Retro Walsall Shirts – Black Country Saddlers Through the Decades

Walsall Football Club was founded in 1888, the same year the Football League itself was established, though the Saddlers spent most of their early decades finding their feet in the regional pyramid before eventually breaking into the Football League proper. For much of the 20th century, Walsall were journeymen of the lower divisions, a club that fought hard for every point – but in 1933, they wrote themselves permanently into football folklore.

On 14 January 1933, Walsall hosted Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup. Arsenal were the dominant force in English football – reigning league champions managed by the legendary Herbert Chapman, boasting household names and international stars. Walsall were struggling in the Third Division North, and the match was considered a formality. What followed was one of the greatest upsets in the history of the competition. Goals from Gilbert Alsop and Bill Sheppard gave Walsall a stunning 2-0 victory, sending shockwaves across the country and providing the Saddlers with an immortal moment that still defines the club's identity almost a century later.

Beyond that giant-killing, Walsall spent decades bouncing between the third and fourth tiers of English football, occasionally flirting with promotion to what is now the Championship. Their most sustained period at the higher level came in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the Saddlers reached the first division (second tier) and competed creditably against far wealthier clubs. Jan Sørensen and then Colin Lee guided the club through this era, and there were genuine moments of optimism.

Local rivalries with the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion, and Birmingham City – all much larger clubs – give Walsall's story an underdog quality that supporters cherish. The derby atmosphere when the Saddlers punch above their weight against West Midlands rivals is electric, and those occasions remind everyone why football at this level matters so deeply.

The move to the Bescot Stadium in 1990 – ending their long stay at Fellows Park – marked a new chapter. The ground, now known as the Poundland Bescot Stadium, has witnessed promotions, relegations, and countless memorable nights under the floodlights of the Black Country.

Walsall's history is populated with characters who gave everything for the red and white. Gilbert Alsop, the hero of 1933, became a legend overnight with his goal against Arsenal and remained a beloved figure in the town for decades. His name is synonymous with the club's greatest moment, a reminder that heroes can emerge from the most unlikely stages.

Mick Kearns, the Irish goalkeeper who served the club through the 1970s, was a hugely consistent and popular figure between the sticks, earning international caps while plying his trade in the lower leagues – a testament to the quality that Walsall could attract and develop.

Don Goodman, the powerful striker who began his career at Walsall in the late 1980s before moving on to Sunderland, West Brom, and Wolves, is fondly remembered as a raw talent who cut his teeth at Bescot. His explosive style of play made him a fans' favourite before bigger clubs inevitably came calling.

Scott Dann, who would go on to have an outstanding Premier League career with Crystal Palace, developed at Walsall and represents the club's ability to spot and nurture real talent. Similarly, the journeyman quality of players like Jorge Leitão – a cult favourite striker of the early 2000s – represents the type of technically gifted, committed performer who thrives in the Saddlers' environment.

Managers have also left their mark: Ray Graydon, Tommy Coakley, and Dick Graham all shaped the club during important eras, while more recently the revolving door of the lower leagues has brought a succession of ambitious young coaches to the Bescot.

The Walsall retro shirt collection reflects the visual evolution of a club that has always worn its identity with pride. The traditional colours are red and white, most commonly expressed as red shirts with white shorts – a clean, classic combination that gives the kits a timeless quality beloved by collectors.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, Walsall's shirts followed the fashions of the era: bold pinstripes, admiral-style chevrons, and the kind of sturdy cotton-polyester blends that feel wonderfully nostalgic today. These shirts carry the aesthetic of working-class English football at its most authentic – no frills, just football.

The 1990s brought the sponsor era fully into play, with local and regional businesses emblazoning their names across the chest of the famous red shirt. Kit manufacturers cycled through, each leaving their own stamp on the design – some with thick trim detailing, others with subtle tonal patterns across the fabric.

The early 2000s kits, worn during Walsall's highest-ever sustained run in the second tier, are particularly sought after by collectors. These represent the club at their modern peak, and a retro Walsall shirt from this period carries genuine historical weight. With 26 shirts available in our shop spanning multiple decades, there is something for every supporter – from the golden 1933 era admirers to those who watched the Saddlers battle in the First Division.