From bedrooms to archives nss sports meets Classic Football Shirts' founder Doug Bierton
Dukinfield, Greater Manchester. Snow, temperatures below zero. A large sign rises above the roof of a huge warehouse: it's the headquarters of Classic Football Shirts. Who would have imagined that a dream, born within the walls of a university dorm room–or at least, as the founders Doug Bierton and Matthew Dale often tell it–would turn into a perfect machine, a fully functional system with 250 employees today?
Berbatov, Beckham, Lampard, Drogba. It took very little to feel astonished by the Premier League fonts, perfectly stacked one above the other in a dedicated area, meticulously organized by football season. It only took a moment to immerse ourselves in the treasures displayed in the Vault, a (real) vault separated from the other areas of the headquarters. The ones in which the various processes take place, from dispatch to quality control and washing, where thousands of match-worn shirts are stored. Who would have imagined being able to touch at least five match-worn shirts of Thierry Henry, including the Highbury shirt from the 2005/06 season, the one where the French talent used to cut the double layer to feel more comfortable? Classic Football Shirts is a paradise for collectors. But it is also a business that generates millions every year–the turnover of Classic Football Shirts increased by 25.6%, reaching £24.47 million in the year ending June 30, 2023.
We had the opportunity to exchange a few words with Doug Bierton, founder of the world’s number one destination for retro kit enthusiasts (and more), reflecting on what has been–and continues to be–a historically crucial era for football shirts, one that is set to expand exponentially with the excitement of the 2026 World Cup in the US.
«The only real challenge is simply having more shirts. After all, our name is Classic Football Shirts, right?» Doug Bierton begins the conversation casually. «It’s my business, and that’s what it remains. At home, except for the football shirts I use for playing sports, I don’t keep anything anymore. It's all here (at Classic Football Shirts headquarters, ed.). It’s a philosophy that has helped me in daily life as well, with clothes in general. I don’t collect anymore; I only buy what I need.»
From this initial exchange, it seems Doug has lost the emotional side that typically characterizes collecting in general. Yet, it’s often said that nostalgia is something hard to distance yourself from, especially when it comes to football. But nostalgia is almost a fundamental asset for the sport that, quite frankly, helps sell more shirts. And here, Doug contradicts our initial impressions, confirming that nostalgia is essential in his daily work. «Shirts are a way to touch the past, that’s what my heart says. But, as a businessman, I know I need to look to the future. And speaking of the future, it’s important to reflect on how the clientele of Classic Football Shirts has changed, and therefore the football shirt market too.»
The fortune and status of a company like Classic Football Shirts allow it not to worry too much when a market undergoes such dramatic changes, as has happened in recent years with the football shirt industry. This means that CFS has a superior level of awareness and knows it doesn’t need to adapt to anything: it’s not necessary to immaculately study a new target, because it knows it will still sell its stock. After all, anyone who wants a shirt knows they must go to the Classic Football Shirts website.
«In fact, when it comes to buying shirts, we never look at trends. We don’t care about being the destination for the most fashionable shirts of the moment; we want to be the go-to place for football shirt enthusiasts. For example, since adidas released the third shirts with the Trefoil at the end of the 2023/24 season, those have been the most requested, and consequently, we’ve distributed a lot of them. We’re a business, and we want to increase our revenue. It’s simple: cultural phenomena like blokecore haven’t changed our approach at all, nor have they altered the daily dynamics. It’s definitely helped to attract a younger audience, with our buyers now predominantly aged between 18 and 24, but our profession hasn’t changed in the slightest.»
Doug’s words clearly outline the identity of the company: no frills, just substance, as demonstrated by the fast evolution of Classic Football Shirts into the phygital space. Today, in addition to being the preferred online destination for football shirt collectors, CFS boasts stores in Manchester, London, and three in the United States, in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. «The UK is our primary market, accounting for about 30%. The United States, on the other hand, is the fastest-growing market year after year and will soon surpass the UK, especially with the 2026 World Cup coming up in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which represents a huge opportunity. In third place is South Korea, followed by Australia and Germany.»
While we’re talking, Doug gives us a tour inside the Vault, carefully caressing the Sporting Lisbon shirt of Cristiano Ronaldo (We almost forgot we had the CR28), the last match-worn shirt he wore with the Portuguese club, revealing incredible behind-the-scenes stories and backstories about each of these shirts. After spending an entire morning within those walls that hold a certain magic, Doug took us to the taxi, directed to downtown Manchester, where we visited the Classic Football Shirts store. In that moment, he shared one last thought with us, reflecting on the upcoming 2026 World Cup. «I can't wait for the 2026 World Cup. It will be like having a Super Bowl every day, football is about to become the third national sport in the US. I want football shirts to become souvenirs, just like NFL caps and NBA jerseys: after all, I’m still a businessman…».
Special Thanks: Doug Bierton, Elliott Woodthorpe
The preorder is available now on our e-commerce at this link.