Whilst most everyone knows I am a football fan, and many will know that I am a shirt collector, I am sure few will know that I have been fascinated by philately/ stamp collecting since the early 1960s.

My friends at Liverpool Stamps did a blog recently about football ON stamps. It would be rude not to share it! In 1966 England hosted the World Cup and not only hosted a great competition but even won it! the final between West Germany (who?) and England ended in an amazing 4-2 victory after extra time. A few days later, the Post Office (who?) announced they were overprinting the World Cup 4d stamps with the two words, “England Winners.” There was talk of it being hugely valuable, rationed and all kinds of other stories. On the day it was launched I remember running up the road to our local post office with a few pence in my hands and hoping I could get this historic stamp. I got to the post office to see a queue from here to eternity. My heart dropped but I quickly realised that they were pensioners collecting their weekly pension (all pre-internet!) I got to the counter and asked whether I could please, possibly, if it is in any way feasible get five stamps. The postmaster looked at me and passed me five. I carefully put them into an envelope I had brought with me …….. my life was complete!

“On July 13th, 1930, a historic event took place as the inaugural FIFA World Cup kicked off in Uruguay. This marked the beginning of a legendary tournament that would captivate football fans around the globe and become a symbol of international sporting excellence.

The first-ever FIFA World Cup brought together teams from various nations to compete for the ultimate prize in football. Uruguay, as the host nation, provided a stage for the world’s best players to showcase their skills and passion for the beautiful game.

At Liverpool Stamps, we celebrate the spirit of the FIFA World Cup through our collection of stamps. Visit our website, www.liverpoolstamps.co.uk, to explore our range of stamps that capture the excitement and glory of football’s greatest tournament.

Let us relish the historic beginnings of the FIFA World Cup and the legacy it has created in the world of football. Follow us on social media to stay updated with our latest stamp releases and connect with fellow philatelists who share a love for the global phenomenon of the World Cup.”

First shared on Facebook.

Hopefully, Liverpool Stamps will showcase some other great football stamps. Anybody remember the colourful España 82 stamps? Some of my favourite of all time. Sadly Naranjito, the official mascot was not as successful as England’s 1966 World Cup Willie,. Spain crashed and a magnificent Italian team complete with the unplayable Paolo Rossi took the title.

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It was a pleasure to chat to our friends at Stanchion Publishing at a recent programme fair in Loughton, Essex. I have been a follower for several years so it’s always nice to shake hands with old faces, as they say!

One of the books that caught my eye was Liverpool Classic Kits by Rob Mason and even if you are not a Liverpool fan it’s a very interesting book with lots of great illustrations evoking some great games …especially the European nights that no football fan will forget.

From the publisher:

Liverpool Classic Kits is 112 pages full of everything a football fan could ever want to know about the most iconic kits to have been showcased by their club. From design to branding, this publication about Liverpool Classic Kits is an essential read for all football fans who love the beautiful game and the iconic home, away and third kits of their club. Packed with features including a detailed account of the kits of a variety of seasons at the club, including historical accounts of the seasons and iconic moments of the shirt.

Also included are in-depth statistics, facts, trivia, most memorable games, and an unmatched historical account of the famous red shirt.

—

Aspen Books

25 x 17 cm

Hardback

112 pages

July 2022

English

9781914536274

If Liverpool are not your team, Mason has also written a Manchester United Classic Kits book

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I saw a great offer on the SX Sports Facebook this week and promised to share it.

” Welcome to SX Sports, UK specialists in football kits, teamwear, benchwear, trainingwear and more, all at discount prices. We are stockists of leading brands such as Joma, Umbro, Nike, Errea, Stanno, Prostar and Mitre. We offer printing and embroidery services so your kits can be personalised with names, numbers, team and sponsor logos.

During the month of September, here at SX Sports we are fundraising for a charity very close to our hearts. Scott, one of our directors, and his partner Sadie’s son, Archie was diagnosed with Epilepsy in September 2022. Archie has been on a long treatment journey for the last year and all of our lives are affected by Epilepsy every day.

During the month of September we are offering a massive 30% off of the RRP of every new order if you have the Epilepsy Society logo printed on any shirt, either as a sleeve sponsor or main shirt sponsor, whether it be a single shirt order or a whole team kit.

We would be immensely grateful for any contribution to this cause, and having the logo printed will hopefully raise awareness for everyone suffering with Epilepsy.

Contact us to order now.”

Alternatively, you can make a donation to Archie’s fundraiser here:

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Those of you who know me, know that I am a football fan and a travel fanatic! I also play chess for hours a day but I have a “hidden” interest and that is art. Sadly, it is watching only as I can’t draw a line and my attempts at Photoshop, Dreamweaver etc leave a lot to be desired. That said, I think I recognise talent. I have previously highlighted Papilios Creative, Gillingham Legends and Football Art Online. Obviously, I have been a huge fan of Simon Ellinas for 15 years …. about as long as he has supported the Shirt Project.

It was therefore a pleasure to meet Dave this week from Football Cartoons who I think has a real skill. He was happy for me to share some of his work and contact details. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Please feel free to check his Big Heads out on his social media sites. He reminded me that if there is anyone you would like him to draw – professional or amateur or even friends and family he will be happy to work of a photo. Enjoy!


“My names Dave 

I’m an Artist and have been so for over 30 years 

I started drawing and painting mostly fantasy art 

And in 1998 I decided to learn to draw portraits of famous people mostly football 

In 2016 I decided to have a go at drawing big heads and have mostly done this style ever since 

I also have learnt how to get my work onto merchandise ie mugs, t shirts, coasters and all sorts and I sell my merch to customers 

I currently draw football players past and present and also do person cartoons of families as required 

If your interested in buying any of my work you can contact me on Facebook @footbalcartoons or Instagram @bigheadsbydave”

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Many of you will remember the heroes from Miles for Smiles last year as they walked hundreds of miles.
I was privileged to meet them near London and walked 2 or 3 miles with them as they approached Wembley Stadium. Happy Days!

Well, they are at it again!

The team have left Swadlincote and are on there way to Fort William Scotland to prepare and get ready to tackle this years challenge .

600 miles walked / cycled between the 3 biggest mountains in the UK and back home to Swadlincote …. as well as tackling the 3 mountains all in just 14 days!

This challenge is going to push the lads beyond any boundaries they’ve pushed before, they’re going into the unknown of how the bodies will react climbing mountains walking and cycling.

Please support them a share goes such a long way and costs nothing .

If you can spare anything what so ever I am sure the team will really appreciate your support.

You can donate here

All this takes a lot of planning, preparation, logistics and …money. It is great to see the team recognise the sponsors and if you could look to support the sponsors in the weeks to come, I am sure that would be hugely appreciated too! One of the things I like most about the Miles for Smiles boys is their support of the people who support them. Check out their Facebook page to see all of the local and national companies who have committed to Miles for Smiles

“We couldn’t be more thankful to all of our amazing business sponsors .

From the bottom of our hearts THANK YOU .

For the belief in the team and also our cause .

We hope to do you all proud , it’s going to be a bumpy road over the next 14 days with lots of highs and lows but with your support we’re confident we can achieve anything.”

They conclude, “Huge target, but we are hoping to help so many local families. EVERY PENNY goes towards helping other. No admin fees, no wages, just helping those that need a little support. Thank you to all that show support.

All we can ask is for your support please please share our posts, and if anyone can spare anything no matter how small we would greatly appreciate it.” Click here

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As many of you know, I lived in Spain for 20 years, speak Spanish and am fascinated by politics and particularly the Spanish Civil War. Mr Z added 1+1 this afternoon and definitely got his maths correct as he plastered this beauty over my Facebook feed. Unusually I was grateful. Look at this thing of beauty.
I dived into the RedMolotov website and found many other interesting shirts that deserved a share so here goes….

Buenaventura Durruti Football Shirt

This exclusively designed football shirt has been created as a tribute to the Spanish Civil War anarcho-syndicalist Buenaventura Durruti. Designed in the diagonally-bisected red and black colours of the confederal militias to which Durruti belonged, it features an embroidered badge showing the coat of arms of the Consejo Regional de Defensa de Aragón (Regional Defence Council of Aragon) – the autonomous region founded by the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (CNT) in 1936. The front of the shirt features the Republican slogan “no pasarán” (“they shall not pass”) across the front where a sponsor logo would usually be, whereas the back features the name “Durruti” and the number 36 (the year of the formation of the Durruti Column), plus the slogan “A las Barricadas“ (“To the Barricades”) – the title of one of the most popular songs of the Spanish anarchists during the Spanish Civil War. Lyrics here

This shirt has been produced by Sigur Sportswear exclusively for RedMolotov.

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Hi, will you join your football club and walk, run or cycle every day this October?

Over 300 staff across 60 football clubs are uniting for this daily fitness challenge – and you can join them. Sign up to Prostate United, choose a daily distance that works for you and save lives with your club.
Represent your football club by joining their team page on JustGiving. United as one team, you’ll be fundraising alongside your fellow fans, kit men, physios and maybe even your gaffer.

 Why get involved?  Because prostate cancer kills one man every 45 minutes – that’s thousands of our teammates, dads, partners and brothers who won’t get to see another game.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. With every kilometre you cover and every pound you raise, you’ll be helping to fund research to find better tests to diagnose men sooner. If you have any questions about taking part, email us or visit our website.

Good luck in the upcoming season

SAVE LIVES WITH YOUR CLUB – Register here

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Pretty Poly: The History of the Football Shirt

Our friends at Stanchion Weekly sent me this very interesting release this week. I copy it in its entirety

“Pretty Poly tells the fascinating story of the football shirt, charting its dramatic evolution over a 150-year period, from modest beginnings to a product at the centre of a billion-dollar industry. An emblem of everything it means to be a fan, the football shirt evokes memories of triumph and disaster and acts as a symbol of belonging to a chosen footballing tribe. Packed with facts, figures and anecdotes, Pretty Poly explores the history embedded in every feature of modern-day strips.

It covers their ever-changing shape, the emergence of dedicated club and national colours and the often surprising reasons behind them. It also looks at the companies and designers behind some of our favourite strips, and explores the birth and exponential growth of the replica-kit industry. Along the way, we learn the histories of the iconic sponsors, names, numbers, patches and badges, and meet the kit collectors with a burning lifelong passion as we delve into the burgeoning vintage kit market that feeds their interest.

The author:

Alex Ireland is a university academic, football writer and kit collector. He has written about football kits and football history for a number of publications including World Soccer, Halb Vier and United We Stand. Alex supports his local side, Manchester United, and collects 1990s long-sleeve club football shirts.

Ric Pennington (aka. Pennodraws) is a graphic designer/digital illustrator based in Stockport. He has worked with his beloved Stockport County and Venezia FC in the past and has had his artwork featured in magazines, books, match day programmes and gin bottles. You can find out more information and a selection of his artwork at www.pennodraws.com “

The book can, of course be bought from Stanchion Books

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Who are Link Up Estate Agents?

We are a highly respected independent Estate Agent, offering a complete range of Property services such as residential sales, lettings, property management, short let’s, commercial letting & management, new homes development land appraisals, mortgages and homes abroad.

Our pro-active and experienced team treats out clients as individuals and tailors their needs accordingly. Our comprehensive marketing campaigns ensure coverage of all areas which in turn gives our clients quick success and we provide ourselves on our repeat customs. We are quickly expanding our group of offices, longer opening hours, latest technology and modern premises. Our service levels are consistent with the Ombudsman for Estate Agents Code of Practice, Office of Fair Trading and National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA). 

Check their website here

Who are Hayes & Yeading United?

Hayes & Yeading United Football Club is based in Hayes, in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The club was formed in 2007 from a merger of Hayes Football Club (founded in 1909) and Yeading Football Club (founded in 1960). It currently competes in the Southern League Premier Division South and plays its home matches at the Skyex Community Stadium. Notables? Ted Lasso, Robin Friday and Cyril Regis.

Check their website here

If you want to win a FREE ticket for the Hayes & Yeading FC v Tiverton Town FC, first home game of the season, on the 12th of August 2023, at 3pm:

1. Follow Link Up Estate Agents & Hayes and Yeading United FC (Official) on Facebook
2. Like their post

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Prostate FC: The Shirt

To kick off the new season we’ve got a new look. Help save lives on the pitch, sofa and stands with our brand new Prostate FC football shirt.

You may remember we launched Prostate FC with the shirt, and following the hugely positive response, we’re delighted to have the new home shirt available to buy for our new season giving prostate cancer a good kicking.

Save lives from the pitch, the sofa and stands with our new Prostate FC Football Shirt. 

Join the biggest team in football taking on the most common cancer in men. 

Made from 100% recycled moisture-wicking polyester, with a woven Prostate FC emblem badge.  

Available in sizes S – XXXL

All profits will go to taking on the most common cancer in men; funding lifesaving research to save and improve the lives of men with prostate cancer SHOP NOW

We hope you can wear the shirt with pride this season. Keep your eyes peeled for more news coming soon.

Thanks, and if you have any questions, please get in touch. 

Matt and Dan
Prostate FC team

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