These cards – the GF “Premium Issue” Cabinet cards – are pretty much the ‘Holy Grail’ where Pinnace collectors are concerned because they really are so rare. Up until recently only a few were ever known to exist; now, with the help of Mark Hughesdon, Chris Lee, Alan Jenkins, Steve Marsh and especially Matt Stevens, I am able to present almost all of these cards for your enjoyment. I was always led to believe that these cards were the same size as the player ‘Cabinet’ cards, approximately 150mm x 100mm, but in September 2022 Nigel of CardHawkUK.com informed me that all of the ones that he has ever seen were 178-180mm x 127mm so, as I myself have never seen a Team Card, I will aver in his favour. Many of the ones shown here are a little dark and skew-wiff because they have been photographed rather than scanned, but sometimes that’s the price that you pay to see something almost unique!
You will also notice that in many cases there is not one, but TWO versions of each team card; the logic behind this is that the original ‘dated’ cards were from the 1920-21 series, but the ‘undated’ examples are almost certainly later. Proof of this is that the second ‘undated’ Huddersfield Town card is the ‘official’ team photograph from the 1921-22 season (I have an original Turton postcard on my HTAFC website to confirm this). In some cases the two teams photos are still the same, regardless of the season, but with others they are different.
It should also be noted that although you are able to see many tens of Team Cards here, you should not be misled into thinking that they must be relatively easy to find if you look hard enough; they most certainly are not! In the vast majority of cases, the image that you see here is a scan or photograph of THE ONLY known example of that card in existence! Which is why, when they DO occasionally come up for auction, you can expect to pay in the high hundreds or even thousands for just a single card.
So – enjoy this collection of miniature versions; they are very probably the closest that you will EVER get to seeing one of these in the flesh! 🙂
Edit: a THIRD Aston Villa card appeared on the internet in May 2020. This one celebrated the 1920 FAC Final victory over Huddersfield (grrrr!) and means that – to date – Villa are the only team to be represented on three different team cards.
THE ENGLISH CLUBS
THE SCOTTISH CLUBS
There are twenty-one Scottish teams represented below; my apologies if you are a fan of Alloa or Queens Park! 😦
THE WELSH CLUBS
Pinnace Cards 
These are great, never seen a team group before, Manchester City please 🙂
Keep wishing, Brian! 😉
Ask, and ye shall receive! 🙂
Can we have a rugby team then?? 😉 Ideally Warrington 🙂
Sorry, Neil. I’ve never heard of ANY rugby teams ever being produced. 😦
Excellent stuff Roger! There’s a West Ham version on the ‘they fly so high’ site and, according to that, the size is 180 x 127mm. And yes, a Reading FC version required please!
So clearly, these are NOT full size scans as they would have to be the same as the postcard-sized player photos. Oh, well – thanks for the info, Chris.
PS I’ve now ‘borrowed’ the Hammers image from Steve’s site. 😉
In an FCCM, issue 4 1998, they state that they have acquired the following Pinnace Team Cabinet Cards:
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Clapton Orient, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Liverpool, Sheffield United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Thanks for this, Paul. I too am a subscriber to FCCM, but unfortunately I only came in on issue 21. It certainly looks as though there are a few out there!
Now, if I could only lay my hands on the Huddersfield Town one … 😉
Nice plug for the site here Roger http://cartophilic-info-exch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/godfrey-phillips-ltd-pinnace.html
Yep, seen it. Alan and I chat on an almost daily basis, Chris! 😉
Great stuff Roger and cheers to Matt for sharing.
Awesome, nice to see a Manchester city team group in there, never thought I’d see one 🙂 !
Hoping to one day see Merthyr Town and Aberdare Athletic
Lets wait and see what Matt sends me, Alan. 😉
Only aberdare required!
I’ve never seen the Blackpool FC card before – I would love to add this to my BFC collection
I live in hope !
Up The Pool
John
We certainly do, John.
Oyston out!!
Considering “Half Time” states only two team groups are known to exist your efforts are to be admired 🙂 fantastic site!
Thanks, Brian, but it’s really all down to the people who provide the images – Matt, Mark and others.
Regarding the team cards, and how many players were issued, strange there doesn’t seem to be a Newcastle United one
As I’ve said before (in a private conversation, I believe) like you, I can’t believe that there isn’t a Newcastle one out there somewhere. SOMEBODY will be sitting on one, perhaps in a suitcase on top of a wardrobe or in a little chest in the attic, perhaps even unaware that it’s there, but I can’t believe that not one Toon fan didn’t trade up some of his smaller cards for a team card.
One day … 😉
I see a team card of Oldham Athletic above , my team card for them is No 14 January 27th 1923 and features my Grandfather G H Douglas. He is not in your card above 1920 – 21 series.
Thanks for the contact, Andrew, but I believe that you are mixing up sets here. Your card is almost certainly this one, from the PLUCK series of Famous Football Teams (1922/23)
Yes, you are right. Sorry for the confusion, I am getting carried away chasing my Grandfathers cards. Thank You.
No problem, Andrew. I am very pleased that you are able to trace your ancestors back to appearing on football cards – I wish that I could do that! 🙂
I have acquired a Manchester City team group postcard which is exactly the same as the Pinnace team group except that the 2 players back row far right aren’t on it. The players, Woosnam & Hamill must have been added at a later date.