UK SERIES 18 PREM 09

Corinthian released Microstars UK Series 18 Prem 09 towards the end of the 2008/09 Premiership season. There are 32 figures in the series from 11 different clubs , including many first time sculpts and we even got 8 figures in away kits.

 

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Arsenal had 5 figures released, an all new sculpt of versatile defender Mikael Silvestre, with Diaby being the same sculpt as we saw in UK Series 16, while the other 3 were all first time sculpts, those being Denilson, Samir Nasri and Eduardo Da Silva, all 3 are top level sculpts and would not be released again by Corinthian.

 

 

Chelsea have 4 figures included, Portuguese midfielder Deco and 3 first time sculpts. Jose Bosingwa, John Obi Mikel and Alex were all released as MicroStars for the very first time, with only Alex being released again, which would be as part of UK Series 19 World Stars. There was a 5th planned for Chelsea which was Wayne Bridge however he transferred to Manchester City on January 2nd 2009 so he was switched into Manchester City kit, hence why his MC codes are in sequence with the other Chelsea figures.

 

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Liverpool had a quartet of figures released, with Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel appearing again, having first being seen in UK Series 16 Prem 07/08, joined by first time sculpt of Martin Skrtel, with all 3 also to be released in UK Series 19 World Stars. Completing the line up is Albert Riera in Liverpool away kit, this was the only Corinthian figure ever released of the Spaniard.

 

 

Manchester United have 5 in the series including an all new sculpt of Cristiano Ronaldo, with this sculpt never being released again and is one of my all time favourite MicroStars sculpts and is hard to find. Wes Brown got his first release since appearing in UK Series 7, Dimitar Berbatov got his first release in United colours, Carlos Tevez is in United away kit and the line up is completed by a first and only time sculpt of left back Patrice Evra.

 

 

Tottenham Hotspur have 2 in the series as Giovanni Dos Santos gets his first UK series release, in the Spurs away kit, joined by Croatian midfielder Luka Modric. This was the first and only figure that Corinthian would release of Modric and is always in high demand and can be very elusive.

 

 

Everton had to figures released, Phil Neville returns to the collection after last being seen in UK Series 9, he is joined by Mikel Arteta, who was a first and only time sculpt, he would not be released by Corinthian again. Aston Villa also have 2 figures, those being keeper Brad Friedel and tall Norwegian forward John Carew, who is in Villa away kit. This would be the only figure of Carew that Corinthian would release.

 

 

Bolton Wanderers have just the 1 figure in the series which is Johan Elmander, the sculpt was first released in the Sweden Svenska Landslaget series in Sweden home kit. Newcastle United once again saw Shay Given released and he is joined by Argentine defender and club captain Fabricio Coloccini, with his sculpt being one of the finest produced, with Colo never again being released by Corinthian.

 

 

West Ham United have 2 in the series, both of which are first time sculpts which would never be released again, with Matthew Upson in away kit and Mark Noble in his beloved Hammers home kit.

 

 

Completing the series is a trio of Manchester City figures, Wayne Bridge in home kit after moving from Chelsea in the January transfer window. Robinho is also in City home kit, after first being seen in UK Series 13 World Stars 2006 and the set is completed by Vincent Kompany in City away kit. This was the first UK release of Kompany, however he was initially released in Germany Series 3 in the home kit of HSV Hamburg, with the sculpt being exactly the same for both figures. 

 

 

The figures were released in a 3 player pack, with one of the figures guaranteed to be a Gold base, with some tasty Jelly Beans also being included.

 

 

All 32 figures were released on 7 different base colours, Green, Red, Blue, White, Silver, Gold and Black. The goal keeper figures have 4 different MC codes per base colour, except for the Black base which has a solitary MC code.

 

 

Thanks to Olly Speed for providing image of the 3 player pack.