The 84 Shirt

The 84 is a limited release football shirt produced by Football Shirt Collective in collaboration with Inaria Soccer and Season Annual as part of the Your First Football Shirt Campaign. There are only 40 made with all the profits going to CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).

The shirt has a black base with one white sleeve and one black sleeve and 84 rhombi patterns on the front to signify the 84 men who take their own life each week in the UK.

Thanks for all the love and support for The 84 shirt 🙏 Mad that it sold out in 24 hours. If you missed out you can pre-register for the next release here 👊https://t.co/5zg4Gf8vkZ pic.twitter.com/cRfNlwtTGt

— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) January 2, 2019

On the back of the shirt is an 84 in designed typography. All the profits are going to CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably). The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK. 

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.

Simon Gunning, CEO CALM

The shirts are produced by Canadian kit makers Inaria who did an amazing job with the Carlsberg District Derby collection.

“The 84” shirt was produced by Football Shirt Collective, designed by Season Annual and brought to life by kit manufacturers INARIA in a collaboration with real meaning.

Soccer Bible

 So what about this shirt then? Is it actually any good?

I’m constantly bombarded with new and old kits each and every day, but I’m very happy to say that this kit is easily one of the better designs I’ve seen over the past few years.

It starts with a timeless monochrome colour scheme. I can’t get enough of shirts that stick rigidly to just black and white and it’s a combination which, when done well, can elevate a design from good to great.

Then we have to talk about the rhombi pattern that covers the front of the kit. If you’re patient enough you’ll be able to count 84 rhombi/squares, representing the 84 men who take their own life in the UK every week. Turn the shirt over and you’ll also notice a beautifully designed interlocking typeface with the number 84. 

Both the rhombi pattern and the 84 are also present in a well designed inside neck section. The details continue, with a round TPU sleeve patch with the CALM logo on the right sleeve, and the logos of Inaria and Football Shirt Collective (seen on the front) complement all elements of the shirt both in terms of their colour and their design.

If I was to review this shirt irrespective of its cause, it would be as good as anything I’ve seen in recent years across any professional team or country. With everything that the shirt represents however, and the importance of the cause the kit is raising awareness of, this really is a shirt we need at the moment.

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.