When I was young, I was obsessed with collecting football stickers.
There was nothing more satisfying than arriving home from a strenuous seven hour school day to be greeted by several packs of Merlin's Premier League stickers.
Let's travel into the depths of your childhood to reveal the 12 must have football accessories when you were a nipper.
12. The Worn-Down Football
Advert
In its lifetime, this football has seen it all. It was new once, brand new, but after it got stuck under the car, booted on top of roofs, kicked through windows and thrown around a water logged park, its condition slowly deteriorated.
Through all of the abuse, the ball endured and never gave up until it's last breath.
11. Championship Manager
Advert
Do you want to take Football League minnows Accrington Stanley to the Premier League in five seasons or less? Well, Championship Manager is the game for you.
Released in 1992, Championship Manager gifted us the most addictive gameplay in history. The simplicity of this infectious game has made this heroic title the best of its generation.
10. The Kickmaster
The Kickmaster ruined a parent's life back in the day. I didn't know it back then, but I have a newfound respect for those who had to deal with a football attached to a piece of rope.
Former Scotland international Andy Gray, who's voice influenced a generation, introduced us all to the Kickmaster and the population went crazy for this simple, yet effective accessory.
Advert
9. Football Stickers
We arrive at my all time favourite nostalgic accessory, the football sticker.
Football stickers have been knocking around since the 80's and there was nothing better than filling your very own sticker album at the start of the footballing calendar to begin your obsession. When the World Cup comes round in 2018, I'll be purchasing a sticker book, no doubt.
8. Football Boots
It was the toughest decision of your life as a child. So many different questions, so few answers. What type of boots? What colour? What brand? How much?
My first ever pair of boots were these beasts. Diadoras worn by Gary Neville. Can life get any better as a kid? I think not.
Advert
7. The Fly-Away/Floater
Here is the ultimate childhood throwback. It's the fly-away football, otherwise known as the floaty/floater/rubber.
The legacy of the fly-away football lives on and to this day kids still play with these truly awful pieces of kit. The amount of times I lost one of these to the neighbour is beyond a joke.
6. Chalk Football Nets
As a four-year-old, you probably couldn't afford to buy your own football nets, so a piece of chalk would have to do the trick.
Back in the day when all you needed was either a piece of chalk or two jumpers for goal posts to start a game of football. Take me back to a simpler time, please.
Advert
5. Badges
As a young child, every time I attended a football match I bought myself a badge. It was a warming reminder of the history behind your football club.
The next day, you would cruise into school and proudly show off the badge to all your friends at school. Oh the memories.
4. Reusch Goalkeeper Gloves
In 1934, Karl Reusch manufactured his first pair of gloves in the attic of his home, with the originals being sewed by hand.
Reusch's goalkeeper gloves were all the rage back in the day and even the great Peter Schmeichel owned a pair of these bad boys. Therefore, you immediately thought you could be as good as the Manchester United keeper himself.
Image: Reusch
3. Black Gloves
If you owned a pair of black 'magic' gloves as a kid, you were instantly branded a good football player.
On average, I went through at least five pairs of these so called 'magic' gloves a month. Did they keep your hands warm? Definitely not, but who cares when you looked the dog's bollocks? A bargain at £1 from your local chemist.
2. Powerpodz
'FOOTBALL CRAZY, CHOCOLATE MAD, GRAB A POWER POD AND PLAY FOOTBALL WITH THE LADS, THERE'S A MICRO STAR IN EVERYONE, A HERO IN YOUR HAND, THEY'RE THE GREATEST PLAYERS FROM THE BEST TEAMS.'
The famous Powerpodz that took the football world by storm. These tiny Micro Stars were part chocolate confectionery, part football figurine collectable. A must have for any football fanatic.
Image: Powerpodz
1. Table Football Game
This time machine of nostalgia ends with the classic table football game.
Table football was invented in 1921 and the game became hugely popular in the 80/90's. Memories of flicking the handles so aggressively that the table shook at the sheer force of my table football skills are a huge part of my childhood.
Today, the ITSF (International Table Soccer Federation) hold a yearly competition to crown the world champion of table football. Yes, you heard correctly, the world championship of table football.
MEMORIES!