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“What was your first replica shirt?” Ask any football fan and they will be able to describe the colour, the season, and whose name was on the back of it. With the sky-high prices of big-brand replica shirts only continuing to climb, many fans have turned to retro shirts for solace.
No longer only available to avid shirt collectors who value their collection based on if they’re match worn or signed for hundreds of pounds on auction sites, brands like Score Draw have popped up to fill a much-needed gap in the market.
One only had to take a look at any England match during the Euros to be met with a sea of jazzy bright blue replicas of the third shirts from the 1990 World Cup popularised by the World in Motion music video. With stadiums welcoming back fans after a long pause, now might be the time to get that shirt you’ve wanted since you were a kid.
Manchester City F.C. – 1989 (home)
3Retro FootballThough their club has been through many changes through the years, Premier League champions Manchester City still proudly wear their sky blue shirts. This retro shirt from 1989 bears a striking resemblance to the very popular Italia 90 third kit.
Liverpool F.C. – 1990 (home)
In 2020, Jurgen Klopp led his Liverpool side to a Premier League victory after 30 long years without a league title. But rewind to 1990, and many Liverpool fans will remember the season they won the league for the 18th time fondly, This candy apple red retro shirt will help remind them of the good times.
Chelsea F.C. – 1998 (away)
Chelsea fans will have happy memories of seeing club legends Gianfranco Zola, Dennis Wise, and Roberto Di Matteo in this bright yellow shirt from a season when they had Gianluca Vialli as player-manager and beat Real Madrid to take home the Super Cup.
Leicester City F.C. – 2000 (home)
Leicester fans will find it impossible not to smile at this retro shirt from the turn of the millennium, and they can thank Leicester’s most notable export Gary Lineker for fronting the Walkers crisps ad campaign for this shirt.
West Ham United F.C. – 1995 (away)
This special shirt was made to commemorate the club’s centenary. The number 100 appears in a “Forever Blowing Bubbles" design embedded in the iconic claret and blue fabric which bears the Dagenham Motors sponsor from a season when a young Frank Lampard made his debut and defender Julian Dicks tried his hands at goalkeeping.
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. – 1986 (home)
This season Tottenham finished third in the table thanks to Clive Allen, who scored a whopping 33 goals in the league alone – Mo Salah’s Premier League record is 32! This lily-white shirt is classic Tottenham and will look just as great in the stands today as it did in 1986.
Arsenal F.C. – 1985 (away)
Another special centenary shirt. This yellow shirt has the classic Gunners emblem which Arsenal have returned to for their away shirt for the 2021-22 season. This season could have seen Sir Alex Ferguson take the helm at Arsenal. Instead, he turned the job down and started his 26-year reign at Manchester United the following season.
Leeds United – 1993 (away)
The yellow graphic design on the bottom of this blue shirt makes it a definite contender for one of the coolest away shirts. The 1993 season seemed strong for Leeds as they started as freshly promoted champions but then failed to win a single away game all season.
Everton F.C. – 1986 (home)
The 1985-86 campaign was an interesting season for Everton. They finished second in the league just behind city rivals Liverpool and Gary Lineker graced their team for a single season, scoring a cool 30 goals before winning the Golden Boot at Mexico 1986 and transferring to Barcelona. Toffees fans can enjoy the retro emblem that was used from 1983-1991.
Aston Villa F.C. – 1994 (away)
Villa will remember this season for their feat of stopping Manchester United from winning the domestic treble, as the club won the League Cup. Stand out in the crowd with this unusual green, red, and black away strip that Villa wore for two seasons.
Newcastle United F.C. – 1974 (home)
The '74 season is notable for Newcastle fans invading the pitch after beating Nottingham Forest in the sixth round of the FA Cup, only to have the match result annulled as punishment. After two replays, Newcastle won the fixture again and made it to the final. This straightforward stylish black and white striped shirt harks back to a simpler time for Magpies fans.
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. – 1993 (home)
It was a season topped by the completion of the redevelopment of Wolves’ home ground Molineux, and you can’t get more '90s than this Wolverhampton Wanderers retro shirt. Bright colour, check. Button-up collar, check. It’s an instant classic.
Crystal Palace F.C. – 1990 (FA Cup Final)
1990 saw Crystal Palace reach the FA Cup final for the first time in their history. With such an overtly large sponsor on the front which says “Fly Virgin to L.A.” it is hard to resist the retro charm of this one-off cup final shirt. Crystal Palace fans will recognise the vertical blue and red stripes which will fit in very well at Selhurst Park any season.
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. – 1999 (home)
Brighton’s shirt has vertical blue and white stripes and the iconic sponsor Skint Records on the front. Skint, whose roster included Brighton legend Fatboy Slim, were the first independent record label to sponsor a football team. Fans will remember a pre-West Ham Bobby Zamora wearing this shirt.
Burnley F.C. – 1994 (home)
The third claret and blue entry, Burnley’s selection is from 1994 and features a classically retro-style collar with a funky design on it. It was a season of hope in the first division that ended in relegation, but you can’t go wrong with this stylish shirt.
Norwich City F.C. – 1985 (League Cup Final)
Norwich won the League Cup thanks to a Sunderland own goal with the crucial help of a young Steve Bruce, but still managed to get relegated. This one-off V-neck shirt is in the classic canaries yellow and green and has an embroidery above the emblem for the Milk Cup final.