{"product_id":"1998-99-derby-county-shirt","title":"Derby County Away Shirt Puma 1998-99 vintage collector's item","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eDerby County 1998-99 — The Great Premier League Puma Away Shirt\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e1998-99 season, \u003cstrong\u003eDerby County\u003c\/strong\u003e battled for survival in the \u003cstrong\u003ePremier League\u003c\/strong\u003e with this \u003cstrong\u003ePuma away shirt sponsored by EDS\u003c\/strong\u003e — a jersey that evokes old-school English football, slippery November pitches, and midfield battles fought until the final whistle. A piece of \u003cstrong\u003ePride Park\u003c\/strong\u003e history, to own before it disappears completely from radar.\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 1998-1999\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e Derby County FC\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Away\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eManufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Puma\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSponsor:\u003c\/strong\u003e EDS\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eState:\u003c\/strong\u003e SLIGHTLY USED PRINTINGS — authentic wear of a vintage worn shirt, slightly faded flocking, soul intact\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 1998-99, \u003cstrong\u003eDerby County\u003c\/strong\u003e was in its third consecutive season in the \u003cstrong\u003ePremier League\u003c\/strong\u003e since being promoted in 1996, and Jim Smith's club clung to its place among England's football elite by its fingernails. \u003cstrong\u003ePride Park Stadium\u003c\/strong\u003e, inaugurated just a year earlier, had already become a fortress that visiting teams did not particularly appreciate. It was a time of transition for the Rams, caught between the ambition of establishing themselves permanently in the top flight and the reality of a budget that the league's giants surpassed by a head.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThat season, the Rams could count on players who left their mark on Derby. \u003cstrong\u003eDean Sturridge\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eDeon Burton\u003c\/strong\u003e provided the attacking efforts, while \u003cstrong\u003eRory Delap\u003c\/strong\u003e covered miles with the ball in midfield. \u003cstrong\u003eIgor Štimac\u003c\/strong\u003e led the defense with the authority of a Balkan warrior, and \u003cstrong\u003eFrancesco Baiano\u003c\/strong\u003e added a touch of Italian elegance to a squad resolutely British in temperament. A mixture with character.\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\u003eSurvival in the Heart of the Relegation Battle\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 1998-99 Premier League season was a real trench warfare at the bottom of the table, with Derby involved in the battle until the final matchdays. Finishing the season while maintaining Premier League status was a victory in itself for the Rams that year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePuma and Late Century English Football\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn those pivotal years between two millennia, \u003cstrong\u003ePuma\u003c\/strong\u003e dressed Derby with cuts characteristic of the era — shirts designed for real football, not for marketing. This partnership between the German manufacturer and the Rams produced jerseys that have aged well, precisely because they weren't trying too hard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEDS as Sponsor — A Bygone Era\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElectronic Data Systems\u003c\/strong\u003e, the American IT giant later acquired by HP, sponsored Derby County's shirt during this period, a sign of an era when shirt sponsors weren't necessarily companies that the general public recognized at first glance. This type of logo on a vintage football shirt is a time capsule in itself.\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 replica of the era or a modern reproduction. It's the model worn on the field or sold in official club shops, with the materials, cuts, and manufacturing techniques specific to that precise season. There's a density in the fabric, a finish in the details — woven logos, worked collar — that doesn't lie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis one displays an \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10 condition with slightly used flocking\u003c\/strong\u003e, which says a lot about its authenticity. This shirt has lived, it has been worn — and that's exactly what makes it precious. A vintage shirt in perfect condition is rare; a vintage shirt that has clearly experienced real football matches, locker rooms, post-match discussions, is even rarer to find in this overall condition.\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 late 90s\u003c\/strong\u003e are systematically smaller than what modern standards have accustomed us to. A \u003cstrong\u003evintage Puma size S from 1998-99\u003c\/strong\u003e often corresponds to a fitted to tight cut for someone who today wears a modern S or M. The cuts of that era were not designed for the athleisure comfort we know now — they were designed for the field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore buying, get out your tape measure and measure your chest, shoulder, and back length. Then compare with the actual measurements of the shirt, which you can ask us for directly. A vintage shirt that pulls at the shoulders or that you can't button at the collar looks ridiculous — it's better to take the time to check rather than regret it.\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;\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e1998-99 Derby County away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e belongs to a category of items that collectors of \u003cstrong\u003evintage Premier League shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e are only just beginning to truly appreciate: mid-table clubs from the pre-Sky-money-explosion era, with obscure sponsors, authentic manufacturers, and a late-millennium aesthetic that has no equivalent. It's not a Manchester United, and that's precisely why it's interesting — the rarity of a lesser-known club, a pivotal era, with a Puma logo stamped as only Puma knows how.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThere aren't many in this condition on the market. A \u003cstrong\u003evintage shirt in 8\/10 condition\u003c\/strong\u003e is the collector's sweet spot: well-preserved enough to be worn proudly, authentically worn enough to leave no doubt about its legitimacy. The examples floating around on general platforms are either in poor condition or sold at painfully high prices — this one is an opportunity to get into Derby at the right time.\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\/Derby_County_F.C.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eDerby County 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 — 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;\"\u003eIf you collect \u003cstrong\u003e90s Premier League shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e and Derby County isn't yet on your shelves, now's the time — this kind of piece doesn't come around twice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"New in","offers":[{"title":"S","offer_id":54028816679187,"sku":"372506","price":139.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_1998-99-DERBY-COUNTY-SHIRT-S-372506_1.jpg?v=1775687337","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/1998-99-derby-county-shirt","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}