Your First Football Shirt Book

Your First Football Shirt is a beautifully illustrated book by the Football Shirt Collective x Season Annual, collating interviews with footballers and famous fans about their first and favourite football shirts, with 100% profit going to two amazing charities: CALM and The Willow Foundation.

Your First Football Shirt 📚

You never forget your first shirt, and this book is filled with football shirt stories from past and present heroes in the game 👇

🛒https://t.co/W57UcmWcD8 pic.twitter.com/qNWGT4ZFCH

— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) March 16, 2021

Interviewees include:

• Adam Hurrey
• Alan Shearer
• Amy Lawrence
• Andrei Kanchelskis
• Andrew Mangan
• Bob Wilson
• Carl Anka
• Chris Scull
• Dan Walker
• Dwight Yorke
• Elis James
• Graeme Le Saux
• Iain MacIntosh
• Jonathan Wilson
• Jason McAteer
• Jonny Sharples
• Josh Widdicombe
• Lucy Bronze
• Mark Brigden
• Max Rushden
• Michael Cox
• Michael Marden
• Nathaniel Chalobah
• Neal Heard
• Rob Lee
• Rob Warner
• Sam Diss
• Steph Houghton
• Sheridan Bird

Illustrators

We've partnered with Season Annual to design and produce the book, with a roster of incredibly talented illustrators bringing to life each interview.

• Adam Forster
• Agne Ziukaite
• Alvaro Hidalgo
• Catherine Pape
• Conal Deeney
• City Boys FC
• Dale Crosby-Close
• Daryl Rainbow
• Dave Flanagan
• Dave Lyttleton
• Geo Law
• Gus Scott
• Jack Bedford
• Joe Shiels
• Johan Marais-Piper
• John Sheehan
• Lawrence Slater
• Luis Pinto
• Manuel Rios
• Marcus Marritt
• Mark Long
• Matthew Shipley
• Matt Brazier
• Michael Driver
• Michael Parkin
• Peter O’Toole
• Pol-Eduoard Flores
• Raj Dhunna
• Sam Stobart
• Sophie Standing

The charities

The aim is to provide all profits from the campaign to raise money for two great charities that, at their core they are getting people talking and sharing memories. Something we hope this book can do both. CALM foundation (charity number 1110621) The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.  Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM:

"CALM is all about reaching men in terms that are accessible and via channels in which they already exist; be it comedy, music, sport, art or the collective bonding over our favourite football shirts. So we're delighted to have teamed up with Football Shirt Collective on this project and we're hugely grateful to be one of the charity beneficiaries. With the World Cup just around the corner there's no better time to immerse yourself in football nostalgia and, who knows, maybe this book could start a conversation that could really make a difference to someone's life"

Willow Foundation (charity number 1106746) Willow is the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfil uplifting and unforgettable Special Days. Bob Wilson OBE, Willow Co-Founder and Life President :

“Willow’s Special Days provide seriously ill young adults with precious memories.  With the Football Shirt Collective based entirely on memories itself, and Willow’s football heritage, it’s a perfect fit for the Charity.  Receiving a generous donation from this incredible book will be a real boost and enable Willow to support many more young adults and their loved ones during a difficult time.“

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.