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Delacoste and French Production.

Team Lists - French Club Sides.

For their team selection, Delacoste originally stick mainly to the French leagues, but add a few famous national colours. The early catalogues offer just four club sides outside of France (Ajax, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich). This changed later, and the zombie illustrated "D" catalogue featured 32 non-French club sides.

Black Players.

When I was about fourteen years old, I purchased a large box of second-hand teams. Among these was the French national side from the mid 1970s (reference 164). This team had two black players in it, and was the first mixed-race Subbuteo team I had seen. The black players did not look repainted, but the paint didn't really match the rest of the team (some of whom have glossy shirts). So I wasn't sure if the team had come "from the factory" in this condition. However, since talking to other collectors, it has become obvious that these two black players are quite a familiar sight on ref 164 (even appearing in zombie teams on occasion). 

By watching ebay, it has also become apparent that in France the club sides also sometimes have this mix of skin tones. Pretty impressive, considering that it wasn't until 1994 that we started seeing black players in British Subbuteo teams.... In fact, the "C" catalogue actually illustrates Benfica with a black player.

Glossy Paint Work.

Although the boxes appear to be imported, it has been suggested that the French did have a factory producing Subbuteo items. It certainly seems likely that they painted their own teams, as the Italians did. The teams from the "blue" and "A" catalogue tend to be those found in the French range within the English catalogue. i.e. refs 136-150. However, the "B" catalogue sees some of the teams corrected, and could be interpreted as Delacoste producing their own sides. The black players seen mainly in France also tend to back this up theory. What is also noticeable about the sides illustrated in the "B" catalogue is the terrible glossy paint used. The ones shown above are some of the worst examples.

The French Team Lists.

It is worth noting that the French teams are sold as a single named side, rather than by number. This means that exactly the same kit can turn up several times in the lists.

Most of these teams also appear in the English catalogues, but there are a couple of variations to look out for.

The numbering on this page has become a little more complicated to cope with the different numbers that the clubs were issued under. Note that the 1983 catalogue has new numbers, but it doesn't have any kit changes from 1981.

Part 1. The All Purpose teams.

Number Team Name Catalogue English Reference No.
656.402 Equipe A Decorer A-D 021
656.412 Equipe Rouge A-D 001
656.422 Equipe Bleue A-D 002

This section features the standard red and blue teams, and also an all white "paint your own" team. This team has the flesh and boots already painted and is glued into a white base, so it is really just a reference 21. The same side was therefore also sold at ref 656.472 as Angers, and at 656.762 as Real Madrid.

Part 2. French Club Sides.

Blue No

Number

1981

1982-83 Team Name Catalogue English Ref No.
5748 656.432 ---- ---- Sedan A-C 149
5749 656.442 1079 ---- Valenciennes A-E  150
5750 656.452 1011 538002 Bastia A-B C-F 143(a), 143(b)
5751 ---.--- ---- ---- A.C. Ajaccio

----

Probably 004.
---- 656.462 1067 538021 Rouen C, D-F 218, 225
5752 656.472 1005 538001 Angers A-F 021
5753 656.482 1072 538011 Strasbourg A-B, C-F 166, 314

Notes:

Blue No

Number

1981

1982-83

Team Name Catalogue English Ref No.
5754 656.492 1015 538014 Bordeaux A-B, C, D-F 137(a-c)
5755 656.502 1036 538016 Lille A, B-F 139, 304
5756 656.512 1038 538005 Lyon A-B, C, D, E-F 139(a-c), 347

Blue No

Number

1981

1982-83

Team Name Catalogue English Ref No.
5757 656.522 C1039 538017 Marseille A, B-F 140(a), 140(b)
5758 656.532 C1041 538006 Metz A-B, C, D, E-F  099, 315, 001*, 156
5759 656.542 C1048 538018 Monaco A, B-C, D-F 148

Blue No

Number

1981

1982-83 Team Name Catalogue English Ref No.
5760 656.552 C1052 538019 Nancy A-C, D-F 141
5761 656.562 C1054 538008 Nantes A, B, C-F 142(a), 142 (variation), 142(b)
5762 656.572 C1056 ---- Nice A-C & E 076
5763 656.582 C1058 538020 Nīmes A-D, F 138, 218

Blue No

Number

1981

1982-83 Team Name Catalogue English Ref No.
5764 656.592 C1061 ---- Paris-Football Club A, B-C, D, E 145, 306, 323(a-b)
5765 656.602 ---- ---- Red-Star A-C 146
5766 656.612 C1065 ---- Reims A-E 016
5767 656.622 ---- ---- Rennes A-D 147
5768 656.632 C1070 538010 Saint-Etienne A-D, E-F 146, 346

Blue No

Number

1981

1982-83 Team Name Catalogue English Ref No.
---- 656.642 C1071 538022 Sochaux A-B, C-F 047, 316
---- 656.652 C1033 538004 Lens A-B, C-D, E-F 23 (variation), 250 (a-b)
---- 656.662 ---- ---- Troyes A-D 252
---- 656.672 C1062 538009 Paris Saint-Germain A, B-D, E-F 145, 251, 358
---- 656.682 ---- ---- Avignon B-D 166*

Blue No

Number

1981

1982-83 Team Name Catalogue English Ref No.
---- 656.692 C1029 538015 Laval B-D, E-F 249, 049
---- ---- C1009 538013 Auxerre E-F 135
---- ---- C1018 538003 Brest E-F 441
---- ---- C1050 538007 Montpellier E-F 138*
---- ---- C1077 538023 Toulouse E-F 341
---- ---- C1078 538012 Tours E-F 172
---- ---- ---- 538024 Mulhouse F 18**