The Top 10 – Merlin English Premier League 1995-1996

Juninho Paulista, or Juninho, was a Brazilian attacking midfielder renowned for his creativity, dribbling skills, and vision on the field. Being a short man, his low center of gravity and quick footwork allowed him to wriggle out of many situations and leave defenders scratching their heads.

The 1995/96 season was Juninho’s first in England and he made an immediate impact.His flair and technical ability quickly made him a fan favourite. Juninho became known as “TLF” (The Little Fella). He played a pivotal role in Middlesbrough’s midfield, helping the team to a respectable 12th place finish in their first season back in the Premier League.

Juninho’s best football for Middlesbrough would come in the following season, where he scored 12 from midfield and was a creative force in midfield. The following season he jetted off to Atletico Madrid. A nice sticker and one that marks an unexpected signing for Middlesbrough. Many believe he is their greatest player of the modern era!

Ruud Gullit was a legendary midfielder renowned for his versatility, physicality, and technical skill. He possessed a unique blend of power and grace that allowed him to excel in multiple positions, including midfield and forward roles. The AC Milan legend was known for his exceptional ball control, vision, and ability to score and create goals. His imposing physical presence and leadership qualities made him a dominant force on the pitch.

In the 1995/96 season, Ruud Gullit joined Chelsea from Sampdoria. At Chelsea, he played primarily as a sweeper and central midfielder, contributing significantly to the team’s performance with his experience and skill. His ability to read the game, coupled with his technical ability, made him a key player for Chelsea and a standout figure in the Premier League during that season.

Gullit’s influence helped Chelsea finish 11th in the league, and his performances earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

Robbie Fowler was renowned for his natural goal-scoring ability, clinical finishing, and quick instincts in the penalty area. He combined agility with a sharp sense of positioning, often finding himself in the right place at the right time to convert chances. Fowler had a deadly left foot – as I have noted in the Merlin 1994/95 set review, I think he is probably the best finisher the Premier League has ever seen!

In the 1995/96 season, Fowler was on fire, scoring 28 league goals, proving to be one of the best strikers in English football. His prolific scoring helped Liverpool finish third in the league, and he formed a potent partnership with strike partner Stan Collymore.

Fowler’s performances during this season solidified his reputation as one of the top strikers and earned him the PFA Young Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year! This sticker represents Fowler’s best ever season and probably his peak before injuries and off-field issues had their effect. This is peak Robbie Fowler!

David Ginola was an expressive winger known for his flair, creativity, and exceptional dribbling skills. Ginola had a commanding presence on the field, combining physicality with technical brilliance. He had the ability to beat defenders with ease, deliver pinpoint crosses, and score spectacular goals!

The 1995/96 Premier League season saw Ginola sign for Newcastle United. His performances were pivotal in Newcastle’s title challenge that season. He contributed significantly to Newcastle’s attacking prowess, scoring 5 goals and providing numerous assists as the Magpies finished second in the league. Ginola’s flair and artistry on the ball were key elements of Newcastle’s entertaining and offensive style of play under manager Kevin Keegan.

His performances earned him a spot in the PFA Team of the Year and he became a fan favourite on the wing! Ginola would go onto spend the rest of his career in England, playing for the likes of Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton. This sticker marks his first in the Prem, and what a season it was!

Phil Neville was a versatile defender and midfielder known for his work ethic, defensive capabilities, and tactical intelligence. Neville was capable of playing in multiple positions, including right back, left back, and central midfield. His playing style shaped by his tenacity, stamina, and ability to read the game effectively. Neville was a super reliable player and one of those players you can be sure will put in a shift.

The 1995/96 season saw Phil Neville break into the first team for Manchester United. Neville showed promise with his solid defensive performances and adaptability, playing a total 34 appearances (24 in the league). Manchester United won the Premier League title that season, and Neville’s contribution was important in providing depth and cover for the more established players.

Phil has gone on to have a very successful career playing 689 appearances in the top flight of English football! A lazy 6 EPL titles, 3 FA Cups and a Champions League title! In 2005, he moved onto Everton where he captained the side and played 8 seasons. With stats like that, I would say the success this guy has had is very underrated! A very nice rookie sticker.

Savo Milosevic is a Serbian number 9, known for his powerful presence as a striker. His playing style was modelled off his physicality, aerial ability, and knack for scoring crucial goals. Milosevic was a robust forward who could hold up the ball well and had a powerful shot, making him a constant threat in and around the penalty area. He was also known for his heading ability and clinical finishing skills.

The 1995/96 season saw Savo sign for Villa from Serbian side Partizan. It was a succesful season for the big Serb as he scored 12 goals in the league. He played 3 seasons for Aston Villa before moving on to the like of Zaragoza, Parma, Espanyol, Celta Vigo, Osasuna and Rubin Kazan. His best ever season was at Zaragoza, where in the 1999/2000 season, he bagged 21 La Liga goals!

Milosevic is a big name in Serbian football and featured 102 times for the National Team, scoring 34! A really interesting rookie sticker and, I am Guessing, super interesting for Serbians.

Alan Shearer is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers in football history, known for his powerful shot, aerial prowess, and clinical finishing. His ability to score from both inside and outside the box, as well as his proficiency in taking penalties and free-kicks, highlighted his completeness as a number 9.

In the 1995/96 season, Alan Shearer had another outstanding campaign with Blackburn Rovers. He scored an incredible 31 goals in 35 league appearances, adding on to his 34 goal output the previous season. In truth, it was a poor season for Blackburn in their title defence, finishing 7th. Despite this, it didn’t stop Shearer bagging 31 goals! His performances that season solidified his reputation as the best striker in English football, and his prolific goal-scoring continued to attract interest from top clubs, eventually leading to his transfer to his boyhood club, Newcastle United.

Dennis Bergkamp is revered as one of the most technically gifted forwards in football history. Known for his sublime touch, exceptional vision, and creativity, Bergkamp brought an artistic flair to the game. His ability to control the ball with elegance, coupled with his precise passing and dribbling skills, made him a formidable playmaker and scorer. Bergkamp was also renowned for his spatial awareness and intelligence, often finding and creating space where none seemed available. His calmness under pressure allowed him to execute complex plays and finishes with remarkable composure.

The 1995/96 season saw Dennis Bergkamp transfer to Arsenal from Inter Milan. Although it took him a few games to adapt to the Premier League’s physicality and pace, Bergkamp soon began to showcase his extraordinary talent. He scored 11 goals in the league and provided numerous assists, demonstrating his knack for both creating and finishing chances.

He didn’t put up incredible numbers, but his influence at Arsenal and the Premier League cannot be under estimated! He spent 11 seasons at the Gunners with many dubbing him Arsenal’s greatest ever player. He won 3 EPL titles and 4 FA Cup titles. An interesting fact about Dennis was his fear of flying. This limited his playing time in The Champions League, which undoubtably having a major effect on the team.

This sticker marks the his first at Arsenal and one every Arsenal fan must have!

Gary Neville is one of the most decorated right-backs of his generation. Known for his tenacity, work rate, and defensive solidity, Neville was a crucial part of Manchester United’s defence. His playing style was complimented by disciplined positioning, strong tackling, and the ability to read the game effectively. While not the fastest or most technically gifted player, his intelligence and understanding of the game allowed him to excel in his role.

During the 1995/96 season, Gary Neville played a key role for Manchester United as they secured the league title. Establishing himself as the first-choice right-back, Neville made 31 league appearances, showcasing his reliability and durability. His defensive contributions were crucial in helping United maintain a solid backline, and he also provided support in attack with his overlapping runs and crosses. The season was notable for the emergence of the famous “Class of ’92,” with Neville being a prominent member of this group of young talents who played a significant role in the club’s success.

Neville has had an incredible career with an insane 19 season at Manchester United! In this time he won 8 EPL titles, 3 FA Cups, 3 League Cups and 2 UCL titles. And he was no passenger in these trophies! For some strange reason, Gary gets stick for being a bad footballer. I think that is completely ridiculous! In fact, I think he is the best right back in Premier League history. You don’t make 602 appearances for Manchester United and captain the squad if you are a bad footballer. Maybe yes, not glamorous, but a selfless player and a very reliable defender.

All that being said, I think this is a huge rookie sticker!

David Beckham is the best Rookie Sticker in Merlin English Premier League 1995-1996.

David Beckham is one of the most iconic footballers of his generation, known for his exceptional passing, crossing, and set-piece ability. As a right-midfielder, Beckham possessed incredible vision and accuracy, allowing him to pick out teammates with pinpoint passes and deliver dangerous crosses into the box. His trademark free kicks and long-range shooting prowess made him a constant threat from dead-ball situations and outside the penalty area. His crossing was ridiculous, often hitting curlers from deep into his strikers – it should be noted this was made possible by Gary Neville’s selfless dummy runs. Beckham’s work ethic is something that is often overlooked. He had all the technical ability but he also ran his socks off!

During the 1995/96 season, Beckham established himself as a key player for Manchester United. Making 33 league appearances and scoring 7, he was crucial in Mancher United’s title charge! Beckham won 6 Premier League titles win United as well as league titles in France, Spain and USA. Beckham is a worldwide global brand – everyone knows who David Beckham is. In my opinion, I wouldn’t consider him in the same bracket as players like Zidane, Scholes and Pirlo, but without doubt a legendary player. I say this because some people may consider Beckham as one of the greatest ever players. Yes, a fantastic player, but I don’t think there was ever a time when he was the world’s best.

Due to his brand and worldwide fame (and his outrageous football ability), this rookie sticker is very expensive! I still need to find one to add to my collection, haven’t brought myself to spend the money yet. Maybe one day!

This is a monster rookie sticker! And with his growing popularity in USA, I expect it to only go up in price.