The Football Shirt Collective

We got in touch with Torquay footballer, Craig Easton - who is doing a great feature on his blog about his favourite football kits - to talk Kenny Dalglish, HITACHI and poorly lit motorways.  You check out his blog here.  

What was your first ever football shirt?

The very first kit I ever owned was the Liverpool home shirt from 1979-82 as worn by my boyhood hero Kenny Dalglish and my Dad’s favourite player, Graeme Souness.  I was only 4 when my parents bought it for me on the way back from our holiday in Cornwall and my Mum even sewed King Kenny’s iconic number 7 on the back.

Liverpool, Umbro, 1979-82

It’s a simple design but it just looks so cool and was a kit synonymous with success. The Liverpool team of that era were untouchable, winning League Championships, League Cups and European Cups in one of the clubs most successful spells. Everything about it oozes class, firstly it’s made by Umbro with their logo and the simple liver bird club badge sewn in golden yellow.

Then you’ve got the sponsor, Hitachi (the Japanese electronics company) emblazoned across the chest in white block capitals. Liverpool were the first ever club in history to have a commercial sponsor on their jersey’s and they didn’t muck about. I love the way it looks and I used to liked the sound of the word when I was little.

When Souness smashed one of his 25 yard blockbusters into the top bin and then turned around to celebrate, it was like HITACHI! Take a bit of that! There is one negative though; the material. I don’t know what it was made from but I can only describe it as being a nipple burner. After three hours running about pretending to be Kenny Dalglish, I’ve got to say there was a fair bit of chaffing and even a spot of blood on more than one occasion, but it was well worth it.

What is your favourite ever football shirt?

Borussia Dortmund, Nike, 1997

Die Continental, who sponsored Borussia Dortmund for just over a decade from 1986 until their European Cup victory in ’97, are a German health Insurance giant. And whilst that might be quite a bland sponsor, the symbol was anything but – and neither were the players who wore it.  Matthias Sammer, Andreas Möller, Karl-Heinz Riedle were all some of my favourite German players from the early 90′s, but after Denmark’s shock win at the 1992 European Championships, I had a special admiration for a talented attacking Dane called Flemming Povlsen.  

Ally that to the fact that you wouldn’t miss the kit on a poorly lit motorway in the middle of the night, and I couldn’t wait to spend my pocket money.  I mean, it’s luminous yellow, how good is that!

Over the years Borussia Dortmund have never strayed from their famous bright yellow and black colours, and even though I don’t think the subsequent sponsors have had quite the same visual impact as the big, black C, the club’s colours make the famous ‘Yellow Wall’ inside Signal Iduna Park an amazing spectacle to behold.

If you have a favourite football shirt, let us know on twitter @thefootballsc

Order your vintage Liverpool shirt here

Order your Borussia Dortmund here

Read Craig Easton’s blog  here

The Football Shirt Collective - My favourite football shirt

We caught up with Amar from World Cup Legends to talk; Maradona, Argentina 1986 football shirts and Cantona chips.  Amar is on a mission to get find 11 World Cup winners to sign his collection of of Adidas World Cup Matchballs from 1970-2010.

What was your first kit?

I think it was a Manchester United Shirt from the early 90s. I actually don’t remember having any footy shirts as a kid, but I had a lot of footballs (hence the World Cup Legends challenge).

What is your favourite kit and why?

My favourite kit is the Argentina, Le Coq Sportif one from World Cup 86. It was the first World Cup that I remember from growing up and Maradona was one of my childhood footballing heroes.  

Argentina, Le Coq Sportif, 1986

What is your favourite goal?

It is hard to think of one favourite but a goal that is up there is the Eric Cantona chip against Sunderland. Turns two players, a one two with Brian McClair followed by a lob over the keeper, sublime goal!  You can watch that goal here.

Keep up with the World Cup Legends challenge here.

Here are some other articles you might like:  

The Football Shirt Collective - my favourite football shirt

My favourite football shirt - Dan Walker

Out of the Frei-ing pan and into the fire - FC Basel 

If you like the Argentina kit, you can order the 1986 kit you can order it here.

Ahead of the BBC Football Focus football shirt special on Saturday 6th April we caught up with Dan Walker about football shirt cushions, Tony Vessey and shinning volleys.

What was your first ever football shirt?

My 1^st ever shirt was the Spurs FA cup shirt of 1981. My Dad was a Spurs fan and tried to brainwash me from an early age but I turned my back on him and went for my home team of Crawley Town instead. 

What is your favourite ever football shirt?

I have recently had a few old kits turned into cushions but my wife has already chucked them in the attic.

I caused a bit of a mini riot at our school when I turned up in a green German second strip in the 1990’s but my top kit would be my Crawley Town shirt with ‘Vessey’ on the back – that’s club legend ‘Tony Vessey’ by the way.

Crawley Town, Tony Vessey with the memorial trophy (source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dezzography/2307575502/)

What is your favourite goal?

Now that is a tough one. It changes all the time but my favourite player is Zinedine Zidane so I’ll go for his volley to win the Champions League Final for Real Madrid at Hampden Park in 2002. 

I tried one of those once and I shinned it straight in the air but the French master made it look like a doddle.  You can watch that goal here.  

If you have a favourite football shirt let us know on twitter @thefootballsc.

Here are some other pieces we thought you would like:

My favourite football shirt - Max Rushden
My favourite football shirt - Iain MacIntosh
My favourite football shirt - Jonathan Wilson

Ahead of Bradford City’s historic Capital One Cup final at Wembley tomorrow we caught up with Dom from Bantams Banter to talk Bergkamp flicks, 80’s PR attempts and Euro 96.

1.  What is your first ever football shirt? 

Bradford City’s 1987-88 made by Admiral. ‘Bradford Great City’ seems to be some sort of PR attempt rather than a sponsor. I’m not sure there’s a Bradford City fan on the planet that knows what or why it’s on the shirt.

Bradford City, Admiral, 1987/8

2. What is your favourite ever football shirt?  

My favourite ever football shirt is probably more for sentimental reasons than for it’s beautiful design. The Umbro, Euro ‘96 England shirt was not only my first England shirt but represents a time when I fell in love with game. Euro 96 had it all for England, joy, surprises, great goals, great individual performances (Shearer, Gazza) OTT outpouring of emotion (Pearce) and disappointment. This shirt holds all of this within it’s chunky threads.

England, Umbro, 1996

The pictured version is one I acquired a few years ago, I added the badges and had signed by Stuart Pearce. A prized possession.

3. What is your favourite ever goal?

Dennis Bergkamp’s wonderful flick of the ball and turn around Dabizas in 2002 was nothing short of witchcraft. Never have I seen a goal scored with such elegance and such unworldly skills. It’s topped off by his response to a reporter who asked ‘Did you mean to do it?’ to which Bergkamp responded ‘Of course I did.’ Class.  You can watch the goal here.

Got a shirt you would like to share.  Let us know @thefootballsc.

Watch Dom and Tom - Let’s Get Ready for Wembley video here.

Here are some more links we thought you’d like:

Order your Bradford City, Asics, 1999 kit here 
Order your England, Umbro, 1996 shirt here
The Football Shirt Collective - England

We caught up with Michael Park to talk Thierry Henry wonder goals, Le Coq Sportif shirts and Ronaldo.   

What was your first ever football shirt?

I’m a Kilmarnock fan but until I was 8, I was the recipient of many a hand-me-down Rangers shirt but the goalkeeper’s shirt from 1996/97 was the first one that was bought for me. 

Kilmarnock, Le Coq Spotif, 1996 

It was one of those Le Coq Sportif checkerboard affairs that were so popular in the mid-nineties with some pretty heavy duty elbow pads. I remember that the material was so thick and synthetic that it was almost impossible to wear if the ambient temperature was more than about 10 degrees but I adored it.

After extensive searching, this is the best photo that I could get my hands on. In this squad picture from 1996, the shirt’s worn not by my hero- Dragoje Lekovic- but by Colin Meldrum who is now a coach for Celtic’s youth ‘keepers. That’s got to be a worry for them.

What is your favourite football shirt? 

It took me a while to choose but when I thought back to the massive debt of gratitude I owe to James Richardson and Football Italia, I realised that there was only one answer. 

Inter Milan, Umbro, 1997

This was the first Inter shirt that Ronaldo wore and it seemed a little darker than Inter shirts before or since. They were a more ominous proposition that season; with Ronaldo they were like a juggernaut (even though they lost out to Juventus). 

Also, it was the last one before they dropped Umbro for Nike which was pretty much the death of interesting football shirts with Euro 2004 being the pinnacle of their lazy homogenous designs.

The beginning of the ‘golden age’ of Inter coupled with the glorious Pirelli logo, how could I not pick it?

What is your favourite goal?

It has to be Thierry Henry’s strike for Arsenal against Sparta Prague in 2005/06. The goal that would see him surpass Ian Wright’s goal tally and it said everything that needed to be said about Henry.

The long ball from Kolo Toure is immaculate and Henry manages to take Sparta’s entire back line out of the game with one deft touch of his heel allowing him to pull back and take his time.

You can see the defenders begin to realise what’s happening as they try to take up a decent position. Unfortunately when Henry’s about to caress it with the outside of his right foot, there aren’t any decent positions.

Poor buggers. You can see that goal here. 

Here are some other links you might like:

Follow us on twitter @thefootballsc

The Football Shirt Collective - My favourite football shirt

The Football Shirt Collective - Arsenal

We caught up with the guardian’s James Dart to talk dull Everton kits, effortlessly cool Italian shirts and a couple of magnificent Sinclair goals.  

What was your first ever football shirt?

Everton, Umbro

This Everton monstrosity. While being born into the misery that is supporting Plymouth Argyle, a short-lived top-flight glory-supp … soft spot was reserved for Lineker and co. Possibly out of sympathy for this kit.

What is your favourite ever football shirt?

Sampdoria 1990-91, Asics

The blue, the badge, the collar, the maker and even the sponsor. Effortlessly cool.

What is your favourite ever goal?  

In the flesh, Scott Sinclair flying down Underhill for Plymouth vs. Barnet. On television, Trevor Sinclair. The outward curl of the stood-up cross is often overlooked as to just how hard it was to score from that position.

Got a shirt to share on the Football Shirt Collective?  Well it is easy; send us a link to them on twitter or use the #myfavouritefootballshirt # tag, upload them to our facebook page, or pin them on our Pinterest board - and we will publish the best in the collective.

Here are some links we thought you might like:

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My favourite football shirt

Everton, Umbro, 1993/4 - Panic in the Boardroom

Trevor Sinclair goal 

Scott Sinclair goal 

We caught up with journalist and author of Football Manager stole my life, Iain MacIntosh to talk classic Liverpool kits, Southend “splat” shirts and being Cantona. 

What was your first ever football shirt?

Weirdly, I’m told that my first shirt was a West Ham top bought for me by my uncle, but I have absolutely no memory of it. Apparently, he was trying to lure me to the dark side while I was too young to protest, but thankfully he failed. Like most young boys in the home counties during the 1980s, I was a Liverpool fan because they were always on the telly, but the first shirt I remember owning was an Ipswich top. I bought it from a jumble sale (kids, think eBay, but live and with loads of old ladies) for 20p. It was royal blue with white pin-stripes and had  ’Pioneer’ written over the front. Every time it went through the wash, a little bit more of the sponsor fell off, as if the washing machine was making its own small protest against the commericalisation of football. 

What was your favourite ever football shirt? 

I had an old Brechin City shirt for some reason in the mid-90s and that was superb. The badge looked like it was a competition entry from a primary school and the material felt like a hot water bottle cover. I think I must have been one of only about 200 people to have that shirt. Including the Brechin City players. That *just* beats my Southend ‘splat’ shirt of 1997, a horrific blue shirt with an explosion of yellow across the centre. It looked like a canary had flown into your torso at Mach Two. 

Southend United Football Club, 1997 #splat

What is your favourite ever goal?

Eric Cantona’s famous goal for Manchester United against Sunderland. The ball took about ten minutes to go from his boot to the back of the net and he was never in any doubt about it at all. He just stood there, looking over his Kingdom, taking it all in.

I was trying to articulate my feelings about Cantona on Twitter the other day and it ended up getting completely misconstrued with loads of people frantically telling me that Henry scored more goals, or that Messi is much better, or that he didn’t win a European trophy. They all missed the point of Cantona completely. He wasn’t a footballer. I’m not entirely convinced that he was a human. He was just…Cantona. He existed on a higher plane, he transcended actual achievements just by being…Cantona. And that goal just encapsulated his career in England. 

Got a shirt to share on the Football Shirt Collective?  Well it is easy; send us a link to them on twitter or use the #myfavouritefootballshirt # tag, upload them to our facebook page, or pin them on our Pinterest board - and we will publish the best in the collective.

We caught up with Soccer AM’s Max Rushden to talk classic Cambridge kits, Holsten Spurs shirts and Lee Philpott’s right foot.

What was your first ever football shirt?

Cambridge United, late 80s, Nike.  Classic yellow with black trim.  Sponsored by Lynfox.  I have got no idea what they do.  [If anyone knows what Lynfox do - let us know on twitter @thefootballsc]

Cambridge United, Nike, 1986

What is your favourite ever football shirt? 

My Dad is a big Spurs fan and put me in the hummel, Holsten kit with the thin stripes down the top.  Hoddle looked great in that…

What is your favourite ever goal?

This is tough.  Lee Philpott’s volley for Cambridge United vs Bristol City in the FA Cup 5th Round replay.  It was the only time he kicked the ball with his right foot in years at the abbey.  You can watch that volley here.  

We spoke to journalist, digital producer and scorer of diving headers Benji Lanyado about wee, Gazza shirts and Di Canio scissor kicks.  

What was your first ever football shirt?

A 1989 Hibernian home shirt. I lived in Edinburgh until I was 8, and was forced into supporting Hibs by my neighbour, who then forced me to wear his hand-me-downs. I went to Easter Road every now and then, but my strongest memory of partisanship was when, one lunchtime at school, the playground split into opposing camps, Hearts vs Hibs, and we chanted at each other across the concrete until one kid wet himself with exhilaration. It was wonderful.

What is your favourite ever football shirt?

A tough one. Probably the Gazza-era Lazio home shirt. I was addicted to Football Italia and the strange, fat, brilliant English bloke who went over there, scored a last-minute equaliser in a Rome derby (from a Beppe Signori cross), and then cried, obviously. Early 90s Italian shirts are superb, but that one stands out.

Lazio, Umbro, 1994 

What is your favourite ever goal?

An obvious one I’m afraid. The Di Canio scissor kick for West Ham. Two things I remember:

1) The delayed reaction of the crowd - for at least half a second nobody celebrated, we were in shock

2) When re-watching it ad infinitum, Martin Tyler’s commentary. He has a mini footballgasm.  And one for luck …

3) It was Freddie Kanoute’s debut for West Ham, but you didn’t need to know that.

Is your favourite football shirt better than Benji’s? Let us know on twitter @thefootballsc

You can share your classic football shirts by; tagging them to our facebook page, sending us a link to them on twitter, or pinning them on our Pinterest board - and we will publish the best on our blog.

We caught up with Andrew from French Football Weekly to discuss Steve McManaman wonder goals, Celtic away kits and Lille, Umbro shirts. 

What was your first ever football shirt?

My mum was always scared of letting me wear a Celtic top. Growing up in a town called Cumbernauld it was a very Celtic vs. Rangers sort of place. So as a compromise she bought me away shirt. I think it was awful enough that she hoped I might not wear it, and it wasn’t the green and white hoops, so she thought in some way she was protecting me. After managing to not get stabbed, the following season I was allowed the home shirt. 

What is your favourite ever football shirt?

This is a really difficult one. I must have over 50 football tops and I can think of around 10 shirts that I have lost in the last five years due to moving house and some bags going missing.

However I have to pick a top I own, so I have gone with Lille’s, Umbro, 2010/11 home shirt. It is the shirt that Lille wore on the way to winning their first title in 56 years and it was the first shirt I bought from the official club store when I went to my first ever home game. 

Lille, Umbro, 2010/11 

Of course there was only one name I could get on the back. 

What is your favourite ever goal?

To be a little different I wanted to pick a goal I had witnessed in person, although it is still an amazingly tough decision to make.

Watching Celtic as a season ticket holder for seven years gave me the opportunity to watch some of Europe’s finest players score some special goals in the Champions League and UEFA Cup.

I have gone with Steve McManaman’s wonderful solo run in the 90th minute against Celtic. He levelled the game at 2-2.  It was enough for Liverpool to win the tie. A superb solo effort that started about 10 feet from me in the Main Stand. 

You can share your classic football shirts by; tagging them to our facebook page, sending us a link to them on twitter, or pinning them on our Pinterest board - and we will publish the best on our blog.

We spoke to TEAMtalk’s Homzy about Mark Stein, purple Stoke shirts and Peter Crouch’s volley. 

What was your first ever football shirt? 

I am certain my first ever shirt was a home shirt sponsored by Fradley Homes in 1990/91 but the earliest I have still got in my possession is the Ansells one from the following season, which you can see at the front of this picture with some of my other shirts from my early years!

What is your favourite ever shirt?

There is only so much you can do with red and white stripes so, as a Stoke fan, my favourite shirts have always been our away ones. We had a cracking green and black striped one with Carling on it during the mid 90s but I think my all-time favourite has to be this purple and white one from 1992.

Stoke, Asics, 1992

I associate it with Mark Stein and winning the Autoglass Trophy at Wembley but even now I think it’s a great design. It is just a shame I can’t fit in it anymore!

What is your favourite ever goal? 

The Peter Crouch goal against Man City last season was probably the best I’ve ever seen and there was a Kevin Keen volley in the 95/96 season that I’ll never forget, but I have to say Mark Stein’s first in our 2-1 win over Man Utd in the League Cup in the 93/94 season. That man was unbelievable!  

You can share your classic football shirts by; tagging them to our facebook page, sending us a link to them on twitter, or pinning them on our Pinterest board - and we will publish the best on our blog.

We caught up with Pete Donaldson from the Football Ramble to talk; football shirts, Barry Venison’s blow dry and Philippe Albert’s chip.

What was your first ever football shirt?

The Newcastle blue and brushed sky blue away strip. Glorious in every sense of the word.  Like a cloud-flecked sky on a sunny day, it complimented Barry Venison’s blow-dry perfectly, and a strip that a guilty mother bought me after telling me to ‘sleep off’ a broken elbow. 

What is your favourite ever football shirt?

I was terrifically fond of the Thistle Hotels, Asics, Tony Yeboah kit, back when I was young enough not to be pilloried for purchasing non-toon leisurewear.

Leeds, Asics, 1995/6

What is your favourite ever goal?

Albert. The 5-0 er versus Manchester United. It had everything.  A marauding Belgian, a moustache, a centre back attempting a 30 yard chip.  It still gives me shivers. Yeesh! 

We caught up with Chris Mann (@equaliserblog) to discuss all things; Paul Ince, Real Madrid and Michael Owen cereal ads.

1.       What was your first ever football shirt? 

The England shirt from World Cup ‘98. I insisted that ‘Ince 4’ be put on the back. God knows why.

2. What is your favourite ever football shirt? 

Real Madrid’s 2001/02 centenary kit. Plain white and without a shirt sponsor. It was a beautiful piece of understated elegance and seemed to fit with the magnificent football the team played that year. 

Real Madrid, Adidas, 2001/2

3.       What is your favourite ever goal?

Sticking with the World Cup ‘98 theme, I’ll go with Michael Owen’s brilliant run and finish against Argentina. It’s not the best goal I’ve ever seen, but as a nine year old it captured my imagination and provided me with my first sporting idol.

His career might have fizzled out recently, but I think people forget just how breathtaking the speed and confidence of the young Owen was to witness.

He gets a lot of stick, but I will always have a soft spot for him and his retro cereal endorsements. 

You can share your classic football shirts by; tagging them to our facebook page, sending us a link to them on twitter, or pinning them on our Pinterest board - and we will publish the best on our blog.

As Robin Van Persie’s time at Arsenal looks increasingly short lived, we spoke to Le Grove, who looks back on happier days and unique football kits. 

What was your first ever football shirt?

Now, I’m not sure if this was my first ever  but it was certainly the first one I can recall. It was the 1990-92 Arsenal goalkeeper shirt.  Made famous by David Seaman, and more so, Steve Harper. The shirt was not a snug fit,  it was about 2 sizes too big. This shirt sticks in the memory because it was also the first and only shirt I ruined climbing trees. The horror that the snags I had put in to my gift were irreparable, was a life lesson and a half.

What is your favourite ever football shirt?

My favourite every football shirt has to be the Arsenal 2001-02 gold away shirt. Why? Two reasons. Uniqueness and success.  It was the first time I’d ever seen a gold shirt. There was something classy about it. Something that encapsulated my gold plated feeling towards the team. Secondly, one of my favourite moments in football was watching us beat United at Old Trafford in 2002 to win the league. We were wearing that shirt. I was there.  Also wearing that shirt. Amazing.

Arsenal, Nike, 2001/2

What is your favourite ever goal?

For sheer wow factor, it has to be Thierry Henry’s wonder goal against Manchester United way back when.  He took the ball into feet from a simple Bobby Pires pass, flicked it up for himself, turned and fired his shot right over the head of Barthez.  Spectacular in every sense. An amazing player and I was there to enjoy that incredible moment in Arsenal history.

You can share your classic football shirts by; tagging them to our facebook page, sending us a link to them on twitter, or pinning them on our Pinterest board - and we will publish the best on our blog.

Peru and Pedro Mendes.  We spoke to football shirt guru Patrick Clarke - @footballshirts1 about his favourite football shirt and big goals.

What is your favourite ever goal?

An old gold Wolverhampton Wanderers shirt from about 1969.

What is your favourite ever football shirt? 

Looking at the examples already on your blog, I would go with the 1970 Peru shirt too.  

[Phillipe Auclair’s favourite football shirt]

They were a very charismatic side, always playing with great panache and were only stopped by the ultimate winners, Brazil in the quarter-finals, another of my favourite sides.

What was your first ever football shirt? 

My favourite ever goal was a screamer from Pedro Mendes for Portsmouth v Manchester City to win a crucial relegation battle. It rocketed into the net from 25 yards out and I was right in line with him when he struck it and saw it all the way into the net.

It was virtually the last kick of the game and clinched a 2-1 victory for Portsmouth to virtually guarantee survival that year.

The crowd roared but I remained silent, studying the referee and linesman intently as I was sure this was too good to be true and some reason would be found to disallow it. When I saw the goal was going to be allowed I then roared so loudly that I couldn’t speak properly for about half an hour!

You can share your classic football shirts by; tagging them to our facebook page, sending us a link to them on twitter, or pinning them on our Pinterest board - and we will publish the best on our blog.