{"product_id":"1995-97-rushden-diamonds-shirt","title":"1995-97 Rushden \u0026 Diamonds Home Shirt Cica Vintage","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eRushden \u0026amp; Diamonds 1995-97 — The Cica shirt of a merged club, sponsored by Whitworths\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eIn 1992, two rival Midlands clubs merged to form \u003cstrong\u003eRushden \u0026amp; Diamonds FC\u003c\/strong\u003e — a story of English non-league football unlike any other. This \u003cstrong\u003e1995-97 Cica home shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is one of the first visual testimonies of a club building its identity, sponsored by \u003cstrong\u003eWhitworths\u003c\/strong\u003e, the famous Northamptonshire food brand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eShirt details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:2;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeason:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1995-1997\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rushden \u0026amp; Diamonds FC — Lower Leagues\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Home\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKit manufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cica\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSponsor:\u003c\/strong\u003e WHITWORTHS\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eState:\u003c\/strong\u003e LITTLE PULLS — slight bobbling, authentic wear of a worn vintage shirt\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eWhat this shirt represents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eIn the mid-90s, \u003cstrong\u003eRushden \u0026amp; Diamonds\u003c\/strong\u003e was not yet the club that would shake up the English lower leagues with money from Max Griggs — the Dr. Martens boss — but it was already laying the foundations. The merger between \u003cstrong\u003eRushden Town\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eIrthlingborough Diamonds\u003c\/strong\u003e, formalized in 1992, created something unique in \u003cstrong\u003eNorthamptonshire non-league football\u003c\/strong\u003e: an ambitious project, rooted in the community, with a real sporting vision. This 1995-97 shirt corresponds to the first seasons when the club began to structure itself seriously, seeking to progress in the English football pyramid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eAt that time, the \u003cstrong\u003eDiamonds\u003c\/strong\u003e played in the \u003cstrong\u003eSouthern League\u003c\/strong\u003e, one of the most competitive divisions in English semi-professional football. The club relied on local players and valuable recruits to build a cohesive team. The gradual arrival of Max Griggs' investments would soon transform the club — but in 1995-97, it was still a tough grind, true grassroots football, where every match counted double and local sponsors like \u003cstrong\u003eWhitworths\u003c\/strong\u003e kept the shop running.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eMoments etched in this shirt\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuilding a new club — season after season\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nRushden \u0026amp; Diamonds is a football project built brick by brick since 1992. The 1995-97 seasons represent a pivotal phase: the club stabilized its level, developed its infrastructure at Nene Park, and began to attract players capable of leading the team to the top of \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish non-league football\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNene Park — the stadium of a club in the making\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nIt was in this stadium, in the heart of Northamptonshire, that this shirt was worn to the cheers of a loyal fan base. Nene Park would become one of the most modern stadiums in English non-league thanks to Griggs' investments — but in 1995-97, the atmosphere was already one of a club that believed in its future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhitworths — a sponsor rooted in the local area\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nSeeing the name \u003cstrong\u003eWhitworths\u003c\/strong\u003e on this shirt is a direct reminder of the club's local roots. The brand, specializing in dried fruits and cooking ingredients, was based in Northamptonshire — sponsoring the \u003cstrong\u003eDiamonds\u003c\/strong\u003e was a choice of proximity, of regional pride. This kind of partnership, typical of \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish football in the 90s\u003c\/strong\u003e, is rarely seen today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eAuthentic vs Replica\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eAn \u003cstrong\u003eauthentic vintage shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is fundamentally different from a store replica. It's a piece designed for play — technical fabrics of the era, a fit adjusted to 90s standards, solid finishes designed to withstand matches and washes. Kit manufacturer \u003cstrong\u003eCica\u003c\/strong\u003e was one of those suppliers specializing in kits for non-league clubs and lower divisions in Britain — shirts without frills but with a strong visual identity, far from the mass production of major manufacturers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis shirt is rated \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10 with little pulls\u003c\/strong\u003e. In short: it has lived, it has been worn, it has a history. These small imperfections are not flaws — they are proof that this piece is authentic, that it comes from the field and not a warehouse. For a serious collector, a shirt in 8\/10 condition remains an \u003cstrong\u003eexceptional collector's item\u003c\/strong\u003e, especially for a club as rare as Rushden \u0026amp; Diamonds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eVintage size guide\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVintage shirts from the 90s\u003c\/strong\u003e do not correspond to modern sizes — the cuts of the time were conceived differently, often more fitted and less long than what we know today. A vintage XL from 1995 can easily be equivalent to a modern L, or even an M, depending on the brands and kit manufacturers. This is a basic rule to consider before purchasing any \u003cstrong\u003eretro shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore you buy, grab a tape measure and measure your chest circumference and torso length. Then compare with the exact measurements of the shirt — we can provide them upon request. It's two minutes that will prevent disappointment. A collector's shirt that doesn't fit well is a collector's shirt that stays in a drawer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eWhy have it in your collection\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRushden \u0026amp; Diamonds shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e are rare items in the \u003cstrong\u003evintage football collector's market\u003c\/strong\u003e. The club had a relatively short existence at the highest level — founded in 1992, it reached the Football League in 2001, then disappeared in 2011, liquidated after financial difficulties. This short and intense cycle makes every artifact of the Diamonds' history precious. And among all these artifacts, the shirts from the pre-Football League period — like this \u003cstrong\u003e1995-97 Cica\u003c\/strong\u003e — are the hardest to find. These are pieces that bear witness to the club's origins, before glory and before the fall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10 condition\u003c\/strong\u003e, this shirt is in frankly remarkable condition for its age — we're talking about a piece approaching thirty years old. The slight pulls do not affect the structure, the legibility of the sponsor flocking, or the overall integrity of the fabric. There aren't many in this condition on the market, believe us. Collectors of \u003cstrong\u003enon-league football shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e and fans of Diamonds' history know its worth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;margin-top:28px;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003eTo go further\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"line-height:2.2;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rushden_%26_Diamonds_F.C.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eRushden \u0026amp; Diamonds FC — Wikipedia\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.footballkitarchive.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eFootball Kit Archive — History of football shirts\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.uefa.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eUEFA — European football\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-style:italic;line-height:1.8;\"\u003eThis Cica Rushden \u0026amp; Diamonds shirt is a piece of English football history that most people have never seen — if you're the type to collect pieces that no one else has, you already know what you need to do.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lower Leagues","offers":[{"title":"XL","offer_id":54012076228883,"sku":"343420","price":179.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_1995-97-RUSHDEN-DIAMONDS-SHIRT-XL-343420_1.jpg?v=1775502559","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/1995-97-rushden-diamonds-shirt","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}