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My First Football Shirt: Ian Moore
1970s Liverpool didn't just win every trophy going, they also looked good whilst doing it. That's why Ian Moore, comedian, chutney-maker and author of ‘C’est Modnifique!’, waxed lyrical about them to us for the latest in our My First Football Shirt series.
We caught up with Ian to talk about Hitachi Liverpool shirts, wearing the France 1982 shirt to PE class and taking a box to Carrow Road.
What was your first football shirt?
Liverpool 1979/80
— Mal Winkles - Football Nostalgia (@MemorabiliaMal) August 2, 2018
(Match) #LFC pic.twitter.com/L24PwmcnYM
My first football shirt was a late 1970’s Liverpool Home kit that was most notable I think because it was the first shirt with sponsorship on it that was allowed on TV. It was sponsored by HITACHI, a Japanese electronics company but it’s other notable quality was that I wasn’t necessarily a Liverpool fan!
We had just moved from Blackburn to King’s Lynn in Norfolk, I was 7 years old and you had to have a ‘team’ in the violent ghetto land of 1970’s primary school Norfolk and I initially went with the local will which was, er, Liverpool. My dad built me a box to stand on at Carrow Road in the Norwich terrace end and I wore the shirt proudly for a Norwich vs Liverpool match. It was a major life lesson, but really what kind of person gives a 7 year old that kind of abuse?
What is your favourite ever football shirt?
France team line-up 1982#France pic.twitter.com/umn73tp68m
— Football Memories (@footballmemorys) March 27, 2017
This again was a shirt that I was fortunate enough to own. The French national shirt of the 1982 World Cup. I bought it with my holiday money in 1982 when we were on our first foreign holiday and I loved it, because I loved the midfield of that team, Platini, Girresse, Tigana… and the whole world felt some sympathy for the way the evil Schumacher had taken out Battiston.
The style was gracefully French, a deep blue with white, vertical pinstripe and a white collar (which I never wore ‘up’ as that’s wrong) and I wore it to PE when I started at big school in the autumn. By now, we were in Sussex and the French shirt went down better than a Liverpool one would have.
What is your ever favourite goal?
It is so difficult to narrow this down so two honourable mentions go to Platt versus Belgium in 1990 which nearly caused an earthquake in England as everyone jumped up from their sofas; and Maradona’s second goal against England in 1986. Yes, I know, but the fact is that it is majestic not only for the skill but for Barry Davies’ peerless, perfect commentary.
However, top for me is Jamie Redknapp’s last minute goal against Blackburn in 1995. I was the only Blackburn fan in a pub in The Oval, South London and wearing a Blackburn shirt with an iron-shaped hole in the back. Redknapp scored, the multitude of United fans in the pub went crazy, believing that this was now inevitable. It wasn’t. They drew at Upton Park and Blackburn won the Premier League! Truly, Fantasy Football.
Thanks to Ian 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.
