SUBBUTEO was invented in 1946 by model-maker Peter Adolph, of Kent, who advertised his new product in the August edition of The Boy's Own Paper.

Production began in 1947, but kits were vastly different to those of today. Initially, the famous model footballers were simple cardboard cutouts, and the teams came in two colours, red and blue.

The game took off in the 1960s and 1970s when plastic figures were brought in, and by this time reproductions of existing English league teams were standard.

Hasbro, which took over the making of the game, stopped production in 2000, but Subbuteo returned to shelves last year.