We got a really nice review from Megan on Trust Pilot last month, who bought a vintage shirt from us for her boyfriend. 

Some football shirts are bought in club shops or online but others carry memories and emotions from the people who got you them.  

Over the years we’ve interviewed hundreds of collectors and famous people and asked about their favourite shirt.  

Whether it is a hand crafted shirt from your mum or your Uncle trying to convert you.  These stories remind us that cool football shirts aren't just about design.  

Warning:  this article will make you want to go back to the 90s to a local sports shop.

Jason McAteer’s DIY Liverpool Kit

Who: Jason McAteer, former Liverpool and Ireland midfielder

First shirt:  Liverpool

“A Liverpool shirt, obviously! But it was no ordinary shirt. When I was growing up my family didn’t have the sort of money needed to buy me a kit, so my mum made me one. She sewed on a European Cup badge—it must have been all she could find". 

Browse our collection of Liverpool shirts here.

Jonny Sharples’ One-Off Newcastle Away Shirt

Who: Jonny Sharples, writer

“The small town I lived in had one sports shop, which is now an Italian restaurant. They had one Newcastle shirt—and my parents bought it for me."

Browse our collection of vintage Newcastle United football shirts here.  

Josh Widdicombe’s Heartbreaking School Pantomime Loss

Who: Josh Widdicombe, comedian

“My first shirt was the England Italia 90 shirt… I lent it to someone for a school panto and never got it back. 

Browse our collection of vintage England shirts here.

Neal Heard’s Scotland Shirt from Santa

Who: Neal Heard, author of The Football Shirts Book

“I particularly remember getting the Scotland one for Christmas. It came in a box made by Umbro and I still remember picking it up.”

Michael Marden’s Silent Family Feud

Who: Michael Marden, Quickly Kevin producer

“My uncle tried to convert me to Liverpool. He gave me a Crown Paints shirt… The next year, I turned up wearing a Man United shirt. He didn’t speak to me again. 

Tim Stillman's Arsenal 1990-1992 Home Shirt with splodges

Who: Tim Stillman

“My first ever football shirt was Arsenal’s 1990-1992 home kit, the famous ‘splodges’ design. My mum bought it for me in a sports shop in Beckenham, Southeast London. I’ve moved back into the area recently and the shop is still there too. 

Browse our collection of vintage Arsenal football shirts here. 

Sam Diss's West Ham 1995 Home Shirt with embroidered bubbles

Who: Sam Diss

“My first football shirt was the beautiful claret and blue West Ham home shirt by Pony… brass buttons, silken material, embroidered bubbles… I think my mum, bless her, has that kit on a teddy bear in the loft now.”

Browse our collection of vintage West Ham United shirts here. 

Dave Will's rogue Everton kit

Who: Dave Will

“I also remember being bought an Everton kit as a very young (and confused) child. My mum bought me a fake kit from the market and stitched the badge on herself. The phase didn’t last - I soon saw sense and turned back to the Reds! 

Sachin Nakrani’s treasured Liverpool shirt

Who: Sachin Nakrani, journalist

“I was eight-years-old when my parents got it for me from our local sports shop in north London and, if my mum is to be believed, I wore it constantly for about six months. I definitely do remember wanting to wear it as often as possible and to this day it remains one of my most cherished possessions.” 

Browse our collection of vintage Liverpool shirts here. 

Ian Moore’s Norfolk school trauma

Who: Ian Moore, comedian and author

“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 its 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?” 

Dan Walker’s Spurs Shirt That Didn’t Stick

Who: Dan Walker, broadcaster

“My first ever shirt was the Spurs FA Cup shirt of 1981. My Dad was a Spurs fan and tried to brainwash me from an early age but I turned my back on him and went for my home team of Crawley Town instead.” 

So if you are thinking of buying your boyfriend, girlfriend, son, daughter or someone else a football shirt.  Do it.  Trust me they won't forget it.

Browse our collection of authentic football shirts at the Football Shirt Collective.