Retro Salford City Shirts – The Class of 92 Story

Salford City were founded in 1940, though the club's roots stretch back further through various incarnations of amateur football in the Salford area. For decades they existed contentedly in the lower reaches of non-league football, playing in front of handfuls of supporters at Moor Lane and competing in competitions few outside Greater Manchester had heard of. That all changed dramatically in 2014 when the Class of 92 completed their takeover, bringing with them investment, ambition, and a level of media attention entirely unprecedented for a club sitting in the seventh tier of English football.

The transformation was breathtaking. In 2015–16 they won the Northern Premier League Division One North title, earning promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division. The following season brought the Northern Premier League title itself. Then came back-to-back promotions through the National League North and the National League, culminating in a historic play-off final victory over AFC Fylde at Wembley in May 2019 — Salford City were in the English Football League for the first time in their history.

Their debut Football League season of 2019–20 ended with a League Two play-off final appearance at Wembley, losing to Northampton Town on penalties in what was a cruelly close call. They have since established themselves as a League Two club with genuine ambitions of pushing higher, bringing in experienced managers and players who know how to win at this level. The Peninsula Stadium — their redeveloped home — has become a modern, well-appointed ground fit for Football League status.

Derbies against nearby non-league rivals during their rise added spice to their story, and the intense local interest from Manchester football fans curious about what the Class of 92 were building made every game appointment viewing. The club's rise is now studied as a model of what can happen when serious investment meets genuine community roots.

The Class of 92 ownership has attracted some notable footballing names through Salford City's doors, giving their playing history a star-studded quality unusual for a club of their size and age. Former Premier League and international players have seen out their careers at the Peninsula Stadium, drawn by the project's ambition and the unique appeal of being part of something genuinely new.

Adnan Januzaj, the Belgian winger who once thrilled Old Trafford, had a brief stint with the club. Adam Rooney, the prolific Scottish striker, became a fan favourite and one of the most important players in the club's non-league rise, his goals firing them upward through the divisions. Richie Allen and Robert Lainton were stalwarts of the early Class of 92 era.

Managers have also played a defining role. Phil Neville took on a player-manager role during the early days of the takeover, lending the project a symbolic significance. Graham Alexander, a man who understood lower-league football intimately from a long playing career, guided the club into the Football League and earned widespread praise for his measured approach. Subsequent managers including Gary Bowyer have continued building a squad capable of competing in League Two and beyond.

The stories of players who joined for the project's excitement — rather than just the wages — give Salford City a unique dressing room culture, one shaped by legends of the game who walk the corridors as owners and mentors.

The Salford City kit has evolved significantly alongside the club's rapid rise, and today a retro Salford shirt from any era of that climb carries genuine nostalgia and collectability. The club's traditional colours are red and white, and their shirts have reflected this with clean, bold designs that have become more polished as the club's resources grew.

The non-league era kits — modest, simply branded strips from their time in the Northern Premier League — are the rarest and most historically significant pieces for serious collectors. These shirts witnessed the foundations being laid, the early Class of 92 training sessions, and the first competitive games after the famous takeover.

As the club rose through the National League and into the EFL, kit quality and design complexity improved noticeably. Sponsors changed, manufacturers upgraded, and the shirts took on a more professional feel. The red home shirts from their first Football League seasons carry obvious appeal — they represent a genuine historical milestone.

With 3 retro Salford shirts available in our shop, collectors have a focused but meaningful selection to choose from. Each one tells part of a story that football fans across England have followed with fascination.