Vintage football shirt sizing, explained
The single most useful number on a vintage listing is not the size label — it is the measurement the dealer actually took of that shirt.
Vintage sizing runs differently from today's
Shirts from the 1980s and 1990s were generally cut boxier and closer to true size than the athletic, closer-cut fit common today, so a period 'L' can sit closer to a modern 'M'. There is no single conversion — it varies by manufacturer and decade.
Trust the measurement, not the tag
A printed size label describes what the manufacturer called it in that year, not the shirt in your hands after decades of wear and washing. Where a dealer lists pit-to-pit width and length, use that over the label.
Manufacturers sized differently within the same era
An Adidas shirt and an Umbro shirt from the same season are not guaranteed to share a size chart. If you own an original from the manufacturer and season you want, its measurements are the best reference you will find.
Compare the same shirt across dealers
Multiple listings for the same club, season and kit sometimes carry different size notes from different dealers — worth checking before you commit to one.
When between sizes, and when in doubt
Sizing up is usually the safer default for an oversized or layered look; sizing to the measurement is safer for a fitted look. If a listing is missing measurements, ask the dealer before buying.