New Shirts

After an introduction by Simon Inglis, editor of the Played in Britain series, Arsenal historian Jon Spurling sets the scene: the year is 1951, Highbury Stadium, its wartime bomb damage now patched up, faces a difficult decade. The club's 1930s glamour is rapidly fading. Arsenal stars tell Charles Buchan about life at post war Arsenal. Buchan himself was an Arsenal star in the 1920s and tells some grand tales too.

As the years go by the hairstyles change, the shirts and boots are more streamlined, the stars come and go - Joe Mercer, Wally Barnes, Dennis Crompton, Jack Kelsey, Tommy Lawton, Tommy Docherty, George Graham, Frank McLintock, Bob Wilson, John Radford, George Armstrong... League Champions in 1953, but not again until 1971, FA Cup winners in 1950, but not again until 1971. Throughout thick and thin, Charles Buchan's Football Monthly was there to report on this great football institution with its glorious traditions, and some brilliant kits...

After an introduction by Simon Inglis, editor of the Played in Britain series, Manchester United historian Mark Wylie sets the scene:Old Trafford lies in ruins after the Blitz, United are renting their neighbour's ground, they have a young and untried Scottish manager, Matt Busby, soon to sign the Dudley wonderkid, Duncan Edwards.

As the years go by the hairstyles change, the stars emerge - Edwards, Roger Byrne, Tommy Taylor, all to die so tragically at Munich in 1958, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, Nobby Stiles, George Best... triumph and tragedy in Europe, losing Cup Finalists in 1957 and 1958, winners at last in 1963. From the Busby Babes to European Champions in 1968, Charles Buchan's Football Monthly spanned almost the entire Busby era, watching the legend grow...The book also reprints for the first time since 1958 the magazine's poignant post-Munich tribute.

Chelsea 1972 League Cup Tracktop

Chelsea beat Tottenham 5-4 (over two legs) in the semi finals and went into the final as hot favourites as the Kings Road team were dripping with superstars, an equaliser from Osgood was not enough to take the cup home as an ageing Stoke secured the winner with 20 minutes to play.

Pictured is Eddie McCreadie, a talented and pacy attacking full-back with impressive timing that played 410 times for Chelsea. McCreadie went on to rebuild the team as manager in 1975, giving the captancy to 18 year old Ray Wilkins and securing promotion back to the first division, McCreadie resigned when his request for a company car was turned down by Chairman Brian Mears.

During the captaincy of Michel Platini France's World Cup performance markedly improved, finishing fourth in Spain '82, and third in Mexico '86. In both tournaments, they lost in the semi-finals to West Germany. The 1982 semi-final is infamously remembered by many for West German keeper Harald Schumacher's elbowing of France's Patrick Battiston in the face as the latter made a shot on goal. Despite severely injuring Battiston, Schumacher was not penalized.

The 1950s started in poor fashion for the club, they had bought Argentine Mario Boyé from Boca Juniors but he stayed only one season and the club were relegated after finishing bottom of the table, but after two seasons they achieved their return after winning Serie B, ahead of Legnano. Ragnar Nikolay Larsen was a noted player for the club during this period and they sustained mid-table finishes for the rest of the decade. Despite suffering a relegation in 1959–60 and then a promotion back up to Serie A in 1961–62

The Peaudouce sponsor was a famous French nappy brand, produced in Linselles, a famous suburb of Lille.

John Toshack scored 96 goals in 246 games, he was part of the team that won the Football League Championship in 1973, 1976 and 1977, the FA Cup in 1974, and the UEFA Cup in 1973 and 1976.

Toshack and Keegan struck up an almost telepathic partnership in the early 1970's with Toshack winning everything in the air and Keegan finishing the knock downs. They were a delight for commentators as their names rolled off the tongue easily, one famous piece of commentary by David Coleman went "Toshack, Keegan, one nil!"

Unless you’re into purple tie-dye, this is the ultimate retro Stones shirt!

In 1973 newly promoted from the second division PSG used this white shirt for their away games

The contract with the sponsor Canada Dry was negotiated by Bernard Brochand a young publicist who later became the president of the PSG Association.

In 1919, ‘Dale made their second application to join the enlarged Second Division but once again they could not attract enough support. They only had to wait two more seasons, however, before being invited to join the new Northern Section of the Third Division. At the end of their first season, Rochdale had to seek re-election but they then had a run of successful campaigns, narrowly missing out on promotion in 1924 and 1927. During the 1930s the club’s performances fell away and they generally finished near the bottom of the League, having to apply three times for re-election in the years leading up the Second World War.

Grande Torino played with the 4-4-2 10 years before the Brazil 1958 World Cup team, and used some similar tactics to the Dutch Total Football style which revolutionized the game in the 1970s.

The starting lineup of Grande Torino included Valerio Bacigalupo, Aldo Ballarin, Virgilio Maroso, Pino Grezar, Mario Rigamonti, Eusebio Castigliano, Romeo Menti, Ezio Loik, Guglielmo Gabetto, Valentino Mazzola, and Franco Ossola; the son of Ossola is now the major biographer of the Club's history.