Sorry about the delay - the office internet keeps "going down", so although I got the email that you had posted something on this topic, I've only just been able to view it!

That caricature of George Clarke is exactly what is on the Fosse Collection card.

If you look at a photo of George Clarke, the most striking thing about his features is his huge nose. I think its a fair caricature of him.

Cool, thanks for that. Will update the notes section of the list.

There's a new list available from me via pm in excel spreadsheet form.

Looks a bit like a Ginger-haired Iain Dowie to me...

See what you mean - maybe more like Bob Dowie (ie an even more Craggy face)

This thread is now earning me (good natured) 'anorak' abuse at games!

Anyway, I've put up a webpage of 'unknown' cards which I'd like help from those keen collectors amongst us in identifying.

The page can be accessed here: http://www.palace-echo.net/cards

Please leave comments on here or send me an e-mail through the site. I will update the page with comments received from time to time.

I think I can help with mystery number 2, as I definitely have the Kember one from those 4. I'll have a look tonight and report back tomorrow.

Since I posted that I've found a saved pic on my hard drive from an ebay item I failed on a couple of years back, which has two of those cut-outs and the file description matches my theory :lux:

Neil - Those 1968/70 DC Thomson paper pics (poor quality ones) I also have John Jackson and David Provan.

Thanks Ian, I believe that is the set.

I concur with Ian
My info says they are DC Thomson (Rover) "Famous Footballers" Issued between 1968 and 1970
I have Kember, Jackson and DAVIE Provan

Re the mystery badge - I would guess it is from some kind of series issued by The Sun, as the unusual crest used is exactly the same as that on Sun Soccerstam number 4 (the small club crest stamp)

I have now acquired 'the mystery badge' and the other two items in that Sun series: a team group and 'John Sewell - Captain' stickers.

Thanks also to Ian King, who is kindly sending me a swop of that Jackson cutout. Just need to track down Provan for the set!

Neil, thanks for the list. I think I may have an addition for you. I have a Neil Smillie sticker from the 1983/84 season. He is in Palace kit but the back of the card says that he was transferred to Albion in exchange for Gary Williams. BHA fans must have loved this in their collections. It is number 297 but I don't know what set it is. I will try to post a picture next week.

Cheers fella.

Neil, technophobe having a problem... i couldn't work out how to post the pictures here, but i have managed to put them in the gallery.

anyway, hope the pictures are of use.

The ever-reliable Neil Goulding has come up trumps again. The neil Smillie was from a set issued by Quadriga who bought out FKS, but only ever issued one series of stickers.

Hi Neil,
got a card I didn't have before, and I don't know if its on your list or not. It is a card of R Spottiswood issued c1917/1918 by F&J Smith. Series = Football Club Records

(ebay item was 6150880488)

Yes, it is. Thanks mate.

Indeed it was mentioned on that wonderful 12+ page letter you sent me when I first got interested in compiling a list! If you don't have any objections I'd like to re-use your piece for the forthcoming EE, edited together with extracts from that letter, to make a webpage on the Echo site dedicated to card collecting.

Funny enough that particular card had just turned up in new stock in one of my dealer's catalogues - I've sent an order, but am not holding out much hope...

If you can craft something worthwhile from that letter then you're a better man than me - I think it was the most rushed piece of writing ever written and when I wrote it I was simply trying to share some useful info/background about my hobby - but I'd be very flattered if you think it is worth of reproduction in any form.

To be honest, whilst I hope to give people something interesting to read and an insight into this sort of collection, a large part of me hopes that I don't start loads of new people into collecting old Palace cards!

For quite a while I've had it more or less to myself, and the last thing I could do with is loads of competition when a rare Taddy that I need appears onto the market!

This is a big problem with my other main Palace collecting interest - Palace badges, particularly enamel ones.....whilst more collectors sometimes means that more stuff gets produced, giving a bigger amount to collect, the downside is that when the rare stuff appears, I don't hardly ever get a chance because there are many more collectors than me with much deeper pockets. It is darned frustrating, depressing sometimes, to see a badge you want, be "sniped" by a fellow collector for ridiculous money (and I mean serious money) because you can feel that you are beginning to get alienated from the hobby.

That is one of the reasons I enjoy collecting the cards - it is the complete opposite of programme collecting i.e. because old Programmes are so heavily collected, it is pointless even trying to compete with the top collectors, and to be honest apart from keeping a perfect current collection and building that way, the really old/rare stuff is just unobtainable, as one or two serious collectors dominate the hobby and snap all the treasures up.


P.S. Neil - any idea what that dealer wanted for good condition cards from that Smith 1917 series? (Just wondered what they are supposed to be worth.)

PPS - I would guess that I may have benefitted (with the Smith card on ebay,) to a little bit of BBS ebay "etiquette", for which if it is the case, grateful thanks.

I'm guessing that the price of Taddy cards will make most people think twice - I can't justify paying that sort of dosh for one card, I have however picked up a couple in less-than-mint condition at an acceptable price. Mind you, I was a bit pissed the other day and went a bit mad on ebay with some max. bids for some odds and sods, but I'm still expecting to be outbid on most of them. there do seem to be some deep pockets out there these days...

Leaving aside the multiple Pinnace variations, how many cards do you reckon you need? The reason I ask is I'm trying to extend the list into a proper database with a scan/picture of each card and I still need to locate images of around 80 cards.

I didn't see it listed myself, but as you know, I certainly wouldn't bid against you for any item.

The card at the dealer is up for £12 - vgc. Will let you know if I get it, but I'm guessing its probably already gone, as my catalogue was routed from my old address.