The Rise and Rise of Classic Football Shirts
2021, the year football very nearly came home, but it’s also been the year of the classic football shirt. At this year’s European Championship the demand for classic football shirts has never been higher as fans clambered to unite a personal piece of nostalgia with their love for modern England.
At each and every England game on their march to the final, fans could be seen in their droves sporting retro classics in preference to the current Nike kits. What’s more, this wasn’t limited to shirts alone. So why is this we ask; what is the appeal of wearing an old shirt when this was easy bully-bait way back when we were all at school? Well it’s down to a combination of things which come together to mean one thing: classic football shirts are back and they are the coolest thing about football right now. Here, we delve into the retro recipe to understand what’s behind this resurgence.
Nostalgia
There is now doubting the feeling a classic football shirt conjures up for us fans. Just the very sight of a certain shirt can instantly transport you back to a specific time and spark nostalgia like nothing else. Whether it’s a certain match, a moment, a player, an era or the people you shared those memories with, football shirts leave an indelible mark on us fans - good, bad and sometimes ugly, but with undeniable and unbreakable fondness.
This nostalgia is a powerful force that we cling to. We cling to it for memories of a better time. When our teams are struggling and times are tough they become a comfort blanket providing a sheet of security reminding us that things were once better; reminding us of the reasons we put ourselves through it and that it’s all worth it. More often than not, down to the security they create, we return to a retro shirt for a key match - a cup final, a season-defining game or a major international tournament - for protection in the event that it doesn’t go as hoped.
However, we’ve seen another side to the power of retro this summer. We’ve seen that they can still create new chapters; new memories to build upon the already unbreakable bonds we have with them and we think that this is only going to keep growing.
Style & Design
There is no denying that certain retro shirts just simply look better. It’s one of the main reasons for their staying power, and it’s the reason that many kit manufacturers have recently used retro designs to inspire modern kits. Despite doing that though, they can’t match the appeal of the originals as more and more fans opt for the classics over the current.
The 80s and 90s provided the the sweet spot for classic football shirts, that‘s for sure, and it was these two decades that provided some of smartest and outrageous shirts we’ll ever see. In particular, it was the 90s where
One thing’s for sure, this increase in appeal isn’t down to how they fit. We all have memories of our heroes wearing shirts that looked two sizes too big and that, at a push, they may have been able to double-up as bed linen. It is the designs that we’ve fallen in love with and the feelings they conjure.
Identity
The identity of a classic football shirt goes way beyond just the team it represents. It’s a personal thing. Yes, we’ll always been drawn to the shirts of our individual teams, but those we choose are chosen because they represent our individual stories as fans. They’re a statement of our personal footballing histories - they’ve soaked up our tears, hidden our scars, but also, at times, projected our smiles.
Whatever our individual journeys, we wear classic shirts with pride knowing that in them the tough times have made us stronger and able to appreciate the good times. It’s no surprise that any England fan born in the late 70s and early 80s has an unbreakable bond with the shirt of Italia 90 despite the semi-final penalty heartbreak. A shirt can say “this was my time, this was my era” and it can help us beat our chests with pride knowing that whatever the outcome may have been on the pitch, whatever the joy or pain it brought, another chapter has been created.
Quality
The older we get, the more likely we will be to say “well, they don’t make them like they used to”. But when it comes to football shirts, this tends to be the case. As a player, I’m sure you’d disagree as the shirts made today are far more breathable and able to deal with the gallons of sweat expended during 90 minutes. But as a fan there’s a general belief that the older the shirt, the better it was made and the higher quality the fabric.
The price of football shirts has long been derided with parents having to work the £100+ outlay into their kids’ annual budget. But as the price has increased, it’s debatable whether quality standards have followed.
Quality will be a matter of opinion, and there’s likely to be more to it. But as football has increased in global appeal, the more shirts have been in demand and the more mass produced shirts have become.
Value
As the growth in popularity has proven, the older a shirt becomes, the more it increases in value. Football shirts have become investments with collectors sitting on small fortunes and traders enjoying tidy profits. There is no secret to why more and more traders are constantly popping up either - collecting football shirts has gone from a hobby to big business. The number of traders on eBay has grown significantly in recent years as a result, and so too has the number of Instagram accounts dedicated to them. eBay specifically has recently reported an increase of 136% in searches for 'retro football shirts' so far this year, including a 25% increase in average selling prices. A second-hand shirt that you may have been able to pick up for £20-30 a few years ago now easily goes for £50+ in preference to spending £60+ on a brand new up-to-date shirt.
The challenge for many though will be knowing when to part with a classic. For collectors who are emotionally invested, it’s an impossible decision and there are some shirts that you would never part with. For example, an original Holland classic of Euro 88 is considered to be the holy grail. However, as a trader you will need to be unattached and ruthless, accepting that a shirt you are selling now is likely to keep increasing in value provided it is looked after.
The condition of the shirt isn’t the only thing to consider when determining value though, timing can be critical and the standard economics of supply and demand impact hugely on the value of a football shirt. When England are playing in a major tournament demand for retro England shirts increases and continues to do so the further they progress. The same can happen when a team reaches a cup final or wins the league. There’s no doubting the fact that knowing when to sell can make all the difference, like in any walk of business life. But there are just some shirts, like the Holland 88 classic, that are immune to market forces. These will command a high price no matter what.
Classic, vintage, retro... however you refer to them, there is no denying the fact that football shirts of yesteryear are here to stay as they continue to grow in popularity, value and presence at football grounds, pubs and pretty much anywhere these days. Amen to that!
What are your reasons for loving a classic football shirt? We'd love to hear your comments, so please feel free to let us know below.