IT PAYS TO SHOP INDEPENDENT
When it comes to vintage shirts, it really does pay to support indie businesses. The classic shirt market is dominated by a few big shops and sites, and unlike a lot of retail, you won’t find big hitters undercutting small sellers. You’ll often find shirts for half the price you’d expect just by doing a quick Google search and looking at the listings that sit at the top of the rankings.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL
Collecting football shirts is a complete minefield at times – there are so many intricacies that dictate desirability and value. Often, things such as the country of manufacture, stitching, wash labels and applied namesets all play a pivotal role in determining authenticity, variations and price points. Understanding the specifics of your kits is the best way to avoid getting stung in a space full of chancers – knowledge is power.
COLLECT WHAT YOU LOVE
Collecting shirts is all about embracing what you’re passionate about. A lot of people fall into the trap of FOMO and influence from others. Your kits should always be a reflection of your love of football and fabric. A lot of collectors and sellers who jumped onto the Covid boom have long since left the space – I’m a firm believer that if you haven’t got a deep interest in your hobby, you’re probably in it for the wrong reasons.
FOOTBALL IS THE WORLD’S GLOBAL LANGUAGE
In an age where social media throws up so many controversies, the connections and friendships I’ve created with people from all over the globe are really quite special. Over a few months at our studio in The Steamworks, we’ve had visitors from Japan, Argentina and across Europe – most of these friendships were forged over a shared love of football and kits online.
THERE ARE LOADS OF KIT RESOURCES AVAILABLE
If you’re looking to get into collecting kits, there are tonnes of free online resources available to everyone. Oldfootballshirts.com and Football Kit Archive are two great sites for determining years of use and researching kits in general. YouTube is another great resource – I’ve spent many hours flicking through old archive clips to determine details, specifically on rarer shirts. You’ll also find an abundance of knowledgeable and friendly sellers and collectors on social media who are normally happy to help if you need a hand with anything.
Tom Granville is the founder and owner of Granny’s Football Store, based in The Steamworks on Randall Street. Browse online at grannysfootballstore.com and follow @grannysfootballstore for news of monthly pop-up events.
