Carrying Coals to Newcastle

Mar 18 Jamie Hardesty

Campo Retro: Shirt Review

So last week the good people at Campo Retro were kind enough to send me one of their shirts to review. Admittedly, I knew very little of Campo Retro before they got in touch. However, having been initially pleasantly surprised by the wide range of retro football shirts they have to offer on their website, I was even more impressed at the quality and style of the shirt I received. 

 

Campo Retro: Shirt Review

Campo Retro, for those who are unaware, market themselves as the future of retro football clothing. However, you don’t have to be a collector to appreciate what the guys behind it are doing. Take their Newcastle United collection for example. It’s brilliant. They offer both home and away shirts from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, some of which can be bought for as cheap as £20. What may interest you even more is the fact that all of the shirts they offer can be bought with a name and number too. The Gascoigne ’84 is the one currently tempting me; it’s an absolute steal for £30. You can have a look at the range for yourself here.

The top I received will perhaps appeal more to the mature Newcastle fan. Its beauty is in its simplicity. The classic black and white stripes lie uncontaminated by sponsors or added colours or patterns. Adult supporters will especially appreciate being able to wear a top that shows Geordie allegiance without having to simultaneously endorse an abhorrent, electric blue, payday loan sponsor!

Campo Retro: Shirt Review

Soft to the touch, the shirt is 100% cotton providing a lot of comfort and the collar gives it an added sophisticated appearance. To put it simply, it really is a smart shirt. Even the packaging is impressive and well presented!

Campo Retro: Shirt Review

 

NUFC reacted to the widespread discontent fans had of having our beloved black and white shirts tarnished by the Wonga logo, releasing a limited series of retro tops available for fans to buy from the club shop. This was a great marketing scheme from Mr Ashley knowing that fans would seek an alternative to the Wonga tops and money could be still made by providing an alternative. Not only do Campo Retro have a larger selection than the club do, owning a top like the one featured in the picture below gets fans and parents out of the vicious cycle of paying over the odds for a replica shirt every season. It’s a timeless classic.

Campo Retro: Shirt Review

Verdict:

Campo Retro really know what they’re doing and are a seller who genuinely provide a quality buying experience. This shirt has a simple design, made from good quality material. This range in particular is quite a tight fitting, as found with many retro shirts like this, so for someone like myself who is usually a small or medium mens size, the medium was the preferred fit. I also really enjoy the collar as we’ve not had a decent home top with a collar for too many years now…

If I’m going out for a few drinks the match,I’m usually put off my wearing a football top because it’s not really a smart look. However, whilst I’m no Gok Wan, I think its fair to say a top like this could be worn both to the match, or with a jacket in a decent boozer afterwards. Again, its chief effect is in its subtlety. Plus, for those of you who fancy yourselves as a bit of a Hatem ben Arfa, its comfortable enough to have a good kickaround in too.

I’m over the moon with Campo Retro for getting in touch, now I quite fancy taking a closer look at that Gazza shirt…