Leeds United first club to sell adult replica kits in 1973
The Guardian Sport • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 16, 2026, 7:00 AM
Last updated Sep 16, 2026

Leeds United is recognized as the first club to sell adult replica kits to the public, starting in 1973. Initially, only children's sizes were produced, marking a significant shift in fan culture away from traditional scarves and flags. The trend of fans wearing replica kits has developed over decades, influenced by various factors including DIY creations, unofficial kits, and special editions for cup finals. This change reflects broader cultural shifts within the sport, as supporters began to show their allegiance more visibly through merchandise. The emergence of these kits has had lasting effects on merchandising in football.
- •Leeds United started selling adult replica kits in 1973.
- •Initially, only children's sizes were sold.
- •The trend shifted away from scarves and flags for support.
- •Various unofficial and DIY kits predated official club offerings.
- •Cultural changes influenced fan merchandise visibility.
- 7:00 AMThe Guardian Sport — When did football fans first start wearing replica kits? | The Knowledge
"Plus: more costly (and beneficial) red cards, plus attacks with triple half-century of international goals Mail us with your all of your questions and answers “When did fans wearing replica kits become a thing?” asks Alex Ecob. “Older footage shows people in regular clothes and a few scarves/flags in the team colours. What kickstarted the trend? Did one club get there first?” As the question suggests, this is a not a straightforward answer. Buckle up folks, as we veer wildly from copyright acts to academia, via multiple reports of unofficial kits, DIY jobs, cup-final special editions, youth strips, sew-on jobs and the like. But if we are to draw a line in the sand, and declare one date or one jersey as the first official, adult replica kit to be sold by a club to the general public (or at least those close enough to the club shop), then we probably have to give the gong to Leeds United in 1973, although only children’s sizes were produced initially. Continue reading...
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
Soccer•Sep 16, 2026, 9:05 AMStanis Idumbo, Jordan Teze, and Mamadou Coulibaly absent from AS Monaco training
SoccerSoccer•Sep 16, 2026, 9:00 AMSporting Jax men fight to stave off mathematical elimination
LaLiga•Sep 16, 2026, 9:00 AMReal Madrid to give Kylian Mbappe major boost in 2026 Ballon d’Or race – report
EPL•Sep 16, 2026, 9:00 AMBayern and Chelsea linked with wantaway Man United prodigy JJ Gabriel
LaLiga•Sep 16, 2026, 9:00 AMFC Barcelona News: 16 September 2026
Serie A•Sep 16, 2026, 9:00 AMBologna consider sacking Tedesco with Pioli and Motta linked as replacement