Welcome to another edition of Fantasy Five Hundred, a new feature where we give a guest an imaginary £500 budget to spend on football shirts! What will they choose, new or old, quantity or quality, club or country? Let’s find out…
Today’s guest is Red Card Shirts (@redcardshirts on Twitter), who has raided Classic Football Shirts’ sale section for a bumper haul. Has he sacrificed quality for quantity? Not at all…
PSG HOME 97/98
RCS: It’s such a classic. Big vibrant colours that stand out. A proper 90s sponsor in Opel. PSG won the Coupe de France that season too which makes it a memorable one for the club pre Qatari ownership.
Cost: £174.99, Total so far: £174.99
Okay, when I said they were *all* from the sale section, I lied. His first pick is a classic, I know a lot of the time stuff from the ‘90s was cool back then but not now (I’m thinking gaudy patterns, baggy fits, Newcastle United) but this definitely stands the test of time. Worth shelling out top dollar.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS AWAY 2018
RCS: I’m a huge fan of video game sponsors and the fact this is long sleeve, player spec and under £30 is just perfect. A very crisp and classy shirt. I just bought it with my real money as it goes.
Cost: £29.99, Total so far: £204.98
Oi, I thought this was ‘Fantasy’ Five Hundred? Can’t be buying stuff with your own cash, people will think I’m paying you. You’re right though, this seems a lot of shirt for the money (I know the one in the picture isn’t long sleeved but you get the jist). What could’ve been quite a plain shirt is lifted by the bright blue details and colourful crest. ‘Awesome’, as an American might say.
GENOA THIRD 19/20
RCS: I have a soft spot for Genoa as they were founded as a cricket club by English immigrants (Hence their current name Genoa Cricket & Football Club). This shirt is a nod to their founders with the cross of St George across the shirt. The added fact the shirt is Kappa Authentic Kombat fit is a plus.
Cost: £39.99, Total so far: £244.97
Like the band 10cc (ask your dad) once said, “I don’t like cricket…I love it”. I disagree, nothing happens in cricket until the last part of the game which is usually 5 days after it’s started and by then you’ve lost interest. I do, however, love this shirt. It’s clean, bold and it’s another bargain.
PERUGIA HOME 16/17
RCS: A great way to spend £20! A lovely shirt from Perugia that looks like you can wear it round your mums for Sunday dinner. Very classy shirt with a fantastic badge.
Cost: £20, Total so far: £264.97
I might get Red Card Shirts to do all my shopping for me, he’d save you more money than Martin Lewis. A score for a football shirt? Can’t afford not to buy it.
LAZIO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 20/21
RCS: One of Lazio’s better shirts in recent years complimented by Champions League patches and Italian forward Ciro Immobile print. A very classy shirt and a future classic for me.
Cost: £74.99 (w/ Immobile printing), Total so far: £339.96
We’re sticking in Italy (and pushing the boat out a little) for Lazios Champions League effort. Their campaign might not have gone so well, but the shirt complete with patches looks great. Plus Immobile did quite well in Europe a few months later…
ATLETICO MADRID GOALKEEPER 19/20
RCS: I’m not sure why goalkeeper shirts are not featured as much in people’s collections! This is a great shirt. Extremely colourful which, for me, is a great representation sunny Spanish capital Madrid. The retro Nike logo makes it extra special.
Cost: £69.99, Grand total: £409.95
People don’t collect goalkeeper shirts because most of us still have PTSD from ‘90s keeper efforts. Big units like Neville Southall and David James standing in goal looking like an explosion in a Dulux factory. But today’s shirts are a different animal, bright, modern designs and this is a perfect example.
CSKA MOSCOW HOME 13/14
RCS: More long sleeve player spec! I think Russian clubs have some underrated shirts including this one. Keisuke Honda was a name on football hipsters lips around the time. I love the acrylic gold name set on this shirt.
Cost: £39.99, Total so far: £449.94
Another bargain. Colours work great together and CSKA have one hell of a crest. Russian clubs do have some underrated shirts and considering the logo of their top league is a bear I’m not sure why we don’t talk about them more.
WOLLONGONG SPECIAL EDITION 2019
RCS: The Australian National Premier League (regional second division) team from NSW produce a special edition shirt every season to acknowledge the indigenous population in Australia by displaying their art and culture on a football shirt. It’s a fantastic idea and something I feel other Aussie teams should follow. A simply beautiful shirt.
Cost: £49.99, Grand Total: £499.93
Ending on a high with a great idea and a great shirt.
We made it! Big thanks to Red Card Shirts for taking part, give him a follow on Twitter (@redcardshirts). Do you have a favourite? How would you spend differently? Head over to Twitter to discuss! The next Fantasy Five Hundred will be coming soon!
Kit For Brains 
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