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For my birthday one summer in the late 1950s my mum and dad bought me a shiny white Frido football. Frido balls were very popular back then and were also available in red. IIRC they cost about five bob and came with a brass valve and adapter to inflate them.
The kids these day call them floaters because they were made of vinyl and quite light. On a windy day they would get blown all over the park. Anyway, these footballs were great for youngsters because you could head them without knocking yourself senseless lol. I was delighted with my white one and ran into the garden to have a kick around. My first kick sent it into a rose bush and punctured it. I was completely gutted. I later learned there was a tool available that you could heat up on the gas ring which would melt the vinyl and seal the puncture. Sadly by the time I discovered this the ball had gone in the bin. Much later I saw a lad use a heated up knife to achieve the same effect.

https://www.thenationalfootballcollection.org.uk/mint-condition-1960s-frido-stanley-matthews-autograph-vinyl-football/
 

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An advert from The Daily Mirror May 1961 ---I bet Stanley Matthew's was kept busy posting out autographed photographs !

 

Everyone has fun with
a Frido ball.


Yes, Fridos the ball for the
whole family whatever
the age, whatever the sport.


They'll have fun with a Frido !

They're repairable,
re-inflatable. See them
at your local toy and
or Sports shop.

 

League Champions and
Cup Winners TOTTENHAM
HOTSPUR and many other
first class clubs train
with the FRIDOMASTER
Soccer Ball


FRIDO LTD  HOULDSWORTH STREET

STOCKPORT 

 

Special free offer from
Stanley Matthews.:


Post the yellow sticker from over the valve of your Frido football
to- Mr. Stanley Matthews
at this address and he will
send you his autographed
photograph.

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Thanks for that DavidW. I'd forgotten about the yellow sticker over the valve. I always thought it was there to keep dust and mud out.

IIRC the Fridomaster was a much heavier ball hence there use by professional players in training.

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8 hours ago, DAVIDW said:

An advert from The Daily Mirror May 1961 --

 

They're repairable,
re-inflatable. 

That seems to bring back a distant memory of trying to repair a Frido ball by heating up a screwdriver and melting the plastic to try and cover the inevitable puncture.

 

Never worked ! 

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