imagination to break the deadlock until Diego Armando Maradona (Panini once again going all-in with names) used his ‘ingenuity’. The playmaker opted for the infamous ‘Hand of God’ approach in beating England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to the punch. His second, sublime, goal came just four minutes later – leaving a succession of opponents trailing in his wake before sliding the ball past Shilton.

Lineker scored a late reply – and nearly added a second – but Argentina made it through to a semi-final with Belgium. Maradona was again the hero – scoring both goals in a 2–0 win – to seal a place in the final against West Germany.

Franz Beckenbauer’s German side had beaten France 2–0 at the last-four stage with Rudi Völler, bringing his mullet to a Panini World Cup album for the first time, scoring the second. France had impressed up to that point, knocking out holders Italy in round two and Brazil at the quarter-final stage on penalties.

One of many legends to bow out of international football after the tournament was Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pat Jennings, seen in Mexico 86 with a blue and red tracksuit top over his jersey. There was to be no fairy tale ending though, as his side went out at the group stage.