THE COLLECTIONS - Object of the Month - June 2002
 
 
 
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A "Newfooty" player prepares to take on the Hand of God

"Newfooty" Table Soccer

Worcester City Museums could not let the World Cup pass by without a nod in the direction of the beautiful game. Our latest acquisition is a reminder for all those who once imagined themselves to be Pele, Beckenbauer or Moore on the comfort of their bedroom floor.

We are talking, of course, about Subutteo, or in this case a forerunner of the table football game called "Newfooty" , recently donated to the museum collections. Our "Newfooty" boxed set dates from 1958 and can be seen alongside some Subbuteo figures in our new display of toys and games at the Museum of Local Life.

This boxed set of table football called "Newfooty" predated the game of Subbuteo by some 20 years. The story began in Liverpool when a table top football game was invented by Bill Keeley in 1929. It consisted of flat cardboard players on weighted hemispherical bases, which were flicked across a cloth pitch.

A "Newfooty" players association soon followed with regional and local leagues to encourage some healthy competition. It was not until 1947 that a rival emerged in the form of Subutteo Table Soccer, invented by Peter Adolph.

Stanley Matthews enjoys a game of "Newfooty" Table Soccer (from the game handbook)

"Stan Matthews enjoys Newfooty too!"
(from the game handbook)

Stanley Matthews endorsement for "Newfooty" Table Soccer (from the game handbook)

 By the 1950's both games were competing for customers and they used endorsements from the great players of the day to help sell their products. Our instruction handbook includes endorsements from Stanley Matthews, Nat Lofthouse and Lawrie Reilly. Like its more famous cousin, Subbuteo, "Newfooty" also spawned a table cricket version.
It was the development of three dimensional players and accessories in the 1960's, combined with the interest in League and international football following England's victory in the World Cup of 1966, that gave Subbuteo the edge. The company was eventually sold to Waddingtons in 1968.
The "Newfooty"Table Soccer handbook

The players

The players in action

From the handbook...

Some basic observations

How to take evasive action

Some advanced rules

A "Newfooty" player piece
 
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