Receiving your first sports jersey as a child was a special moment. Whether it later became the team you would foolishly support for a lifetime or one which you look back on with mild embarrassment, each person has their own story behind their first.
Here at Balls.ie it is no different, as the office reel in the years and recall the moment they sported their original jersey. Looking back, it almost seemed wrong to allow some of these jerseys to see the light of day, while others should be put in a protective case and displayed in a museum for future generations to marvel at.
That being said, this is just a select few represented by the Balls team. We want to hear from our readers as there is bound to be some absolute gems out there.
From Bohemians to Bari, we're sure you've had them all, so tell us about what the first jersey you ever received was and what it meant to you (if anything). Of course, we want pictures to go along with it if you can.
Get in contact with Balls.ie on our Facebook page, Twitter or email us at [email protected] - The best ones will feature on our website, so get rummaging.
Mick McCarthy - Aston Villa home jersey (1993-95)
As a kid, I had a few jerseys. A random Everton jersey that I had no idea where it came from, an a Marco Van Basten AC Milan jersey that was my pride and joy as a four year old. But things only got real when I got my first Aston Villa jersey.
It was my 10th birthday, and my present was a trip to London and Loftus Road to see my first ever Villa game, away to QPR.
The only thing I needed to complete the day was a jersey. It was the era of the pinstripe blue stripes and the massive "Muller" sponsor. It was the Coca Cola Cup Final jersey of the May before and it was probably my favourite thing in the world at the time.
Unfortunately, London's sports shops didn't seem to have any. We searched and searched for the day until finally, long after we'd given up, we passed a tiny shop called "Soccerstars" that seemed to have every jersey imaginable. I was sorted for the giddy trip to Loftus Road.
Of course, about a week later, the jersey was stolen off my washing line in Dublin.
Also, Villa lost the game 2-0, one of the goals coming after an absolute howler from my hero Paul McGrath. They've subsequently lost every other game I've ever seen them play. Always 2-0.
Mikey Traynor - Ireland goalkeeper jersey (1995)
My first goalkeeper jersey was officially voted the worst ever in European football history.
The 1995 Ireland goalkeeper jersey, the purple one that looks like it was designed by someone peaking on an acid trip, is well known and fondly remembered, so I was disgusted when it was voted the worst European jersey ever ahead of Euro 2012.
I was 6 in 1995, and had been playing football for no more than a year, but I knew that I wanted to be a goalkeeper, something that would stick with me until my rebellious teenage years. This was the first time I looked at a football jersey and went 'Wow', and I remember it clear as day. I had just finished the weekly shop with my mother, and back when Tesco was 'Quinnsworth', there was a little shop past the tills that sold stuff like school uniforms and sports gear. I laid eyes on the purple goalkeeper jersey and I knew it had to be mine.
I was not the type of kid who would throw a tantrum if I didn't get what I wanted, but I can recall a few rare occasions where I let my loving mother know that there was no way we were leaving without whatever I had set my eyes on. This was one of them. She knew I was serious and was good enough to shell out the extra cost of a football jersey having just spent money to keep our family fed.
It was beautiful. I put it on in the car and slept in it that night. The padded elbows were in the shape of the Umbro logo, and the design was mental. I loved it, and it sparked an obsession with football jerseys that lasts to this day. I collect them now, and have a frankly embarrassing amount of them in my possession. And yes, I do have an adult sized version of that particular jersey, I bought it on eBay from a fella from Poland who has a crazy amount of retro Ireland shirts.
A couple of months later I ordered away for the 1996 blue Manchester United away jersey with 'CANTONA 7' on the back, and loved the absolute shit out of it as the first outfield player jersey I owned, with my hero on the back, but the mental purple goalie jersey will always be my first.
Mark Farrelly - Cavan GAA home jersey (1997)
Despite being from Killinkere in Cavan, I spent a lot of my youth going to, our neighbouring club, Knockbride's games with my uncle. So much so that come 1996, my favourite player was Larry Reilly; an 18-year-old unknown in many respects.
In May of 1997 that same uncle got me a Cavan jersey for my First Holy Communion, with the name 'Larry Reilly' printed across the back. As we made our way to various Ulster Championship grounds that summer people would ask 'Who the hell is Larry Reilly?'
Then came July 20th. Larry was a star of the Cavan senior team which beat Derry by the narrowest of margins to win the Ulster title for the first time in 28 years. No one asked 'Who the hell is Larry Reilly?' ever again.
Darren Holland - Sunderland home jersey (1999/00)
Nowadays for a child to receive a Sunderland jersey would be considered a mild form of abuse. But under the guidance of Peter Reid it was a memorable time to be a supporter, having secured promotion from the First Division with 105 points.
A couple of months later - after some persistence - I received the home kit. The black cat on the sleeve, Asics as manufacturer and Reg Vardy placed across the abdomen. There was nothing flashy about but it was the quintessential Sunderland jersey.
However, the greatest feature was on the back in bold black letters - 'Phillips 10'. One half of the greatest strike partnership to walk this earth. Kevin Phillips would later go on to score 30 league goals in the 1999/00 campaign to become the only Englishman to win the European golden boot and my heart.
The following season, aged eight - sporting the jersey - I traveled to Sunderland for the first time to witness Reid's side defeat Arsenal before rounding off the trip with a game of pool with none other than Michael Reddy and George McCartney. The North-East of England; where dreams become reality.
Conall Cahill - Chelsea home jersey (1999/00)
My first jersey was the Chelsea 'Autoglass' jersey ('99-'01 version). It arrived shortly before my beloved 'Cudicini 23' goalkeeper's jersey did during the 'Fly Emirates' years. It was a timely intervention from my uncle, who had obviously spotted my dad (West Brom fan) and his mate (Leeds) advancing and decided to put me on the straight and narrow.
That jersey represented the slightly wacky Chelsea team of the mid '90s to early 2000s with players like Ed de Goey, Celestine Babayaro and Mario Melchiot. We would beat Man United one week then lose to someone like Sunderland (sorry Darren) the next.
Then we got rich, got good, lost the madness a little bit and I found myself cheering for West Brom. But that Autoglass jersey will always, for me, symbolise barely suppressed but endearing insanity.
David Kent - Cork City away jersey (1999/00)
Unsurprisingly to those who know me, my first jersey was one which belonged to Cork City.
Anyone who’s ever sat in the Donie Forde stand of Turner’s Cross knows how cold it is every night of the year. Now picture it during winter football, and during a hailstorm. 4 year old me has a jumper, two t-shirts, about 15,000 pairs of socks, and a heavy jacket. And I was still absolutely freezing. City are one nil up, that’s not warming me up at all, and by jaysus I’m not going near the ‘chips’ from the van.
So my parents decide to rush to the Cork City FC shop at the entrance to The Cross. They’re out of woolly jumpers, hats, gloves, you name it. But they do have a limited number of away jerseys in stock. Featuring on the list of beautifully mad jerseys my first jersey was bought for me, a 4 year old, in size 12-13. Well, when your child is shivering, you have to accommodate in any way possible I guess. Just slap on a thin jersey with a Guinness logo
And it still fits.
Gavin Cooney - Liverpool home jersey (2002/03)
Word had got out among my rural locality that I was a Liverpool fan. My mum had told my neighbour, and my neighbour had told my other neighbour, who then ran out of neighbours to tell.
As it transpired, one neighbour once lived beside Richie Partridge in Wicklow, who was then at Liverpool. The news was filtered through to Partridge.
Out of nowhere, in June 2003, a brown package arrived addressed to me. It was my first ever piece of post.
In it was a letter from Partridge congratulating me on choosing to support Liverpool, a full-size jersey emblazoned with “Partridge 28” on the back, along with a signed picture of Partridge as well a signed picture of Michael Owen. The words “To Gavin, Best Wishes” preceded his scrawl. My name is technically registered as Gavan, but I changed the spelling from there on.
An Post has had a lot to live up to since.
Gavan Casey - Cork GAA home jersey (1999)
In 1999, aged six, I was drawn to play for Kilkenny in 'street leagues' at Douglas GAA Club. The sheer sight of me wielding a hurley while donning the club's generic black and amber rag caused quite the consternation amongst my family. Years later, I'd discover that my grandfather wept.
On the 4th of July 1999, I celebrated my own independence as my father unfurled a brand new Cork GAA jersey from a Cummins Sports bag; the Esat Digifone one. A ticket for the 1999 Munster hurling final was slapped into my hand, a bottle of red TK lemonade placed in the other, and we were off to Thurles.
I spent all 70 minutes on my father's shoulders, constantly losing track of the sliotar as if it were 'the snitch'. My only vivid memory of the game itself, apart from Cork winning, arrived in the stands. "Up The Banner," roared one Clare supporter, his side trailing at the death. His war cry was met with considerable fervour by one Cork fan in sunglasses, who bellowed, "Up The Banner me arse!" It was one of the funniest things I've ever heard, and just like that, Cork were Munster champions.
Conor Neville - Manchester United home jersey (1994/95)
My first jersey was the 1994-95 Manchester United home jersey with the name and number 'Kanchelskis 14' on the back. In fact, my first two jerseys were the 1994-95 Manchester United home jersey with the name and number 'Kanchelskis 14' on the back.
My mother's work colleague had purchased this exact same item in error for her son. He had wanted 'Keane 16' on the back or something.
Her seven-year-old son demonstrated all the unreasonableness associated with that demographic and refused to have anything to do with the jersey. Rather than return it, my mother's friend had simply given it to her to give to me.
Along with Norman Davies – Manchester United's then kitman - I was possibly the only person in the world in possession of two of these items.
Such incidents weren’t rare and there are even more egregious examples. A Manchester United supporting school-friend (there were a lot of them about; it was easier to root out non-Manchester United supporting school-friends at the time) was presented with a full Arsenal kit on his birthday once.
I have no idea why I favoured Kanchelskis, by the way, but it has nothing to do with the Russian mafia.
Once again, don't forget to get in touch about your first jersey on our Facebook page, Twitter or email at [email protected].
