Retro Blackpool Shirt – The Tangerines of Bloomfield Road

Blackpool FC was founded in 1887, growing out of the town's Old Boys organisation and quickly establishing itself as one of Lancashire's prominent footballing forces. The club joined the Football League in 1896 and settled into Bloomfield Road, their home ever since, a compact ground that sits almost within earshot of the famous Golden Mile.

The club's greatest era arrived in the late 1940s and early 1950s, when Blackpool assembled one of the most talented squads in the country. They reached the FA Cup Final in 1948 and again in 1951, losing both times in heartbreaking fashion. Then came 2nd May 1953 – a date etched permanently into English football history. The Matthews Final, as it is universally known, saw Blackpool face Bolton Wanderers at Wembley. With 20 minutes remaining, Blackpool trailed 3-1. What followed was one of the great sporting comebacks. Stan Mortensen pulled one back, then another, and then – with time nearly up – scored a stunning free-kick to complete the first and still only hat-trick ever scored in an FA Cup Final. But it was Stanley Matthews, weaving his impossible way down the right flank at 38 years old, who set up the winning goal for Bill Perry. Blackpool 4, Bolton 3. The nation wept with joy.

The club spent much of the 1950s and 1960s in the First Division, competing respectably before a gradual decline saw them drop through the divisions. Relegations in 1967 and beyond pushed them into the lower reaches of the Football League, where they spent long, difficult decades.

The early 21st century brought a remarkable renaissance. Under the eccentric, brilliant management of Ian Holloway, Blackpool stormed through the Championship Play-Offs in 2010, defeating Cardiff City at Wembley to earn a Premier League place that astonished everyone. Their single top-flight season (2010–11) was a glorious, chaotic adventure – playing attacking football, pulling off stunning results, and charming neutral fans everywhere before narrowly missing survival. It remains one of football's great romantic stories.

Rivalries with Preston North End – the ancient West Lancashire Derby – and Burnley have defined generations of supporters, producing fierce, passionate encounters that echo long after the final whistle.

Stanley Matthews is the name that towers above all others in Blackpool's history. The Wizard of Dribble spent two spells at Bloomfield Road and became synonymous with the club despite never winning the league title. His performance in the 1953 FA Cup Final remains the benchmark against which all individual showings are measured. He was knighted in 1965, the first footballer to receive the honour while still playing.

Stan Mortensen, often unfairly overshadowed by his more famous teammate, was a devastating centre-forward who scored 225 goals for the club and netted that historic hat-trick at Wembley. A true Blackpool hero.

Jimmy Armfield is widely regarded as one of the finest right-backs England ever produced. He spent his entire playing career at Bloomfield Road from 1954 to 1971, making 627 appearances. He captained England and was voted the best right-back at the 1962 World Cup. His loyalty to Blackpool in an era when big clubs coveted him speaks volumes.

Alan Ball, World Cup winner with England in 1966, began his career at Bloomfield Road before Everton came calling. His infectious energy and relentless work-rate were evident from the very start.

In more recent times, Charlie Adam's creative midfield play was central to Holloway's promotion-winning side, while DJ Campbell and DJ Campbell provided goals during the Premier League adventure. Holloway himself deserves legendary status as a manager – his pre-match press conferences alone were worth the admission price.

The tangerine shirt is Blackpool's eternal identity, and it has evolved beautifully across the decades. The classic 1950s design was simple and unadorned – a vivid orange that stood out like a beacon under Wembley's floodlights. There were no sponsors, no elaborate patterns, just that magnificent colour and a white collar that spoke of a more elegant footballing era.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, manufacturers added stripes and v-necks, but the tangerine always dominated. The replica retro Blackpool shirt from the early 1990s, featuring the period-correct sponsor and the era's distinctive cut, has become a popular collector's item.

The 2010–11 Premier League season produced arguably the most sought-after modern kit – a clean tangerine design that the whole country came to associate with that wonderfully improbable campaign. Shirts from that season, particularly match-worn versions, command serious attention.

The 1953 FA Cup Final recreation shirts are perennial favourites – there is something deeply moving about wearing the same design that Matthews and Mortensen wore on that extraordinary Wembley afternoon. For pure collector value, the simplicity of the 1940s and 1950s designs has never been surpassed.