England Kit Collecting

[KB1862]

Since getting into football at the age of 10, I've always had the latest England shirt. Less so in recent years. Since switching from Umbro to Nike, the designs haven't been as good as they were when they were with Umbro but also the prices have gone ridiculous for them. I think I only got the first 2 kits since they made the switch. 

Over the past few years, I've started collecting retro England shirts from multiple stores all through Score Draw. Personally, I prefer the older kits to the newer ones. Can't beat a classic football shirt. 

I've now managed to complete a collection. The 1990 England shirt collection is now complete. These shirts are up there as one of the greatest England shirts there have been. 

[KB1862]

I also got this book for my birthday, which I still need to get round to giving it a read, after hearing good things about it and listening about the details on the Three Lions Podcast. Which could be helpful for further collecting and learning about the history of England kits. 

[Blake]

I used to get an England shirt annually. Some of them still fit me, but I wouldn’t say I collected them. Instead, I accumulated them over time because I received one every year. You have a growing collection. Some of the England replicas are quite nice!

[KB1862]

@Blake Accumulating/Collecting, I see it as both the same thing personally. There's some in a bag in the attic from when I was younger that definitely do not fit me anymore

One of them that I've kept all these years have end of year leaving school writing on from school mates. Didn't have a school polo on the day we was signing shirts so the England top I had on did the job. So it's a nice memory to keep. 

There's many more in the wardrobe I've got over the years including ones that I loved when I was younger but outgrew them so found them on places like ebay and stuff. 

Even got this little beaut for Christmas.. 

[liampie]

i have loads, i stopped buying them when the price went up to a silly amount. i have not bought one since,  i miss the umbro shirts i had when I was and very interested in football. i would like them in adult size. i have one from notts since 06.

[Fan of Big Tone]

I don’t recall ever buying an England replica shirt, I’ve bought T-shirts with the England badge on but I think replica shirts are a bit of a rip off but then again I’m a tight wad. 

[KB1862]

@liampie Yeah the umbro ones were great. I often check out Score Draw, Sports Direct, Kitbag, Classic Football Shirts or even JD Sports for retro shirts. Sometimes I'll find them in Charity shops and Ebay. The price has put me off getting the newer ones they're ridiculously priced.

I have a few old Notts tops that I won't part with including a GK top I had in my teens which earnt me the nickname in school as "Pilko". 

@Fan of Big Tone I've always enjoyed wearing football tops myself but they're not everyone's choice of attire. I don't blame you for getting shirts with a badge on them given how much cheaper they are than replica shirts

[Blake]

16 hours ago, KB1862 said:

@Blake Accumulating/Collecting, I see it as both the same thing personally. There's some in a bag in the attic from when I was younger that definitely do not fit me anymore

Collecting shirts, like Ellis does from Away Days on YouTube, is interesting. However, I can’t say that I actively collect shirts. They’re just an accumulation that I’ve picked up over time.

[Chris]

I gave Jake a few of my old England shirts, they don't fit me any more, and he wanted to start collecting shirts. So, I thought it would be nice to hand them down to him because they're in very good condition.

I used to get every new shirt, sometimes I would pick them up when on sale.

I haven't really liked the look of the shirts for a while; they tend to be too flashy or modern for me. Also, even the sale price puts me off. I wouldn't mind the odd one if I liked the look but the shirts for haven't been great for years. There are a few exceptions, but most aren't my style.

[thommo]

It's true, the prices for the new kits have gotten out of hand. That's why I appreciate scoring retro finds at stores like Score Draw and Kitbag, where you can often find some real gems at reasonable prices.

[KB1862]

@Blake I've seen a few of his videos. That's more of a collector yeah. Personally I couldn't do collecting shirts like that, they have to be teams I like. Although some kits do seem tempting at times. 

@Chris that's my issue as well the price of them is off putting but also the designs since switching to Nike haven't been as good as umbro designs. The shirt they used in the 2020 Euros was one of the best in recent years. The new home kit I'm not keen on but the red away is nice on the eye. 

Great of you to hand them down rather than getting rid of them. They get to go to good use. One of the England shirts I have, the 98 home shirt which remains my favourite England top of all time, was handed down to me tbf. 

I remember sports direct having a massive sale on England shirts back in 2013 and I got 4 shirts for £35. 

[KB1862]

@thommo They're very reasonable on Kitbag and Score Draw. The designs are great, the prices are good and they often have deals on with percentages off the normal price. The latest top in this 1990 England Shirt Collection, my wife got it for me from JD Sport for £15. They had some others on sale for between £10-£15.

[CliftonMagpie]

I got rid of a few I had grown out of. I just have my favourite now, which is the 2008 shirt. It was a Christmas present and was bought above my actual size at the time.

[KB1862]

@CliftonMagpie That's the one I had signed at my school leavers. Still kept hold of it but no chance it fits now

I've gotten rid of a few that I've outgrown tbf. Wish I kept hold of them even if it's just to store away. 

[BlackandWhitePie]

I have some England shirts, both home and away. However, I haven’t bought any for years. The thing with England is that you don’t need a new shirt to support them. I also have one that I consider to be lucky, so I don’t bother with new ones anymore.

[KB1862]

@BlackandWhitePie Which shirts the lucky shirt and what makes it so lucky? 

I agree you don't need a shirt to support them, whenever tournaments come around they often have Polo tops and such which is another thing I always get for tournaments for both me and the kids. Will admit the 2016 Euros polo top I had got thrown away following the horror of the Iceland game, as nice as the top was. 

It's nice to get both home and away but I'm much like yourself getting both home and away until recently. I think the last time I got a new England top was actually in 2018. Before that it was around 2014. 

The Lionesses kits in recent years have been absolutely sensational. The latest kits they'll be wearing at the World Cup are incredible. They're tempting to purchase but again still cost a fortune. 

[TheSkipper]

I have some, around 7 home shirts and about 3 away ones. My favourite is the red away shirt we had a few years back, but I must admit I don’t often buy a new one anymore due to the costs.

[KB1862]

@TheSkipper Totally understandable. The prices are extortionate. Only got 2 red ones in my wardrobe now. One from 2014, which I got on sale for £10 couldn't not turn it down, and the 1990 one that completed the 90 collection. 

The best red one in my opinion is the reversible from 2002 World Cup. 

Unfortunately I've had to get rid of quite a few over the years. My wife was glad when I got rid of a few as she wasn't a fan that I had so many football tops 

[KB1862]

Must admit, there are England tops that I now regret getting rid of. Some were too small and I had outgrown them but then there were others that, due to playing football, had AstroTurf stains on them that just never ever came out. One or 2 were in good condition but others weren't salvageable as they were years old and got some use out of them. But hopefully one day, I'll once again have some of them back as retro shirts. Might even find them at bargain prices, there's plenty of sites out there making a killing on old shirts these days bound to find them somewhere. 

[RetroPie]

I have three England home shirts in total. The last one I purchased was in 2002. However, my favourite is the 1998 shirt. The other one is from 1994 - it has a classic look but is a bit dated now.

[OoooooTommy]

I have almost every England home shirt from the 90s up until 2015. Some are carefully folded away in zip bags to keep them safe, but I have several that I wear when England plays. I used to go and watch England matches from time to time with a group of friends who support Forest, Derby and Walsall.

[KB1862]

@RetroPie Great minds think alike and all that, 98 is a great shirt. Been after the 94 top for a while now bidded for it on ebay but had no luck went for £50+ I think it was. Always on the look out for it. 

@OoooooTommy That's a hell of a collection/accumulation of shirts you have tbf. Good idea keeping them folded up and zipped away for safe keeping. Got to be done wearing an England shirt whenever they play. 

[Nocturnal-Magpie]

On 24/06/2023 at 22:54, Fan of Big Tone said:

I don’t recall ever buying an England replica shirt, I’ve bought T-shirts with the England badge on but I think replica shirts are a bit of a rip off but then again I’m a tight wad. 

I'm the same way. I buy polo shirts, t-shirts, caps and jackets, but I don't buy actual shirts. When it comes to Notts, I only have 4 shirts from the past 30 years.

[AmericanPie]

I don't own an England shirt and I never have. I wish I had picked some up when football shirts were first being sold to fans. Younger fans may be surprised that this wasn't always the case. Unfortunately, I don't like most of the newer England shirts.

@KB1862, keep adding to your collection pal. Look in charity shops and ask friends who may have old ones they've grown out of. Some of them may want their old shirts to go to a good home.

[KB1862]

@AmericanPie Whenever we nip in to a charity shop or go on carboot sales, I'm always on the look out for them but it's always my look that when I find one they're always either a size too small or there's a reason they're being rid of

I'll certainly be adding to them as time goes on. Quite often check ebay or for sales to go on like JD Sport, Sports Direct, Kitbag or Classic Football Shirts. 

I prefer the Lionesses kits in recent years as opposed to the Men's.