{"product_id":"2001-04-tranmere-rovers-shirt","title":"Tranmere Rovers Away Shirt Xara 2001-04 Vintage Boys M","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eTranmere Rovers 2001-04 — The Xara Away Shirt from the Wirral Era, Boys M Size\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eIn the early 2000s, Tranmere Rovers was fighting for survival in the \u003cstrong\u003elower divisions of English football\u003c\/strong\u003e — and this \u003cstrong\u003e2001-04 Xara away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is a direct witness to that pivotal era. Boys M size, sponsored by \u003cstrong\u003eWirral\u003c\/strong\u003e, it’s a piece of British provincial football history that few collectors have in their wardrobe.\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 2001-2004\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tranmere Rovers FC — Lower Leagues\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Away\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKit Manufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Xara\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSponsor:\u003c\/strong\u003e WIRRAL\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e Boys M\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition Notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e SPONSOR: WIRRAL — authentic wear of a pre-worn vintage shirt, consistent with the age and actual use of the garment\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;\"\u003eBetween 2001 and 2004, \u003cstrong\u003eTranmere Rovers\u003c\/strong\u003e went through one of the most difficult periods in its recent history. After coming close to glory in the late 90s — with notable appearances in Championship play-offs and League Cup runs — the \u003cstrong\u003eBirkenhead\u003c\/strong\u003e club gradually dropped down the English football hierarchy. The \u003cstrong\u003eFootball League Division Two\u003c\/strong\u003e, ancestor of the current League One, became their daily playground. A tough, committed football, far from the limelight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eIt is in this context that this \u003cstrong\u003eXara away shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e was made. The sponsor \u003cstrong\u003eWirral\u003c\/strong\u003e — named after the municipal council of the peninsula where the club is located — anchors this shirt in its territory, in its community. At that time, players like \u003cstrong\u003eJason Koumas\u003c\/strong\u003e still lit up Prenton Park with their talent before moving on to bigger stages, and manager \u003cstrong\u003eDave Watson\u003c\/strong\u003e tried to maintain sporting consistency in a difficult economic environment for English lower league clubs.\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\u003eRelegation to Division Two 2001-02\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter a complicated 2001-02 season, Tranmere finished at the bottom of the First Division and were relegated to Division Two. This shirt was born from the pain of that relegation and carries all the determination of a club that refuses to die.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Koumas, the departing jewel\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJason Koumas\u003c\/strong\u003e, the technically gifted Welsh midfielder who came through Tranmere's academy, was one of the last great talents to wear the club's colours during this period. His departure to West Bromwich Albion in 2002 alone symbolises the difficulties of \u003cstrong\u003elower league clubs\u003c\/strong\u003e in retaining their best players in the face of the appetites of the higher divisions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eXara, the kit manufacturer for real football clubs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the 2000s, \u003cstrong\u003eXara\u003c\/strong\u003e was the discreet but solid kit manufacturer for dozens of second-tier British clubs. Far from the flashiness of big brands, their shirts had their own identity, a characteristic cut, and a robustness that today gives them the status of a highly sought-after \u003cstrong\u003evintage collector's shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e.\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 not a store shirt taken out of its plastic packaging. It's a garment that has lived — potentially worn on a real pitch, in real British weather conditions, in front of real fans. The finishes, the inner labels, the quality of the sponsor flocking: everything is original, nothing has been recreated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis shirt is rated \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10\u003c\/strong\u003e, making it a very well-preserved example for an item over twenty years old. The noted wear primarily concerns the Wirral sponsor, which is entirely consistent with a shirt that has been used or stored under normal conditions. For a \u003cstrong\u003elower league shirt from the 2000s\u003c\/strong\u003e, this condition is frankly above the average of what is found on the market.\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;\"\u003eThis shirt is a \u003cstrong\u003eBoys M\u003c\/strong\u003e size, which is a child\/teenager cut by 2000s standards. Please note: vintage sizes, whether adult or child, do not correspond to modern sizes. A 2001 Boys M can fit a slim young teenager, but can also be worn by an adult who likes fitted and oversized-retro cuts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore ordering, measure your shoulder width, chest circumference, and torso length. Then compare with the actual product measurements available on the product sheet. A \u003cstrong\u003evintage Boys M Xara shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e can surprise with its length or cut, often straighter and less fitted than current cuts. It's better to take thirty seconds to measure than to regret it once the package is opened.\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\u003eEnglish lower league shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e are among the most confidential and coveted pieces in the \u003cstrong\u003evintage football\u003c\/strong\u003e market. Unlike Premier League or overexposed European club shirts, a Tranmere Rovers away shirt from the 2001-04 period with its original Wirral sponsor is an absolute rarity. Few of these shirts were produced, even fewer have survived two decades in good condition. The kit manufacturer \u003cstrong\u003eXara\u003c\/strong\u003e adds another layer of specificity: this brand no longer exists in its original form, which makes every piece it produced intrinsically rare and non-reproducible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThere aren't many in this condition on the market, to be honest. A \u003cstrong\u003evintage Xara shirt in 8\/10\u003c\/strong\u003e condition, Boys M size, with the Wirral sponsor still legible — this is the kind of piece you find once and regret not taking if you pass it up. Whether you're a Tranmere fan, a collector of 2000s English shirts, or simply a lover of authentic football far from the glitz, this piece belongs 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\/Tranmere_Rovers_F.C.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eTranmere Rovers 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;\"\u003eA Tranmere Rovers 2001-04 Xara away shirt with its Wirral sponsor is pure, unadulterated English football — exactly what real collectors are looking for. It's up to you to decide if you'll let this pass by.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lower Leagues","offers":[{"title":"Mr. BOYS","offer_id":54012076556563,"sku":"333677","price":24.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_2001-04-TRANMERE-ROVERS-SHIRT-M-BOYS-333677_1.jpg?v=1775502583","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/2001-04-tranmere-rovers-shirt","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}