Mixed Leeds post!

Looking at which teams I have the biggest picture back log of, it would make sense to do a Leeds post like the recent Liverpool one. So, with no thoughts on theme, and just going on alphabetical order, here are a few!

I've done these first 2 quite a few times each now, as you'd expect for title winners! Some people ask for Cantona in 7, but he wore quite the variety of shirt numbers in that season, including 2 and 3, if I remember rightly!

In a small act of pettiness that I'm sure Leeds fans can get behind, I prefer to put him in 14; a subs number, to show he wasn't that important to the side...

I love this Charles repaint. I have 2 in my own collection- the 'old gold' and one in the all white of the 60s... but I think I might like this better than either of them!! Probably down to the socks, in truth!

It might surprise a few to find out that I've also done this one at least 3 times. Collectors are a funny sort!!

Finally: Deano. I've done this kit a few times, but more commonly on Yeboah and Gary Speed. A first outing for Brian Deane in this kit. Well, in terms of my repaints, anyway!

Real Madrid Icons

A quick post, before I go to bed!

2 massive talismanic figures in the history of Real Madrid!

I really like the Di Stefano one- while it's one of the simplest repaints I've done, it's another case of a simple one being extremely effective... in my eyes at leasr!

And Ronaldo as well!

Project: Matthews Final!

It's been a long while since I posted any Blackpool figures to the blog!

2016 being the last time they made an appearance!

But, the guy who wanted those figures has been back in touch, and is putting together a Matthews Final XI.

Obviously Stan himself aside, it's going to be lookalike figures, and here are the first 3:

Two defenders from the team; Eddie Shimwell and Harry Johnston. Shimwell was a bit of a surprise to me, as, if I'd had to take a punt, I'd have assumed that Jimmy Armfield was the right back, but he came into the Blackpool first team scene a year later... according to Wiki.

I was also surprised to find out that Johnston was captain; I thought Stan was a cert for that role! Amazing what painting little plastic footballers can teach you!!

And let's not forget the boss: Joe Smith; chosen due to his immaculate side parting!

Lofthouse, Bolton

I absolutely love 1950s/60s figure repaints!

I've done a Stanley Matthews Blackpool figure, a Tom Finney Preston one, and here's a player held in similar regard at his own Lancashire club:

Nat Lofthouse, in Bolton's 1958 FA Cup Final kit.

There's something about the simplicity of kits from this era that I love! 

I was happy with the clean lines on the collar and cuffs. The badge and accurate number font mean that, in spite of the lack of modern names sponsors etc, this figure is very distinctive.

Love it!

Mortensen, Blackpool

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Here's another Blackpool repaint, where the player definitely falls into the legend category.

As in proper legend, not the modern complete mis/overuse of it. I genuinely got described as a legend in Aldi the other day for packing my shopping away quickly. But I guess that isn't really important to this post.

Stan Mortensen rightly has a place in Blackpool folklore, and in the history of the English game. He scored 23 times in just 25 games for England, and played so well to score a hat trick in the 1953 FA Cup Final that it's now widely known as "The Matthews Final"!

Anyway, this is another case of a simple old style kit ending up looking really effective. 

As a lookalike figure was used, I also had to change the name on the base.

Armfield, Blackpool

Here's another bonafide Blackpool legend!

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One of those times when a really simple kit ended up looking great!

I included a pic of Armfield at the time (above) because I chose the 'lookalike' figure, and I think it's a pretty good likeness!

The guy who bought this recently told me that he showed this to Jimmy, who liked it! His exact words (as posted on the Corinthian Facebook group) were: "He loved it, and could even tell me what season it was based on!"

The season, incidentally, was 1955-56!

John Charles x2, Leeds

Two repaints of a bonafide Leeds United legend coming up!

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I actually painted the all white one of these almost a year ago, at the same time as I did this one, but haven't got round to posting the pic until now! 

While it is the plainest repaint I have ever done, I like it! The picture in the middle is always the first one I think of when I think of John Charles, and that's why I painted it really.

The top one was for a customer, and he wanted the 42 goal season kit! Who can blame him for that?!

Matthews, Blackpool

I've said before that, sometimes, the simplest kits are the most effective repaints. I'd say this is definitely one of those times:

(click to enlarge)

When I finished doing this, I was delighted with it! 

"The Matthews Final" is such an iconic moment in English football that it surprised me that a) Corinthian never made this one and b) I've never seen a repaint of it either.

The customer loved it too!

Are you getting how pleased I was with this repaint?!

Finney, PNE

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Corinthian only ever released Tom Finney in England colours, so living in Preston, and having a lot of good friends that are PNE fans, it seemed fairly natural to make this.

To be honest, there wasn't that much that needed doing- he was wearing an England kit originally, so the kit only needed a new badge, a new shirt number and a couple of stripes on the socks.

RIP Sir Tom.

John Charles, Leeds 1950s

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I had a couple of John Charles figures for ages, and couldn't decide what to do with them. I've never been one for keeping figures in their boxes, but these looked so great in their 'World Greats' box set.

Eventually, tho, I decided to get them out, and do a couple of Leeds kits.

I'm glad that I did! 

This is the kit that Charles set Leeds' record for number of goals in one season- it still stands today.

Stay tuned for the other John Charles repaint!

Roy Race 1950s/60s

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My last Melchester Rovers repaint, for the time being at least!

This one is based on the 1950s/60s kits which were largely similar, but sometimes had a badge, and sometimes didn't.

I purposely made the 9 (which is hand-painted- no decals) big and square, as was the style for Melchester in this era!

The original figure, with suitably immaculate side parting, was Martin Peters.