{"product_id":"1997-98-west-bromwich-albion-shirt","title":"West Bromwich Albion 1997-98 Home Patrick Vintage XL Shirt","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eWest Bromwich Albion 1997-98 Shirt — Patrick, the First Division Era and Local Sponsor\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eIn 1997-98, \u003cstrong\u003eWest Bromwich Albion\u003c\/strong\u003e played in the \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish First Division\u003c\/strong\u003e — the second tier at the time, two years after the birth of the Premier League in its modern form. This is an \u003cstrong\u003eauthentic vintage Patrick shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e with the \u003cstrong\u003eWest Bromwich Building Society\u003c\/strong\u003e sponsor, emblazoned with the popular and local identity of the Baggies. A rare item, and not just for WBA fans.\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 1997-98\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e West Bromwich Albion\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Home\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eManufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Patrick\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSponsor:\u003c\/strong\u003e West Bromwich Building Society\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e XL\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eState:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sponsor intact — authentic and light wear of a worn vintage shirt, which is precisely its collector's value\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;\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e1997-98 West Bromwich Albion\u003c\/strong\u003e season took place in the midst of the \u003cstrong\u003eFirst Division\u003c\/strong\u003e, the English second-tier league as it existed before becoming the Championship in 2004. The \u003cstrong\u003eBaggies\u003c\/strong\u003e navigated the middle of the table, in a period of rebuilding between two eras. The club's finances were still heavily reliant on local partners — hence the prominent presence of the \u003cstrong\u003eWest Bromwich Building Society\u003c\/strong\u003e on the front of the shirt, a sponsor rooted in the economic fabric of the West Midlands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eOn the pitch, the squad at that time included players like \u003cstrong\u003eLee Hughes\u003c\/strong\u003e, a local striker who came through the club's academy and was starting to make a name for himself, and \u003cstrong\u003eAndy Hunt\u003c\/strong\u003e, a reliable centre-forward in the English second division. Manager \u003cstrong\u003eRay Harford\u003c\/strong\u003e was in charge that season after Alan Buckley's departure. It was a time of transition, like so many others in the dense and troubled history of this club founded in \u003cstrong\u003e1878\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the founding members of the Football League.\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\u003eThe Hawthorns, First Division fortress\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe Baggies' legendary stadium, \u003cstrong\u003eThe Hawthorns\u003c\/strong\u003e, was the scene of all battles in 1997-98. It's one of the highest grounds in England — and one of the most intense atmospheres outside the Premier League.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePatrick and 90s English football\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe \u003cstrong\u003ePatrick\u003c\/strong\u003e brand supplied West Bromwich Albion for several seasons in the 90s — a period when the French manufacturer was still very present in British professional football. This type of contract, uncommon in today's landscape dominated by Nike, Adidas, and Puma, gives this \u003cstrong\u003evintage Patrick shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e a special status among collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe West Bromwich Building Society sponsor — a symbol of belonging\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nBefore international sponsors and global partnerships, English second-division clubs proudly wore the names of their local partners. The \u003cstrong\u003eWest Bromwich Building Society\u003c\/strong\u003e on this shirt is a piece of the social and economic history of the Midlands sewn directly onto the fabric — it's hard to find anything more authentic.\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;\"\u003eA \u003cstrong\u003evintage authentic shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is fundamentally different from a replica. It was produced to be worn — by fans, sometimes by players in training — with the materials, finishes, and cuts of the exact era. The flocking is sewn or heat-sealed according to 90s techniques, the fabric breathes differently from modern ultra-stretch polyesters, and every detail tells something specific about football from that decade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis one is in \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10 condition\u003c\/strong\u003e — which is an excellent rating in the world of \u003cstrong\u003evintage football shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e. The sponsor is intact, the seams are solid, and the overall item shows light wear perfectly consistent with its age. We're not talking about a shirt taken out of a sealed box — we're talking about an item that has lived, and shows it just enough.\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 XL shirts from the 90s\u003c\/strong\u003e do not at all correspond to current standards. A 1997 XL is often equivalent to a modern L, sometimes even an M depending on the brands and cuts of the time. \u003cstrong\u003ePatrick\u003c\/strong\u003e in particular had quite fitted cuts on some of its ranges — closer to the body than what we are used to today with the loose-fitting shirts of contemporary football.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore any purchase, measure your chest circumference and bust length with a soft tape measure. Then compare with the flat measurements of the shirt if they are available. A difference of 5 to 8 cm between your actual measurement and the flat shirt usually gives you correct comfort. If you want to wear it open or in an oversized style, you can obviously take more freedom with the measurements.\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\u003eVintage West Bromwich Albion shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e from the 90s are not common — and even less so those supplied by \u003cstrong\u003ePatrick\u003c\/strong\u003e. The combination of a French manufacturer + a local English sponsor + a historic club of major importance in Midlands football, this is a collector's niche that gains value as the years go by. The 90s now represent the golden age of \u003cstrong\u003eretro football shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e for an entire generation of collectors, and demand is not waning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10 condition with the sponsor intact\u003c\/strong\u003e, this shirt is clearly above the average of what is found on the market for this era and club. There aren't many in this condition — and even fewer with the \u003cstrong\u003eWest Bromwich Building Society\u003c\/strong\u003e so legible after more than twenty-five years. Whether you're a Baggies fan, a collector of Patrick shirts, or simply passionate about 90s English football, this shirt has something to say in a serious collection.\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\/West_Bromwich_Albion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eWest Bromwich Albion - 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 - Shirt History\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;\"\u003eA \u003cstrong\u003ePatrick West Bromwich Albion 1997-98\u003c\/strong\u003e shirt in 8\/10 with the local sponsor intact — if that speaks to you, you know what to do.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"West Bromwich Albion","offers":[{"title":"XL","offer_id":54010315309331,"sku":"237771","price":99.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_1997-98-WEST-BROMWICH-ALBION-SHIRT-XL-237771_1.jpg?v=1775445414","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/1997-98-west-bromwich-albion-shirt","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}