Subbuteo Top Heading Alex Ingram TOPPS 1976 Ayr Utd Flat celluloid mini
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TOPPS
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TOPPS chewing gum  were carrying on the tradition set by A&BC Chewing Gum of producing different card sets for the English and Scottish markets. They started small, with a collection of only 88 cards in 1975, though they eventually settled on a set size of 132 cards.

They stopped producing Scottish cards in 1980.

Nigel's Webspace - Galleries of English and Scottish Football Cards - 1965/66 to 1979/80 can be viewed at this link.  This site will show ALL of the Scottish cards produced in each of the seasons of publication.

1975/76 Blue Backs

An interesting first set from Topps, quite small at only 88 cards, and with a strange mix of teams (17 of the 18 teams from the 1974/75 Scottish Premier League, missing Airdrie) and players from teams (9 players from Clyde, but only 4 from Celtic). There were six from Ayr United.

The cards are grey in colour, rather than white, which leads to these sometimes being called 'blue/grey backs'.

R Fleming Back Johnny Doyle Back
Davie McCulloch Back Alex McAnespie Back2

1976/77 Red Backs

A larger set than 1975/76, increasing from 88 to 132, though the number of teams decreases from 17 to 12. The team included are now the 10 teams from the Scottish Premier League from 1975/76 plus the two teams promoted from the First Division - Partick and Kilmarnock. Ayr United had 11 cards in this collection.

Alex Ingram Back
Johnny Graham Back
Davie McCulloch Back1
Alex McAnespie Back1

1977/78 Yellow Backs

Topps stuck to the 132 card set, but got a bit lazy by including a number of Shoot Scottish All Stars. The number of teams is strange, thirteen, being the 10 teams in the Premier Division in 1976/77, plus promoted St. Mirren and Clydebank, plus third placed Dundee.

Ayr United had five cards in this years collection.

1978/79 Green Backs

Relegated clubs Ayr United and Clydebank feature reduced numbers, promoted Hearts managed two players while fellow promotees Morton managed none. Dundee, again failing to achieve promotion, continued to feature as the only club not in or on their way into the top flight.

Ayr United had only three cards in this series.

1979/80 Red Backs

The last ever Scottish Topps Chewing Gum set, ending a distinguished five year production run. If you manage to collect full sets of all of these then you have a good collection.  Ayr United had five cards for this last publication.

Billy McCall Back