Following the remarkable success of Panini’s 2014 World Cup sticker album – among children and adults alike – a book has now been published on the history of football stickers in the UK.
Written by Greg Lansdowne, ‘Stuck On You – The Rise & Fall…& Rise Of Panini Stickers’ celebrates the success of the Panini sticker company in the UK from the late 1970s, before charting newcomer Merlin’s rise to prominence following the inception of the Premier League.
With plenty of Sheffield Wednesday representation on the front cover, the book is a must-read for all those who spent their childhoods doing swaps in the school playground!
In Division Three at the time, the Owls were omitted from Panini’s inaugural UK domestic album – ‘Football 78’.
Promotion to Division Two saw Wednesday’s debut appearance in a Panini album via a two-part team group sticker and badge in ‘Football 81’.
Elevation to the top flight in 1983/84 meant a coveted double page spread in ‘Football 85’ – a status that would be retained for all but ‘Football 91’ over the rest of Panini’s reign up to 1993.
Merlin – now owned by American company Topps - then won the rights for the Premier League sticker album from 1994 onwards.
The Owls have been holding out for a return to that popular collection since ‘Premier League 2000’.
Defender Pat Heard earned a unique place in Sheffield Wednesday history as the only player representing the club to have graced the front cover of a Panini ‘Football’ album (Des Walker featured on ‘Football 91’ prior to his arrival at Hillsborough).
Heard’s appearance came on the cover of ‘Football 84’, in action against Brighton & Hove Albion in the previous year’s FA Cup semi final at Highbury.
To be in with a chance of winning a copy of ‘Stuck On You’, just answer this question:
In which country are Panini’s Modena headquarters?
Send your entries to mediaenquiries@swfc.co.uk
‘Stuck On You’ is available now to buy online through Amazon and other leading booksellers.