1.When did you start collecting?
I started collecting figures when they first came out in 1995, my son who was 9 years old at the time came home from school with some. He gave me a Chelsea player, Dennis Wise, and i was hooked. I have only collected Chelsea figures ever since. My son continued to collect every figure well into his teens and has a few thousand figures all boxed away in the loft.
Taribo West took part in a behind closed doors friendly at Fratton Park, got him to sign a few figures, he was so impressed he took me back into the changing rooms to show the figures to his mates. Got a few figures signed by Worlds Greatest Player GEORGE BEST. He was a regular visitor to Fratton Park just before his death.
Can't remember which one i bought first but probably series 1 Chelsea player.
Now that's a hard question, got a few repaints that i love, but i think my favourite has to be my 2 microstars of Tor André FLO in his Chelsea kit. Got them in red & blue bases, would love to get all 6.
I have paid well over the odds on far too many occasions, but i'm sure you've all had that feeling when you see a figure you need for your collection, If my wife reads this , its £10, but i think it was £60 for the WHSmith yellow VIALLI.
Haven't been too lucky with bargains, and as i only collect Chelsea figures they tend to be harder to find in the bargain basement. But i suppose by being in a privileged position to get them signed, i paid a few quid for a figure and then seen its value escalate purely cause it has been signed. Craig Bellamy is the only player to have turned me down for an autograph. Refused to sign a figure of himself in Newcastle kit as he was now a West Ham player!!!
Had 4 figures of Robbie Keane i wanted signed, Spurs home and Away, Milan and Ireland kits, He signed first figure no problem, gave me a dirty look and signed 2nd figure, refused to sign 3rd saying " i was selling them, and making money on his name" when i explained all 4 figures were different, he apologised and signed all 4.
Some of you may not believe this but it took me a few years to get Damian Duff microstar in Chelsea away kit (Japan miniature Series 5) on a GREEN base. MC1965. Thought i was never going to get it. Still a few figures i need, mostly foreign issued black base microstars, also need to replace UK series 12 ROBBEN on a white base MC4302, as his arm is snapped, so anyone got a spare one get in touch. Would love to add Paul FURLONG to my collection, i have seen a figure of him at a Corinthian roadshow but never seen one for sale, again anybody wanting to sell one, get in touch.
As a Chelsea collector it's got to be Peter OSGOOD, & Kerry DIXON, also a few of their more recent managers, Avram Grant, Big Phil, Guus and of course Ancelotti and Ray Wilkins.
If anyone can give me any information about my two Gullit figures, got subtle differences, especially mouth, and number on back, have look at photos, i think it may be a Master but not sure?? HELP!!
Also added photo of JT with arm outstretched to shake hands, but Wayne refuses, just a bit of fun.
Here is a picture of my Display cabinet which houses my entire Corinthian collection!
I have arranged the figures into the different kits, instead of by base number order. My Frank Lampard master model stands proudly on the top shelf, in between the FA Cup and the Premiership Trophy. My 2 Microstars of Tore Andre Flo in the chelsea kit, sit either side of the trophies. The extremely rare Prostar of Gianluca Vialli in the Yellow away kit, which was exclusively available in WHSmiths inside a VHS tape, stands next to one of my Flo's, notice Bridge and Terry 'squaring off' in the corner.
The next 2 shelves are filled with my Prostars, all arranged into kits, including the rare Fans Favourites figure of John Terry in the White away kit, he was only avalable by purchasing the pack at the Chelsea megastore.
The bottom shelf is filled with my Microstars collection and also by some of my repaints.
I have more images of my collection, to see those please click the link button located below my display cabinet image.
To see more images of my collection, please click the link button opposite.