CLASSIC H/WS

The classic heavyweight figure was designed by Charles Stadden arriving on the scene around 1965, and became the standard Subbuteo figure until approximately 1981. It resembled it's predecessor the short sleeved heavyweight figure in that it was also attached to a slot in the base by means of a bar, although this new figure was long sleeved and round necked. Both these heavyweight figures were hand painted by Subbuteo outworkers in the Tunbridge Wells area.

The two colour bases were usually matched to the main two colours of the team that was fitted to them in the bar. For example a team wearing blue shirts and white shorts would have a base combination of a blue outter and white inner, or visa versa. Sometimes though, the teams, having to be assembled very quickly to meet the demands of the retailers, were just fitted to what ever bases were available at the time. This provides us with today's weird and wonderful base combinations that crop up from time to time.

Personally, I think this is one of the main reasons that gives the 1960's and 1970's era of Subbuteo it's magical feel, as you never know what's waiting around the next corner.

In 1972 the team references stood at 81, but in the following two years the charts had them listed to 165. Subbuteo were targeting the European market with club sides from countries such as Austria, France, Holland, Italy, South Africa, Switzerland and West Germany now available.

Then by 1978 the team references reach the dizzy heights of 322 with club sides from Argentina, Finland, Greece, Portugal, Sweden and the U.S.A. now being produced in an effort to crack the Global market.

Unfortunately it was shortly after this period that the Classic Heavyweight figure in Britain was starting to be phased out of production. It has been stated that Subbuteo required a new figure that could be painted and assembled by machine, as they were finding it difficult to produce enough teams by hand to meet their growing markets. Their wage bill for the outworkers in the U.K. must also have been of huge concern to their 'accountants'.

The figure must have been completely phased out around 1981, as I clearly remember being able to buy a Reference 191 H/W team in a local shop during the Christmas of 1980, when I was 13. So it must be assumed that team references up to 359 were available to purchase throughout the heavyweight period. Also reading the 1981 Subbuteo World catalogue it is understood that references 501 - 509 were also available in Italy. They were probably using up any surplus figures between the changeover to the Zombie and Lightweight figures of the early 1980's.

The tables below show the various countries that were represented from the period 1965 - 1981 in the Classic Heavyweight Figure.

English Teams	H/A	1960's	1970's	1981
Aldershot	Home	007, 001	145, 308
	Away			144
Accrington Stanley	Home	001
Arsenal	Home	001, 016	232
	Away		047
Aston Villa	Home		074	333,
	Away			293
Barnet	Home	035
Barnsley	Home		289	138
	Away			010
Barrow	Home	018, 042
Birmingham City	Home	042	101, 136, 248	149
	Away			316
Bishop Auckland	Home	033
Blackburn Rovers	Home	031
Blackpool	Home
Bolton Wanderers	Home		154
	Away			001, 320
AFC Bournemouth	Home	001	076, 138	014, 255
Bradford	Home	036, 021, 010
Bradford City	Home		168, 102, 270	309, 21
	Away			181, 168
Brentford	Home	028, 009
	Away			149, 191
Brighton & Hove A.	Home	003, 017	051	042, 222,
	Away			168
Bristol City	Home	041	138, 001, 225	255, 138
	Away			010
Bristol Rovers	Home	003, 042	119, 012
	Away			047
Burnley	Home		027, 170	334,
	Away			080, 168
Burton Albion	Home	030
Bury	Home
	Away			168
Cambridge Utd	Home		006, 030	049, 006
	Away			021
Cardiff City	Home	042, 002	205	042, 002
	Away			168
Carlisle Utd	Home	011, 042	002, 101	042
	Away			047
Charlton Athletic	Home		177, 218
Chelsea	Home	042
	Away		041, 168	142,
Chester City	Home	015, 022, 051, 043	003, 051, 235	051,
Chesterfield	Home		119	235
	Away			014
Colchester Utd	Home	003, 022, 051	021, 051
	Away			147
Coventry City	Home	021, 005, 043	172, 043, 206
	Away		078, 070, 216
Crewe	Home	041	014, 138
	Away			172
Crystal Palace	Home	007, 040	102, 019, 194	194
	Away			019
Darlington	Home	010	069, 021, 081	010, 156
Derby County	Home		154
Doncaster	Home	001, 021	041, 138	096, 020, 244
Everton	Home		119, 248	119
	Away		047
Exeter City	Home	001, 052	009, 303	009,
Fulham	Home		156	156
	Away			014
Gillingham	Home	002	042, 002, 119
	Away			268
Grimsby Town	Home	038, 008
	Away			255
Halifax Town	Home	017, 002	013, 179, 119, 002	135 219
Hartlepool	Home	022, 002	003, 223
	Away			255
Hereford Utd	Home		156
	Away			218
Huddersfield Town	Home	002	003, 119, 003
Hull City	Home	030, 006	035, 283
	Away			021
Ipswich Town	Home	042, 002	119, 219
	Away		047	247, 154,
Leeds Utd	Home	021	207
	Away		208
Leicester City	Home	042	135, 119, 002, 192
Lincoln	Home	052, 001	041, 009
	Away			146
Liverpool	Home	041
	Away		081, 290, 081