YOUR SHIRTS NUMBERED

August 25th 1928 when Sheffield Wednesday beat Arsenal 3-2 on the opening day of the new season, the crowd saw the two teams run out on to the pitch with numbers on their backs. They were numbered 1-22. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and Swansea Town (as the club was then called) did the same. Chelsea won 4-0, wearing black numbers on a white patch. All clubs were told to stop doing this with immediate effect by the FA and League but Herbert Chapman was not happy with this "waste" so he had his reserves wear the numbered kit.

Chelsea then toured South America introducing the numbered kit to their opponents who nicknamed Chelsea as "Los Numerados".

Numbering gradually crept into the game and in the 1933 FA Cup Final Everton players wore 1-11 and Manchester City 12-22. (note there were no subs). Everton won 3-0. See left.

A week later (6th May) the "Toffees" wore the same kit in the league game v Wolves, but it was not until 1939 that the Leafue management Committee eventually voted in the official wearing of numbers. The war got in the way so by 1946/7 numbers were used for the first time by all clubs (although "cost" of providing new numbered kits was a problem and spoil the colours!).

England's first venture into numbered shirts on the 17 April 1937 in a loss to Scotland at Hampden Park Glasgow.

FIFA did not insist on numbers on World Cup shirts until 1954.

Retiring shirt numbers became a bit of a trend but inevitably a club could end up with "no sensible numbers" to use. However Maradona's shirt for Napoli number 10 was hung up for good, as was Baggio's 10 at Brescia, Maldini's 3 at AC Milan and for Chelsea (to complete the circle) Zola's 25. Understandable.

Some shirt numbers given to modern day players have been totally inappropriate especially when legends such as Pele, Stanley Matthews, Bobby Moore and Johnny White (yes the 1960'sSpurs player) might have had their numbers welded onto their backs. Can you number them?

Oops.