Everton Home Shirt 1997-99 Umbro Vintage ONE 2 ONE

Everton 1997-99 Umbro Shirt – Late 90s Toffees in Flesh and Fabric

Between 1997 and 1999, Everton navigated the troubled waters of the Premier League at the turn of the century, far from the top but with incredible character. This Umbro home shirt sponsored by ONE 2 ONE is a direct witness to this pivotal period at Goodison Park – before everything changed in the 2000s.

Shirt Details

Season: 1997-1999
Club: Everton
Type: Home
Kit Manufacturer: Umbro
Sponsor: ONE 2 ONE
Condition: 8/10
State: LITTLE PULLS, LITTLE SPOT, SLIGHTLY USED PRINTINGS - authentic wear of a vintage worn shirt

What this shirt represents

The late 90s was a particularly delicate period for Everton Football Club. The club had narrowly avoided relegation in 1994, had regained some semblance of stability, but remained far from the ambitions that had once made the Toffees one of England's most successful clubs. It was in this context of constant rebuilding that this shirt was born — worn in a Goodison Park that was always electric, even when results weren't following.

On the bench, Howard Kendall took over the reins of the club in 1997 for a third spell, having built the great team of the 80s. In the ranks, names like Duncan Ferguson, the Scottish giant, an absolute icon of Goodison, continued to thrill supporters. Nick Barmby, Slaven Bilić in defense, or even Gary Speed before his departure — this generation had talent, even if titles were not forthcoming.

Moments etched in this shirt

Duncan Ferguson, the beast of Goodison
The imposing Scot is inseparable from this era. When he's on the field, Goodison rumbles — and this Umbro shirt is as much his as it is the supporters' who wear it in the stands.

The ONE 2 ONE sponsor, a symbol of an era
The British mobile phone operator ONE 2 ONE sponsored Everton from 1997, part of the big wave of telecom sponsors invading Premier League shirts. Now defunct — absorbed by T-Mobile and then Orange — this logo is an irreplaceable time marker that dates this shirt to the second.

Umbro at the peak of its vintage art
In the late 90s, Umbro was still at the height of its glory in English football, before gradually losing contracts to giants like Nike and Adidas. Umbro shirts of this generation are now among the most sought after by collectors — characteristic cut, careful finishes, fabric with an incomparable thickness and feel compared to modern synthetics.

Authentic vs Replica

An authentic vintage shirt is not an endlessly reproduced souvenir shop item. It's a piece that existed in real football — made to be worn on a pitch or in a stand, with the materials and finishes of the era. The inner labels, ventilation grids, fabric texture, and the way markings are printed or flocked: all of it doesn't lie. An authentic from this period is immediately distinguishable from a reproduction.

This one displays an 8/10 condition with some small pulls, a slight spot, and slightly used printings — exactly what you expect from a vintage Everton shirt that has lived. It's not a shirt taken out of an unopened plastic box: it's a shirt with history, real textile history, and no new reproduction can offer you that.

Vintage Sizing Guide

The sizes of vintage 90s shirts do not correspond to modern sizes. A 1997 XXL often fits like a modern L or M depending on the brand and cut. Umbro, in particular, had relatively fitted cuts for the time — closer to the body than the loose cuts that became standard in the 2000s. Never rely solely on the size tag.

Before buying, measure your chest flat and compare with the actual measurements of the shirt. Shoulder-to-shoulder width, total length, and chest circumference are the three key measurements. An Umbro XXL collector's shirt can perfectly fit a current L or XL build — and often that's even the good news, because the vintage cut is frankly more stylish when worn slightly fitted.

Why have it in your collection

The Everton 1997-99 home shirt brings together several elements that make it a serious collector's item. First, Umbro, a brand that has become rare in big clubs since its acquisition by Nike in 2012 — authentic pieces from this era are becoming increasingly difficult to find in good condition. Then, the ONE 2 ONE sponsor, now disappeared from the face of the Earth, which makes this shirt perfectly datable and identifiable. And finally Everton, one of the founding clubs of English football, nine-time English champions, whose vintage shirts remain underrated compared to Manchester United or Liverpool — and therefore still accessible before prices skyrocket.

There aren't many in this condition on the market. An Everton Umbro shirt from the late 90s in 8/10 condition is not something you come across every morning on resale platforms — and when you do, it's often in much worse condition or sold for much more. This one has lived but it's here, recognizable, complete, with its markings still legible and its original cut intact. This is exactly what a true collector is looking for.

To go further

• Everton - Wikipedia
• Football Kit Archive - Shirt History
• Premier League - Official Site
• UEFA - European Football

If you're a Toffees fan or simply addicted to vintage Umbro Premier League gems, this shirt has everything — the era, the club, the kit manufacturer, and that honest wear that says it's real. It's up to you.