We started our Movember Moustaches with this spectacular one belonging to Dutch footballer Arberth "Abe" van den Ban, who was born on 14 October 1946 in Zaanstad. He played sports as a child but not football until he was older; in fact his first football team was Zaanlandsche Football Club, of Zaandam, in 1965, when he was nineteen. He stayed with them for five years, before moving about half an hour`s drive away to AZ Alkmaar. Whilst there he appeared on his rookie card, though there is some debate as to which of two cards he appeared on in that year should have that honour - for there is a set of stickers issued by Vanderhout, called "Voetbalsterren in Aktie", or footballers in action, and a set of cards issued in Holland by Monty Gum which are known as "Eredivisie 1971 Top-Voetballers". This is further complicated by the fact that some collectors do not consider stickers as cartophilic, in which case the Mont Gum cards will get the nod.
In 1972 our man moved on to FC Amsterdam, a brand new club which was only started on the 20th of June 1972 when two clubs merged, those being Blau Wit (which means "blue-white") and Door Wilskracht Sterk. Then, in 1976, he moved again, to HFC Haarlem, which is the strip he wears on our card, as well as on card 102 of Panini`s "Voetbal 78"., and card 142 of their "Voetbal 82". Then, in 1982 he decided to retire. He moved into the hospitality industry, working at hotels and restaurants, which he seemed to enjoy very much.
This was the third year that Dutch football had been commemorated by Panini stickers, the first being in 1978. The truth behind this is that the 1970s was truly the decade when the Dutch squad forst really came to prominence, reaching the final of two World Cups, losing to West Germany in 1974 by two goals to one, and to Argentina in 1978 by three goals to one, though that was in extra time. It is almost certain that this suggested these sets, as they were first issued that same year, 1978.
A full checklist for the set can be found at The Cartophilic Info Exchange/V80
The packet for this set is very striking, showing an artist`s impression of a player at full stretch across the Dutch flag - and the same image was actually used for all the early sets issued in Holland, starting with "Voetbal 78" in 1978, it was only the colour of the packet that changed each year, though later the flag was changed to just diagonal shading. The packet colours, etc, are :
- Voetbal 78 - gold, with Dutch flag background - 25 cents for 6 Aanklevende Prentjes (clinging pictures)
- Voetbal 79 - red, with Dutch flag background - 25 cents for 6 Aanklevende Prentjes (clinging pictures)
- Voetbal 80 - blue, with Dutch flag background - 35 cents for 6 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures)
- Voetbal 81- cream, with Dutch flag background - 35 cents for 5 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures)
- Voetbal 82 - yellow, with Dutch flag background - 35 cents for 4 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures)
- Voetbal 83 - pink check, with Dutch flag background - 35 cents for 6 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures) and a starburst shape offering a free album
- Voetbal 84 - orange check, with Dutch flag background - 35 cents for 4 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures) and a starburst shape offering a free album
- Voetbal 85 - light blue check, with Dutch flag background - 35 cents for 3 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures) and a starburst shape offering a free album
- Voetbal 86 - yellow, with Dutch flag background - 50 cents for 6 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures) and a starburst shape offering a free album
- Voetbal 87 - blue check, with Dutch flag background - 50 cents for 6 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures) but no starburst shape offering a free album
- Voetbal 88 - green check, with Dutch flag background - 50 cents for 6 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures) but no starburst shape offering a free album
- Voetbal 89 - grey, with diagonal shading in the background - 50 cents for 6 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures) but no starburst shape offering a free album
- Voetbal 90 - orange, with diagonal shading in the background - 50 cents for 6 Zelflevende Prentjes (self adhesive pictures) but no starburst shape offering a free album
This was the last year that the art drawn player appeared on the packets, in 1991 he was replaced by a real action shot.