Do you know any stories about your first and favourite football shirts?
December 7, 2018
‘Your First Football Shirt’ is a self-published illustrated book of interviews with footballers and famous fans about their first and favourite football shirts, with all the profits going to two charities: CALM and Willow. It is produced by the Football Shirt Collective and Season Annual.
Interviews include Alan Shearer (Newcastle United and England), Josh Widdecombe (Quickly Kevin), Dwight Yorke (Aston Villa, Manchester United), Graeme Le Saux (Blackburn, Chelsea and England), Andrei Kanchelskis (Everton and Manchester United), Lucy Bronze (Lyon and England) and Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford and England).
The book retails for £19.99 and is available for purchase online. Willow supporters can take advantage of an exclusive 50% discount, using code: WILLOW
Quotes from interviewees:
“My favourite was my first home kit at Manchester United in 1991. The Sharp sponsor and the clean Adidas design elements that weaved some black into the classic red-white colour scheme was class.”
Andrei Kanchelskis, Everton and Manchester United
“I always supported Tottenham growing up, so my favourite shirt will have to be my first Spurs shirt. It gave me the desire to want to be someone and one day become a professional footballer.”
Dwight Yorke, Aston Villa and Manchester United
“My first shirt was the 1990 England shirt (made by Umbro) which had “Italia 1990” embroidered under the England crest. We did a school pantomime and someone (in my class) was playing Gazza so I lent him my shirt. I never saw it again.”
Josh Widdicombe, Quickly Kevin
“My Dad’s is Portuguese and one year we went on holiday to Portugal and my parents bought me the full Portugal kit. It was burgundy with green shorts. My best mate had the full Brazil kit and we used to play Portugal v Brazil in full kits.”
Lucy Bronze, Lyon and England
“My first football shirt was the 1982 Newcastle United home shirt (made by Umbro). My favourite player was Kevin Keegan, so I wanted the same shirt as him.”
Alan Shearer, Newcastle United and England
“My first shirt was a Chelsea shirt with “Chalobah 62” on the back. We couldn’t afford to buy football kits as a kid, so had to wait until I made my debut in pre-season against Crystal Palace in a friendly for my first proper one!”
Nathaniel Chabolah, Watford and England