How We Source and Authenticate Vintage Football Shirts

Every vintage shirt at Saturdays Football is an original, bought from a collector or a trusted supplier, checked by us, and sold exactly as we received it. This page explains what that means and what to expect when you buy one.

Where the shirts come from

We buy from private collectors, estate and club lots, and a small number of suppliers we have worked with for years. We do not buy from marketplaces that cannot tell us where a shirt came from, and we do not stock replicas sold as originals.

We also carry officially licensed retro reissues. These are new shirts made to an old design by the brand that owns the rights. They are always listed as reissues, never as vintage.

What we never do

We never apply names, numbers, patches or sponsors to a shirt. If a shirt has a name and number on it, that is how it reached us. Where we know the printing is original to the era, the listing says so. Where we cannot be sure, the listing says that too.

We never repair, re-dye or alter a shirt. Flaws are photographed and described, not hidden.

How we check each shirt

Before a shirt is listed it is checked against the same references collectors use. The checks are brand-specific, and we publish them in full in our field guide, Reading the Tags, which is also printed and tucked in with every order.

Check	What we look at
Labels and product codes	Neck label, wash label and style code match the brand, the season and the country of manufacture for that era
Construction	Stitching, seam tape, collar and cuff construction consistent with the manufacturer's methods at the time
Crest, sponsor and branding	Embroidery density, print type and placement match period references and verified pieces in our own archive
Fabric and wear	Fabric weight and finish correct for the year; wear consistent with age rather than artificial distressing
Name and number printing	Font, material and application compared with era-correct examples; noted on the listing as original or unconfirmed

How we describe condition

Every listing carries a condition note in plain words. We use four grades.

Grade	Meaning
Excellent	No visible flaws. May have been worn, but shows no marks, pulls or fading
Very good	Light signs of wear such as minor pilling, faint marks or slight sponsor cracking, visible in the photos
Good	Clear signs of a shirt that has been worn and loved: marks, pulls, bobbling or cracked print, all photographed and listed
Worn	Significant wear or a flaw that affects the look of the shirt, priced accordingly and described in full

If a flaw is not in the photos or the description, that is our mistake, and the returns policy below covers it.

If something is not right

30 day returns. Every item, including vintage shirts, can be returned within 30 days of delivery, as long as it is unworn and in the condition you received it. If a shirt arrives damaged, or is not as described, we cover the return shipping and offer a replacement or a full refund. Email help@saturdaysfootball.com with your order number and photos. Full details are on our shipping and returns page.

Questions we get asked

Are Saturdays Football vintage shirts authentic?

Yes. Every vintage shirt is an original bought from a collector or trusted supplier and checked by us before listing. We also sell officially licensed reissues, which are always labelled as reissues.

Do you add names and numbers to shirts?

No. We never apply names, numbers, patches or sponsors. Shirts are sold exactly as we received them, and the listing states whether printing is confirmed original or unconfirmed.

What is the difference between vintage and retro?

Vintage means an original shirt from the season it was made. Retro, or reissue, means a new shirt made to an old design under licence. We stock both and label each one.

What if I think a shirt I bought is not genuine?

Email us photos of the tags and labels. We will check it against our references and, if we got it wrong, cover return shipping and refund you in full.

Can I return a vintage shirt?

Yes. 30 day returns on every item: within 30 days of delivery, unworn and in the condition received. Damaged or misdescribed items are refunded in full with return shipping covered.