My First Football Shirt: Andy Mitten

If there is one person out there we would back to know about Manchester United shirts, it is Andy Mitten. Having started the the United We Stand fanzine as a teenager, Andy has seen a whole host of different kits grace the Old Trafford pitch from the 80s up to present day. 

We caught up with football writer, Andy, to talk Manchester United home shirts, smart black kits and Norman Whiteside making him cry as part of our My First Football Shirt series.

What is your first ever football shirt?

First-ever Adidas Manchester United Home Kit, launched in 1980. Man Utd Adidas Kit History: http://t.co/ub3qpjOjzD pic.twitter.com/7lBjCGp882

— Footy Headlines (@Footy_Headlines) July 31, 2015

Manchester United’s red home shirt from 1980. I was seven, but loved that shirt worn by my first hero, Joe Jordan. I didn’t have the shorts or socks and I remember a cut in the collar so I think it must have been a second, but I still wore it until it was worn out.

What is your favourite ever football shirt? 

I’ll try and not make this all Manchester United and I respect the iconic colours of many clubs, the black and white stripes of Notts County and Juventus, the green and white of Betis or Celtic. I don’t like the annual changes, but then I don’t buy football shirts any more. The last kit I was struck by was Real Sociedad’s all black, Nike, away kit which they wore in the Champions League in 13-14. I saw them wear it in Lyon and it looked so simple and smart. It didn’t have a sponsor, the team played well and won their biggest game for years in front of 6,000 travelling fans.

🤍 TEAM 🤍#UCL | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/guHeuUtFeU

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 5, 2021

I’m always struck by how smart Real Madrid look when they walk out at Camp Nou wearing all white.

What is your favourite ever goal? 

Roy Keane vs Juventus, 1999. What a performance! pic.twitter.com/hQZPjliXCL

— 90s Football (@90sfootball) September 23, 2021

I’ve never felt as I did when Roy Keane equalised against Juventus in Turin in 1999. It wasn’t a particularly great individual goal, but for the first time in my life I felt like I was going to watch the team I supported in the European Cup final. And that felt better than anything I’d ever felt watching football before. I know I’m supposed to say Sheringham or Solksjaer’s efforts from a few weeks later, but you can’t help how you feel. As a kid, I cried when Norman Whiteside scored the winner in the 1985 FA Cup final.

Thanks to Andy 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.