My First Football Shirt: Sam Diss
Despite the high quality in the modern football shirt game, there are still some brands and designs that we miss. One of those brands is PONY, of 90s Tottenham and West Ham fame. Sam Diss reminded us of the brand when we spoke to him for the latest in our My First Football Shirt series
We caught up with football writer Sam to talk teddy bears wearing PONY West Ham kits, the Germany Italia '90 shirt and Di Canio screamers.
What was your first football shirt?
🎶 Oi big boy, what's your name?! 🎶
— West Ham United (@WestHam) May 14, 2021
🗓 #OnThisDay in 1995, a fantastic performance from Ludo in goal denied Manchester United the Premier League title... pic.twitter.com/srr6ejhehM
My first football shirt was the beautiful claret and blue West Ham home shirt by Pony. You know the one: brass buttons, silken material, embroidered bubbles all over the gaff, a whacking great white ‘Dagenham Motors’ splashed across the front. I think it might’ve been 1995, and it was tiny because I was, and came with matching shorts and socks. I think my mum, bless her, has that kit on a teddy bear in the loft now.
What is your favourite football shirt?
My favourite is a hard one. Maybe I’d have to go for the West Germany shirt from Italia ’90: the colours, the trefoil adidas logo, those juking drie strifen across the chest. The layered colour and the capped sleeves finished it off, a kit cool enough to clothe Klinnsman, Voller and the lads.
What is your favourite goal?
As a Hammer, it’s tempting to go for Paolo against Wimbledon – he jumps so high that it’s practically a middle-finger to the realm of science, a “piss off” to wider physics – but my favourite is his screamer versus Chelsea.
Taking it on the knee about thirty-five yards out, the Italian bursts past one then another before letting rip a left-foot volley straight past whatever Blue was guarding the goal that day. It didn’t matter who it was, really: nobody was stopping that. In Paolo’s final year at West Ham, it was his greatest moment.
Thanks to Sam for speaking with us!
If you want to read more about the football memories of players, writers, and more you can buy the full Your First Football Shirt book. Discover Alan Shearer's first ever football shirt, Carl Anka's most cherished shirt and more. All proceeds go to the charities CALM and Willow.
