Dundalk FC Away Shirt 2016-17 CX+ Sport Vintage Collector

Dundalk FC 2016-17 – The CX+ Sport away shirt from Ireland's golden era

In 2016-17, Dundalk FC was no ordinary Irish club — it was the best team on the island, the one that shook up European qualifiers and put the name of the League of Ireland on the continental football map. This vintage CX+ Sport away shirt sponsored by Fyffes is the direct fabric of that pivotal era.

Shirt details

Season: 2016-2017
Club: Dundalk FC – Irish Clubs
Type: Away
Kit manufacturer: CX+ Sport
Sponsor: FYFFES
Condition: 8/10
State: SPOTS – authentic wear of a worn vintage shirt

What this shirt represents

The 2016 season was when Dundalk FC definitively confirmed its status as the dominant power in Irish football. Under the management of Stephen Kenny, the club racked up titles in the League of Ireland Premier Division with a regularity and tactical mastery that resonated far beyond the island's borders. It's no coincidence that European teams began to monitor the results from Oriel Park with newfound respect.

On the field, players like Daryl Horgan, Patrick McEleney, David McMillan, and Ronan Finn gave the team a recognizable playing identity, a cohesive unit capable of surprising anyone during European campaigns. The away shirt from this period is what they wore to challenge opponents on foreign grounds — a true piece of contemporary Irish football history.

Moments etched in this shirt

Dominance in the League of Ireland
Dundalk won the 2016 League of Ireland Premier Division title, their fourth crown in five seasons, a rare hegemony in island football. This era remains the most glorious in the club's recent history, and this shirt is a direct witness to it.

The FAI Cup in the bag
In 2016, Dundalk also won the FAI Cup, achieving the League and National Cup double — a performance that confirmed this team wasn't just a championship-winning machine; they also knew how to shine on big occasions at Aviva Stadium.

The Europa League as a platform
Dundalk's European campaigns in the UEFA Europa League between 2016 and 2017 represented an exceptional showcase for Irish football. Competing against full-time professional clubs with a semi-professional squad and holding their own is exactly what makes this period so endearing to true connoisseurs.

Authentic vs. Replica

An authentic vintage shirt like this isn't a reproduction from a 2024 factory to please football tourists. It's a piece that actually circulated at the time, manufactured by CX+ Sport — a kit supplier specializing in Irish and British clubs — according to the production standards of the 2016-17 season. The difference is felt in the fabric, the manufacturing details, and the period flocking.

This one is rated 8/10 with visible spots — which is what we call honest wear, that of a shirt that has lived, not a shirt in blister packaging never taken out. For a serious collector, this traceability is priceless. A shirt that's too perfect suggests it's fake or unworn; this one has a story.

Vintage sizing guide

Vintage sizes from the 2010s — and particularly those from kit manufacturers of minor leagues like CX+ Sport — tend to be cut slimmer than what current standards have accustomed us to. A vintage size L often corresponds to a modern M due to today's looser cuts. Do not order solely based on your usual size.

Before confirming your order, take a measuring tape and measure the chest circumference of your favorite shirt laid flat. Compare it with the product measurements if available. Generally, for a collector's size L shirt from this era, expect a real chest circumference of around 52-54 cm flat — or 104-108 cm when worn. It's better to check than to regret.

Why have it in your collection

Dundalk FC shirts from the 2014-2018 period represent an extremely precise collector's window: it's the club's golden age, a team that played in the Europa League while remaining semi-professional, with a local kit manufacturer that wasn't widely distributed internationally. CX+ Sport is not Nike or Adidas — their productions are limited, their distribution confidential, and available examples become rare as the years pass. This is exactly the profile of a shirt that increases in value in serious collections.

There aren't many in this condition lying around on the market — an 8/10 with spots is a worn but still very presentable shirt, not a rag. The sponsor Fyffes, the Irish giant in tropical fruit imports, adds a touch of local authenticity and cultural embeddedness that major global brands cannot offer. That's what a true vintage collector's football shirt is: a piece that tells a precise story, rooted in a territory and an era.

To go further

• Dundalk FC – Wikipedia
• Football Kit Archive – History of kits
• UEFA – European Football

This 2016-17 Dundalk away shirt is a piece of the best period in recent Irish football history — if you're a football fan and appreciate genuine pieces with history, you already know what to do.