You don't see enough elbow pads on shirts these days. As a matter of fact, you don't see any! So we're glad that Jack Pitt-Brooke is keeping the the fad alive with his appearance in our My First Football Shirt series. 

We caught up with Jack, a football journalist for The Athletic, about Tony Coton’s elbow pads, Manchester City away shirts and pure genius from David Silva.

What was your first football shirt?

#onthisday in 1990, Tony Coton joins #mcfc from @WatfordFC for a fee approaching £1m. pic.twitter.com/0Pz2hWX2mg

— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 12, 2015

My first football shirt was Manchester City’s goalkeeper shirt in 1995-96, the yellow and black Umbro one they gave to all their clubs. Worn that season I think mainly by Tony Coton. I remember its elbow pads, and throwing myself around the garden in it.

What is your favourite football shirt?  

1997-99 Manchester City home by Kappa

More classics: https://t.co/9Hjb30HdLH pic.twitter.com/2gpQSduLQZ

— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) March 10, 2017

My favourite shirt was either of the white and maroon away shirts City wore in 1996-97 or 1997-98. For City fans these have come to mean something more in recent years, not just for their unusual look but also for representing the nadir of the club. You see them every now and then at games and they always get a second look.

What is your favourite goal?

I can’t choose Sergio Aguero against QPR as I wasn’t there, so my favourite goal is from my favourite ever player, David Silva. It was in the 3-2 win at QPR in 2011-12, when he cushioned a hammered cross away from a defender, stunning the whole ground, then hit the ball into the roof the net. Pure genius. 

Thanks to Jack 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.

Browse our own collection of classic Manchester City Football Shirts in store here.