{"product_id":"2004-05-gillingham-roberts-shirt","title":"Gillingham 2004-05 Home Vintage Shirt Signed Ivan Roberts XL","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003eGillingham 2004-05 – Ivan Roberts signed home shirt, a Lower League piece like no other\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eIn 2004-05, \u003cstrong\u003eGillingham FC\u003c\/strong\u003e fought for survival in the Championship, England's second division, during a pivotal period for the Kent club. This \u003cstrong\u003evintage Gillingham home shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e bears the authentic signature of \u003cstrong\u003eIvan Roberts\u003c\/strong\u003e, an iconic striker who played for the Gills, making it much more than just a Lower League kit — it's a living document of a bygone era of English football.\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 2004-05\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e Gillingham FC – Lower Leagues\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Home\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eManufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Official\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSponsor:\u003c\/strong\u003e MHS HOMES GROUP\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 WITH IVAN ROBERTS' SIGNATURE, LITTLE DIRTY, SLIGHTLY USED PRINTINGS – authentic wear of a worn vintage shirt, a trace of time passing and football being played\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\u003e2004-05 Gillingham season\u003c\/strong\u003e was one of the most challenging in the club's recent history. The Gills were then playing in the \u003cstrong\u003eFootball League Championship\u003c\/strong\u003e, the newly rebranded English second division that year, and the pressure was immense to stay in the elite of second-tier football. This is the raw reality of \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish lower league football\u003c\/strong\u003e: no glamour, no Premier League millions, just warriors giving their all for their colours under the stands of Priestfield Stadium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThe sponsor \u003cstrong\u003eMHS Homes Group\u003c\/strong\u003e, a property developer rooted in Kent, perfectly illustrates this local and community anchorage typical of \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish lower league clubs\u003c\/strong\u003e. These regional partnerships, far from the huge contracts of European giants, tell another story of football — that of clubs that live with and for their territory. This shirt is a faithful reflection of this unadorned English football culture.\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 season of all dangers in the Championship (2004-05)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nGillingham ended this season in the fierce battle for survival, a daily reality for this Kent club which had seen its glory days in the second division around the turn of the 2000s. Every point earned at Priestfield tasted like a victory in a war of attrition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIvan Roberts, a name that resonates in goals\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIvan Roberts\u003c\/strong\u003e is a Welsh striker known for his spells at Norwich City, Leicester City and several English league clubs, with a reputation as an effective old-school goalscorer. His signature on this shirt gives the piece immediate historical value for any collector of \u003cstrong\u003evintage English football shirts\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Championship, first season under this legendary name\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThe 2004-05 season is historically the \u003cstrong\u003esecond season of the Football League Championship\u003c\/strong\u003e, a name officially adopted in 2004 after the rebranding of the First Division. Owning a shirt from this transition means owning a fragment of the administrative and sporting history of English football at a time when everything was changing.\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 replica released from the production line ten years later. It's a piece manufactured at the time, worn in the real context of the competition or club, with the original flocking, sponsors and technical details. The difference is felt in the hands, in the cut, in every manufacturing detail — and especially in what the piece has gone through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis one has an \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10 condition\u003c\/strong\u003e with slight dirt and slightly worn prints — exactly what you'd expect from a \u003cstrong\u003ecollectible vintage shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e that has lived. Not a shirt in blister packaging never taken out of its bag. A shirt that existed, that was held in Ivan Roberts' hands for a dedication. This controlled imperfection is the mark of the real thing.\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 2000s\u003c\/strong\u003e are generally cut smaller than modern fits. An XL from 2004 often corresponds to a modern L, or even an M depending on body type. The cuts of the time were less wide, less long, and designed differently from the oversized shirts seen on pitches today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore you buy, get out a tape measure: measure your chest circumference and compare it with the actual dimensions of the piece. An email to the shop to ask for exact measurements is thirty seconds that can prevent disappointment. \u003cstrong\u003eRetro football shirt collectors\u003c\/strong\u003e know this: it's better to check than to regret.\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 sought-after pieces by true connoisseurs. Not because they come from Manchester or Liverpool, but precisely because they come from elsewhere — from those clubs that form the fabric of English football, away from the spotlight. A \u003cstrong\u003eGillingham 2004-05 shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e in XL is a rarity on the \u003cstrong\u003evintage football collector\u003c\/strong\u003e market, especially since the production of these series was much lower than that of Premier League clubs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eAnd here we're talking about a piece in \u003cstrong\u003e8\/10 condition with Ivan Roberts' signature\u003c\/strong\u003e directly on it. There aren't many in this condition, with an authentic dedication and this story behind it. It's the kind of shirt that disappears from display cases without warning, because those who know recognize its value at first glance. Not thinking about it too long is often the best advice one can give.\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\/Gillingham_F.C.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eGillingham 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:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ivan_Roberts_(footballer)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eIvan Roberts – Wikipedia\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 signature, a season, a Kent club fighting like a lion — this shirt tells a true story of English football. If you're looking for a piece that's out of the ordinary, you've come to the right place.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lower Leagues","offers":[{"title":"XL","offer_id":54012076392723,"sku":"335418","price":49.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_2004-05-GILLINGHAM-ROBERTS-SHIRT-XL-335418_5.jpg?v=1775502568","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/2004-05-gillingham-roberts-shirt","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}