Players battle it out for Subbuteo crown in Wolverhampton - in pictures
It is a game associated with a bygone era but a group of players were determined to show Subbuteo was still alive and kicking during a competition.
Enthusiasts travelled from far and wide to take part in the Staffordshire Pro-Am tournament at the Electric Club in Wolverhampton.
Players battled it out for the prize on half a dozen tables spread across the room, with the event featuring some of the top Subbuteo players.
Rick Bland, aged 47, has even taken the game Down Under. The ex-pat moved to Brisbane, Australia, 10 years ago and while back to see family was on the lookout for some competitive Subbuteo, which brought him to Wolverhampton.
He said: "It is a mixture between football and snooker and is very enjoyable. It is the nostalgic thing as well.
"We have about 12 members in Brisbane, it is difficult to reach out. There are so many ex-pats out there that if they knew it was there they might come along."
Richard Stock, 61, regularly played in the 1970s and has only recently got back into the game, which sees players flick figures to try to score and beat their opponent.
He insists there is more skills involved with the game than is often given credit for.
He said: "It should be deemed a sport. It is a difficult skill, you have to be two or three moves ahead.
"It is a problem getting youngsters to play competitive games in this country. We have lost a generation. On the continent, it is massive."
But Mike Bradbury, who organised the event, believes Subbuteo could be making a comeback.
He said: "I know a lot of people who play for fun but are scared to come to a tournament. There is a big gulf to the best.
"The game died away around 2000 but it has been making a big comeback over the last couple of years.
"A lot of players who played as teenagers are now dads and are getting back into it with their kids.
"It's not all about the competitive side, it is the social side as much as anything."
