{"product_id":"2011-12-ipswich-town-bullard-shirt","title":"Ipswich Town Home Mitre 2011-12 Bullard vintage shirt","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.8em;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:16px;\"\u003e2011-12 Ipswich Town Mitre Home Shirt — The unforgettable Bullard print\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:1.1em;line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e2011-12 season, English Championship, Portman Road. \u003cstrong\u003eIpswich Town\u003c\/strong\u003e struggled to survive in a ruthless division, and this \u003cstrong\u003eMitre home shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e with \u003cstrong\u003eJimmy Bullard\u003c\/strong\u003e's name printed on it embodies the grit and raw authenticity of grassroots football. A relic from a pivotal era in the Tractor Boys' recent history.\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 2011-2012\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClub:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ipswich Town\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Home\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKit manufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mitre\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSponsor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Marcus Evans\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eState:\u003c\/strong\u003e USED PRINTINGS, LITTLE DIRTY — authentic wear of a worn vintage shirt, real signs of life on a collector's item that has a history.\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\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eIn 2011-12, \u003cstrong\u003eIpswich Town\u003c\/strong\u003e were playing in the \u003cstrong\u003eChampionship\u003c\/strong\u003e, the English second division, since their relegation in 2002. For years, the club suffered from a frustrating in-between: too good to be relegated, never strong enough to aim for the \u003cstrong\u003ePremier League\u003c\/strong\u003e. Owner \u003cstrong\u003eMarcus Evans\u003c\/strong\u003e — whose name adorns this shirt as the sponsor — injected funds, but the results remained disappointing given the stated ambitions. It was a period of transition, sometimes painful, but profoundly human in English football.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eOn the Tractor Boys' bench that season, \u003cstrong\u003ePaul Jewell\u003c\/strong\u003e tried to turn things around, before \u003cstrong\u003eMick McCarthy\u003c\/strong\u003e took over. In the dressing room, there were strong characters like \u003cstrong\u003eCarlos Edwards\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Norris\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the lively \u003cstrong\u003eConnor Wickham\u003c\/strong\u003e, a promising young striker who would attract national attention. And then there was him: \u003cstrong\u003eJimmy Bullard\u003c\/strong\u003e, the endearing midfielder, back from endless injuries, a symbol of pure tenacity.\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\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJimmy Bullard, the warrior's return\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nAfter years ruined by knee injuries, \u003cstrong\u003eBullard\u003c\/strong\u003e arrived at Ipswich with the reputation of a player capable of making a difference with his passing and energy. His time with the Tractor Boys was short but he remains one of those characters that English fans adore — combative, funny, authentic — exactly the kind of guy whose name on a shirt takes on special value in retrospect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:12px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConnor Wickham, the explosion of an 18-year-old\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThat season, \u003cstrong\u003eConnor Wickham\u003c\/strong\u003e was one of the revelations of the \u003cstrong\u003eChampionship\u003c\/strong\u003e, scouted by all Premier League clubs. His early physical power and goals were the talk of England, and Portman Road vibrated every time he touched the ball. He eventually joined Sunderland mid-season for a significant sum — a sign that the club knows how to develop talent, even when struggling in the league.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePortman Road, a popular fortress\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePortman Road\u003c\/strong\u003e remains one of England's most authentic venues, with a visceral football-loving crowd. In 2011-12, even without brilliant results, the atmosphere in this historic Suffolk stadium was intact — real \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish provincial football\u003c\/strong\u003e, no frills, where every point won at home was celebrated like a war victory.\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\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eAn \u003cstrong\u003eauthentic vintage shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e is not the same as a replica fan item. The cuts are different, the materials too — denser, sometimes less \"technical\" in the modern sense, but with a physical presence that modern products lack. The printing is applied using the methods of the time, the badge is sewn or heat-sealed according to \u003cstrong\u003eMitre\u003c\/strong\u003e's standards for that period, and every detail speaks of a precise moment in English football.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eThis one clearly shows its signs of wear: \u003cstrong\u003eUSED PRINTINGS, LITTLE DIRTY\u003c\/strong\u003e. This is not a defect — it's proof that it existed on a pitch, in a changing room, in the reality of football. A perfect shirt in a blister pack has its charm. But a shirt that has lived, with a print that has taken a beating, tells another story — truer, stronger.\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\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVintage sizes from the 2000s and early 2010s\u003c\/strong\u003e do not correspond to modern sizes. A 2012 XL from \u003cstrong\u003eMitre\u003c\/strong\u003e can easily fit like a current L depending on the brand and cut. Shirts from this era are generally more fitted in the shoulders and shorter in the back than contemporary versions. Never rely solely on the letter printed on the label.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eBefore ordering, get out your tape measure: measure your shoulder width, chest circumference and compare with our flat measurements available on the product sheet. A vintage shirt that fits you well is a shirt you will actually wear — not just frame. Take two minutes to check, you won't 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\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:14px;\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e2011-12 Ipswich Town Mitre home shirt\u003c\/strong\u003e with Bullard printing is a doubly rare item. Firstly, because \u003cstrong\u003eMitre\u003c\/strong\u003e has not supplied Ipswich Town for a long time, and the productions of that era are limited. Secondly, because a printing of a player like \u003cstrong\u003eJimmy Bullard\u003c\/strong\u003e — a cult figure of English football of that generation, a popular character far beyond Ipswich fans alone — gives this shirt a strong collector's identity. It's not a generic number 10 on a big club: it's a precise, dated, tellable piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"\u003eAnd frankly — there aren't many in this condition on the market. An 8\/10 on a worn shirt from this season is already good. The wear on the printing and the slight dirt make it authentic without making it damaged. For a serious collector, this is exactly the level of condition we look for: real, honest, but not massacred. This kind of piece never stays available for long.\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\/Ipswich_Town\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"\u003eIpswich Town — 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 — History of shirts\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're looking for a Championship shirt with character, a cult printing and a story to tell, you're in the right place — it's up to you to decide if you'll let it slip away.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ipswich Town","offers":[{"title":"XL","offer_id":54010317013267,"sku":"320594","price":64.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0949\/4839\/3235\/files\/eng_pm_2011-12-IPSWICH-TOWN-BULLARD-SHIRT-XL-320594_1.jpg?v=1775445478","url":"https:\/\/supporterid.com\/en\/products\/2011-12-ipswich-town-bullard-shirt","provider":"SUPPORTER ID®","version":"1.0","type":"link"}