Building a football shirt collection can be a costly old business. These days, new kits cost a fortune and the surging demand for vintage jerseys has pushed prices higher and higher.
So no surprise then that those who splurge their money on pieces of bright-coloured polyester love a bargain when one comes around.
We reckon the best hunting ground for said hidden gems are the garbs from those brilliant underdog clubs usually found in the arse end of nowhere.
So we’ve compiled a list of shirts from some properly random sides that won’t break the bank – truly the stuff of wet dreams for collectors (ourselves included).
7 – Cittadella 2009/2010 away
Cittadella is a town of only 20,000 inhabitants in the region of Veneto in Italy. But despite the modest size of the town, the team has been present in the Serie B for 17 years. Yellow has been a staple colour for their away jerseys for many years – as has the sponsor, Siderurgica Gabrielli, which has adorned their shirts since 2008.
6 - FSV Frankfurt 2020/2021 away
They have long been in the shadow of city rivals Eintracht but FSV are a club with a long history. From the Bornheim district of the city, FSV were formed way back in 1899 and rose to the 2. Bundesliga in 2008.
Buy FSV Frankfurt away here.
5 - Tranmere Rovers 2020/2021 third shirt
You have to admire fans of Tranmere Rovers. With Liverpool and Everton on their doorsteps, actively choosing to go to Prenton Park on a Saturday is some commitment. To be fair to Rovers, they’ve had some decent shirts over the years, like this bad boy, from the 2020/21 season – ideal for those looking to add some authentic lower league Britishness to their collection.
Buy the shirt here.
4 - Faroe Islands 2022/2023 home shirt
Obviously not a club but a nation (of just 52,000 people). Hard not to like these guys – they turn up in every qualifying stage (teachers, shopkeepers, firefighters), get walloped and then come back and do it all again. To be fair to the Faroes, they beat Turkey back in September 2002, which is pretty impressive. Their shirts from last season is equally decent.
Buy the Faroe Islands home shirt here.
3 - Cremonese 2019/2020 away shirt
Grey and red? Whose idea was that? Weirdly works though, doesn’t it? Cremonese are one of those names seemingly baked into your consciousness by James Richardson on a Saturday morning on Gazetta.
Buy the shirt here.
2 - San Marino 2022/2023 away shirt
Very much in the Faroe Islands bracket, these guys – and equally well loved, too. They haven’t won a game since 2004 (a friendly against Lichtenstein). Some record, that. Anyway, their 2022/23 away shirt is really, really lovely.
Buy the San Marino 22/23 away shirt here.
1 - Loch Ness 2022/2023 away shirt
If you don’t own a football shirt with the Loch Ness Monster on, do you even like football shirts? Founded in 1999, Loch Ness FC play in the North Caledonian Football League at their 500-seat stadium in Fortrose. Their use of the famous monster on their jerseys has brought the club widespread acknowledgement (and a few quid, no doubt).
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