[ Subbuteo Menu ][ Teams ][ Accessories ][ Index ][ Links ][ Mail Me ]

Peter Upton's

Subbuteo Tribute Website.

Spanish Production - The Borras Era.

Spanish Production 1980-83 (and onwards)

I'm not sure of the origins of this range, but it was made by a Spanish company (Juguetes Borras) under licence from Subbuteo Sports Games Ltd (SSG). The "made under licence" nature of these games is different than most of the other international editions, which were produced by SSG in England and exported. To emphasise the point, even the pitch featured the Borras logo. The range came right at the end of the Waddingtons expansions into Europe which seems to have been staggered through the 1970s. Oddly, Peter Adolph had already had an earlier expansion into the Spanish market (see Spainish production 1960s for details), but that, and the related Subbuteo factory in Barcelona, seem to have ceased when Waddingtons had originally taken charge in 1968. As Spain has such a huge football culture, it seems strange that it was neglected for a decade, and that only the top few teams were ever featured in the familiar team range.

Having said that, as the 1980s arrive, we do seem to see this change in the way Subbuteo was produced abroad, as Portugal and Brazil also did their own manufacturing at this time.

Spanish Editions - 1980 onwards.

   

The advertising brochure included with the box sets advised that there were three versions produced in these Spanish boxes. The Club Edition, and the "Junior" Edition, which was essentially a Display Edition, probably arrived with the 1980 catalogue, whereas the Special World Cup Edition would have come later. The illustration of the Junior set shows the smart plastic interior, featuring Spain and Brazil as the teams. The addition of the FIFA World Cup Edition to this leaflet dates this set nicely to the time of the Spanish World Cup of 1982. Obviously a useful cash-in on the football fever that would've spread through the country at that time.

    

The third set on the advertising brochure shown above was the FIFA World Cup edition. This had the more familiar lid, and looks as if it was going to be the standard UK release. However, a copy of the actual set has now come to light, and it is much more interesting. The box moved the FIFA markings up to where the English version says "Table Soccer", and renames the set Espaňa-Mundial '82. The interior, like the German sets of the period is flimsy vacuum formed plastic (of a type UK customers weren't cursing at until the mid 1990s!). The big difference though, is in the World Cup itself....

As shown on the box, the Spanish FIFA World Cup statue is a proper, high quality, metal product on a suitable plinth. I assume these replicas were already being made for the World Cup, and being obviously superior to the standard Subbuteo version, were preferred by Borras.

Spanish Subbuteo expert Jorge Vila has this to say about the trophy....

"In 1980, the Playme toy company (the factory was in a town very close to Valencia) manufactured a collection of pencil sharpeners with various shapes, animals, objects... and included a version of the world cup. There were two variations, one with a gold sign and one with a red sign. The pencil sharpener was just below the base. In 1981 the company went bankrupt, and months later the same figure appeared in the 1981 edition of Subbuteo by Borrás. I have the Cup of Borrás and it is exactly the same figure, but without the pencil sharpener. Either they bought the stock of pencil sharpeners shaped like a world cup, or used the same moulds to make it. Curiously, in the photograph on the box of the World Cup Edition, the cup with the red sign appears, but the one with the gold sign always came in the box (in all pictures I have seen on internet)."

Jorge does not know if the red one exists as a Subbuteo item, but he does at least own the pencil sharpener....

Spain - Cola Cao Edition.

    

Spring 2013: Spotted on ebay earlier this year, this was another strange Spanish set, that appears to be of a similar vintage. This Cola Cao set (sponsored?) had similar contents to a standard club edition. The teams were hand-painted lightweights of Spain and Brazil (pale skinned), and the look matches the hand-painted teams seen in the Spanish team range mentioned above. It should be noted that the Cola Cao name was also printed onto the edges of the pitch. A Cola Cao sticker was also provided. (Not sure of the date of this set, but worth pointing out the large orange flags, as opposed to the small flags of the 1982 World Cup set.)

The Borras Accessory Range.

       

Juguetes Borras also sold Subbuteo teams and accessories in their own distinctive boxes. The bubble packed accessories were very similar to the standard UK versions, but everything else - stands, pitch, goals, goalkeepers etc. were re-boxed. The teams were also produced in this style, and two variations of team box suggest that the range continued for at least a couple of years, although nothing much later than this date has been seen in collecting circles.

The 1983 catalogue had the following accessories listed. It is probably obvious, but I've put the sets that have distinct Spanish boxes in Bold letters. All the boxes feature the same picture as the teams boxes and the Club/Junior Editions. Above are shown the first three boxes, C102, C108, and C109. Note that the pitch is the unique Borras version with their extra logos.

Ref Name Ref Name Ref Name
C102 Porteros (Diving goalies) C127 Balones Continental (Continental balls) C142 Gradas (Terrace)
C106 Porteros Sueltas (Spare keepers) C130 Porterias (World Cup goals) C143 Grada Corner (Corner terrace)
C107 Equipo Arbitral (ref/linesmen) C131 Saque de Esquina (Corner kickers) C144 Balon oficial campeonato (Panel balls F)
C108 Vallas (Fence) C132 Saque de Banda (Throw-in figures) C148 Porterias standard (standard goals)
C109 Terreno (Pitch) C139 Banco Entienad or (Bench Set) C158 Marcador (Scoreboard)
C110 Torre TV (TV Tower) C141 Espectadores (Spectators) C159 Policias (Police Squad)

The boxes for C110 (from different sides); the two types of goal in Spain - C130 and C148; and C158 the black scoreboard.

The stands and corner piece, along with the instruction sheet. It is worth noting that despite the children on the box leaning over a real stadium, the grandstand was not sold in Spain. Perhaps it was too English looking? Note that there was originally a box for C127 the Continental balls, although they were also sold on a card.

Spanish Carded Accessories.

The Spanish bubble packs are essentially the same as the UK version of the period, with the lozenge logo, and the Brazil vs Spain picture. Borras are printing the black details onto the cards (i.e. they are Spanish language), and took the opportunity to add their logo to the top left hand corner. However, that is not the whole story, as the back of the card was also unique to Spain, with different picture illustrations, and Spanish details.

   

These last two pictures from this Borras range show more of the unique printing that graces the accessories of the period. We have the aforementioned card back, and also the Spanish fence advertisements. By the early 1980s some of the English advertising was only relevant to the home market, so this extra expense seems to have made sense. Borras seem to be using the fence to advertise other board games that they were producing.

Borras continued to distribute Subbuteo into the 1990s, but once the standard Subbuteo boxes/bubbles dropped their English titles there was little reason to continue with the expense of producing their own boxes. This seems to have occurred with the arrival of the Green logo boxes in 1984. After this, Borras made do with adding their own details on a small sticker attached to the standard boxes, and this is now shown at the bottom of this page.

The Borras Team Range.

Juguetes Borras had their own team range, matching the editions/accessories in attractive, solid looking boxes. Unlike most Subbuteo markets, Spain produced their own number range for their teams. For instance, the team shown above is Athletic Bilbao, who arrived in the UK team lists in 1983 as reference 440. In Spain, they are reference 2.

Spanish catalogues dated 1980 and 1983 have now enabled me to fill in this section. It seems that a range of 54 teams was established by 1980, featuring a full Spanish league range with an amazing thirty two different references. The first seventeen references are in alphabetical order, and represent the Spanish top flight of 1979-80 very nicely (it was an 18 team league with Valencia doubled up with Real Madrid in all-white). The other fifteen Spanish teams references (and some teams added back in) give another 19 sides, that are probably the majority of the Spanish second division of the period (which had 20 teams).

The list was then completed with 22 of the top selling national and club sides that featured in most of the other international ranges - so there are Brazil, West Germany and England alongside Liverpool, Juventus and Anderlecht. By 1983 the list had increased to 62 sides, with this expansion allowing the range to cover all the sides at the 1982 World Cup.

    

The teams that have come to light have revealed two different box types. If you compare the box shown here with the Bilbao one, it should be apparent that this version has a window, and a different interior layout. In addition, whilst the Bilbao box has a lift off lid, this one is a card wrap with a slide out tray.

  

Excitingly for lightweight collectors, many of the teams shown in the Spanish catalogues are unique to this range, and never made it back to the standard UK version. There is a nice example shown above - ref 11 Rayo Vallecano. This team (which looks like a white skinned Peru) never appears in the UK or Italian catalogues, and you had to wait until the 2003 Parodi range before it featured again in a Subbuteo catalogue.

The few teams that did transfer into the UK range were added in the team list between 424 and 440, on the 1983 poster. The most interesting thing here are the long gaps between these team numbers. The UK (and Italy) had Spanish sides on reference numbers 424, 425, 431, 433, 439 and 440. It must be assumed that some of the other Spanish sides were pencilled into the other numbers, but as the worldwide range was already getting unwieldy, I assume the decision was made not to include them.

Frustrating, there doesn't seem to be a way to match the Spanish sides to the UK gaps, alphabetically or otherwise. Of course, there are thirty-two Spanish club side references, and only seventeen spaces between 424 and 440. Even accounting for some team duplication, there is no obvious way to tell which might have been lined up to fit.

Looking at the Spanish catalogues you soon run into troubles with the accuracy of the illustrations. Hopefully I'm sorting this out by the addition of pictures of the real Spanish teams, although sometimes this seems to make things worse (blue shorts or white for refs 10 and 20?). In the international section, all the teams usually produced with black players are shown in the catalogue with a standard flesh colour. This makes Cameroon look like a different side. However, the real teams such as El Salvador (shown above), and Honduras were produced with the correct colour players. However, Peru were added to the description of Rayo Vallecano in 1983, and that is known to be white skinned, and the Brazil team in the Cola Cao set shown above is also a white version.

The number of blue and white striped teams in the Spanish leagues is notable in real life, and the attempt to make many of them unique here is admirable. I suppose it is down to the fact that this is a much smaller range than the four divisions of England would have needed, and so Borras could be more accurate with the look of the sides.

All this means that I've felt the need to add notes to the team list as shown below. I've pointed out the existing references closest to the Spanish teams, shown as UKxxx to reduce confusion. It is interesting that Barcelona looks more like UK472 from 1983, than the earlier ref 19. This suggests further feedback to the UK range, and I wonder whether the non-illustrated Alaves (UK478) and Zaragoza (UK479) were also meant to come from this range.

December 2007: A big thank you to Jesús Ridao, James Hardcastle, and regular helper Eddie Lang for sending the catalogues to me.
June 2021: Another huge thank you, this time to Spanish collector Julio Candelas, who took the time to photograph his collection of these teams. This enables us to compare the catalogue images with reality for the Spanish league teams. This is very useful, as the catalogue images are not too accurate with regard to the national sides taken from the English range, and of course the catalogue printing left a lot to be desired. It is worth noting that two of Julio's players here have had their hair painted blond, but there is no other evidence of repainting on the larger pictures of his collection (as always they have sadly been reduced for the site).

September 2021: The Subbuteoworld website was selling an interesting collection of these teams. The lightweights generally backed up Julio's collection, so I've not doubled up those pictures, although I have added a machine printed ref 2 (the familiar UK440). However, the Subbutoworld collection did feature more zombies, and I have added some of these to show that zombies are actually not that uncommon in this range.

  1. Almeria - (UK ref 424) Note the white shorts trim on this team.
  2. At. Bilbao, Algeciras - (UK440) Hand-painted in a dark red, as with 440 this team does have a red hoop on the top of the socks.
    Sept 2021: Subbuteoworld had a machine-printed ref 2, which is an exact match to the usual UK440 of the period.
  3. At. Madrid - (UK424). This one does not have the shorts trim. I think this must be the least important reason for a different reference number in any Subbuteo range ever....
  4. Barcelona, Levante - (UK472 from 1983 rather than the earlier UK19). The hand-painted Spanish side is indeed a match for 472.
  5. Betis - (sock variant on UK36, which only looked like this in the late 1990s).
  6. Burgos - (looks like UK290 in the catalogue). Julio's real-life side has black trim down the arms (no collar) and white trim down the shorts. It is possible that a ref 290 look-a-like also exists.
  7. Gijon - (Sock variation to UK424). Gijon in real life wore black socks with red and white trim, and this is what the the Spanish catalogue is trying to represent (and can be seen on the real figure).
  8. Hercules, La Coruna - Julio's team is a lovely side, with a single large central stripe. So not really a UK 22.
  9. Las Palmas, Cadiz - (UK425). Julio owns a machine-printed version in a Las Palmas box, and two hand-painted Cadiz sides - one with the reverse socks (so essentially a ref 47)
  10. Malaga - (the UK had Malaga on 431). The catalogue shows this with white shorts. The named side in Julio's collection has blue shorts (so essentially a hand-painted ref 51). Julio says that Malaga wore white shorts in 1979-80, but were usually in blue. All the versions of this team he has seen match the one shown.

  1. Rayo Vallecano, Peru. (UK159 for Peru) Whilst similar to 159, it is notable that this white-skinned version has red trim down the arms.
  2. Espanol - (The UK catalogues simply had Espanol on ref 3.) Here it is unique, like ref 51 with reversed socks. Note that the version shown lacks a collar though.
    Sept 2021: Subbuteoworld had a properly boxed zombie version for sale, but this has reversed socks, making it more like a UK51 (or indeed a Spanish ref 10?). Note though, that the collar has not been painted, which is unusual on a UK51.
  3. Real Madrid, Valencia - (UK21) Julio's team is a classic machine printed zombie.
  4. Real Sociedad - (UK431). One of the few sides reproduced accurately in the UK range.
  5. Salamanca, Nueva Zealanda (New Zealand) - (UK156 for New Zealand) The catalogue suggests this should be a standard ref 156 (which was also West Gemany in this range at ref 36). However, Julio's side is identical to his ref 06 Burgos. Was this a box mix-up, an illustration mix-up, or a change in colours? Or something else? More examples needed.
    Sept 2021: Illustrated is another properly boxed example - but this is a zombie, and is a simple UK156.
  6. Sevilla - (UK144/303?). Whilst the catalogue picture is certainly ref 144, the actual team with sleeve trim is a ref 303.
  7. Zaragoza - (Could this be the un-illustrated 479 from the Italian 1982-83 catalogue?). The trim on the sleeves, but no collar, makes this one much more like UK201.
  8. Recreativo De Huelva - (UK003). Another blue and white striped kit. Like a standard ref 3 of the 1970s, this has no stripes on the sleeves. The blue sock top is unusual on UK003 of this era though.
  9. Granada - A beautiful unique kit, and the pick of the range. Julio's team has a plain white back to the shirt, although he has seen it with the hoops front and back as well.
  10. Alaves - (Could this be 478 from the Italian 1982-83 catalogue?) Like the Malaga above, this one has blue shorts on Julio's team. The shirt has collar and cuffs, and the socks have two hoops. Looks unique to this range. Apparently, Alaves did always play in blue shorts so this might be a case of the catalogue being wrong.

  1. Getafe - Looks unique for this era, although 538 Racing Club Paris from 1984 is essentially identical. Subbuteo reusing the stock?
  2. Castellon - (UK246). Although 246 originally had two sock hoops, later ones are identical to this side.
  3. Tarragona - (UK138). You could argue that this side lacks the white cuffs of ref 138.
  4. Sabadell - Another of the glorious unique teams in this range. Blue shorts and hoop socks on a quartered kit (ref 12 and 387 have white shorts of course)
  5. Murcia - The fuzzy sock trim of the catalogue is indeed a couple of white hoops, essentially just painted onto a UK001
  6. Elche - A classic Spanish kit that also featured in their 1960s range. They were 2nd Division in the 1980s, which I suppose is why it isn't a more widespread release. A shame, as its a lovely looking side.
  7. Osasuna - (UK48) Actually, Julio's team has reversed socks to the standard ref 48 (and ref 48 by the early 1980s had black socks to match Spain before they became 433).
  8. Palencia - Another unique to this range, with a lovely purple colour. (The picture comes from a team on Subbuteo.eu with a proper "named" box, as Julio's version doesn't have this, and the colours differ.)
  9. Celta De Vigo - (again a sock variation. This time hoops on a UK005)
  10. Santander - The sock trim technically makes this one a unique kit. The standard range had ref 126, but that had been removed from the catalogue in 1981 as no teams were using it. 

  1. Oviedo, Kuwait - (looks like UK ref 166. Doesn't resemble UK404 Kuwait). I've illustrated this with a zombie version (in the correct box) that was at UK seller Subbuteoworld. This is indeed a UK166.
  2. Valladolid - (UK439) The UK catalogue shows it with short sleeves....  I don't think I've ever seen one (and it isn't in the Italian lightweight book). Julio has this one unboxed, in a weird purple, and owns an unboxed ref 28 Palencia that matches it....
  3. Espana - Catalogue illustration looks like UK ref 433, but real version in collecting circles is a UK 48. The time period of the Spanish catalogues suggests that both might exist.
  4. Holanda - (UK13)
  5. Brazil - (UK50 or UK410)
  6. Alemania Occidental (West Germany) - (UK156)
  7. Inglaterra (England) - (UK317)
  8. Italia - (UK166 - same as ref 31 above)
  9. Escocia (Scotland) - (UK318)
  10. Argentina - (UK67 or UK457) Socks shown as white.

  1. Polonia (Poland) - (UK39)
  2. Yugoslavia - (UK149) Sock trim?
  3. URSS - (UK161) Machine printed version seen.
  4. Francia - (UK164)
  5. Portugal, Hungria - (UK281)
  6. Checoslovaquia - (UK231)
  7. Liverpool (UK41)
  8. Manchester United - (Should be UK372 or maybe UK100, but socks are white?)
  9. Bayern Munich - (UK214) Machine print seen.
  10. Benfica - (UK138)

  1. Juventus - (UK34)
  2. Inter Milan - (UK58)
  3. Anderlecht - (UK55) Again, odd sock trim.
  4. Hamburgo - (UK210)
  5. Argelia (Algeria) - (UK402)
  6. Austria - (UK10)
  7. Belgica (Belgium) - (UK21) See ref 13 above.
  8. Camerun - (UK403)
  9. Chile - (UK67)
  10. El Salvador - (UK 155) Version shown above looks more like a ref UK404 Kuwait.

  1. Honduras - Unique to Spain, and has been seen on ebay. A blue Honduras was sold on UK405
  2. Irlanda (actually Northern Ireland) - (UK320)

Borras Products Post-1984.

 

Back in the UK, Subbuteo's boxes and accessory numbers were amended in 1984, to remove the English names and the continental "C" branding. From this point onwards, it made less sense for international importers to produce their own boxes. Borras certainly stopped their unique range, and instead added their name sticker to the standard releases. The stickers vary a little, but the above pair shown on a 1990s "Club Edition" and Astropitch are decent examples.


[  Main Page ]