When we receive vintage football shirts at Casual Football Shirts, every shirt is carefully inspected and graded before being listed for sale.
Each shirt is scored out of 10 for condition. This grading system helps buyers understand exactly what they are purchasing and ensures our customers know the quality of every shirt before they buy.
As a rule, we do not sell shirts scoring lower than 7.5/10 on the site. Shirts below this standard are usually repurposed for projects such as cushion covers, framed decorations, or man cave / she shed displays.
If you are new to buying vintage kits, this guide explains how our football shirt condition grading system works.
Vintage Football Shirt Condition Guide
Below is the grading scale we use when assessing vintage football shirts.
10/10 Shirts – Mint Condition
This rating is reserved for shirts that are completely new or in perfect condition.
For vintage shirts this rating is extremely rare, as most shirts from the 1990s or early 2000s will show some level of wear.
A 10/10 shirt will usually:
- Be unworn or new with tags
- Have no pulls, bobbles or fading
- Have perfect sponsor printing
- Have no marks or storage wear
These shirts are often considered collector grade pieces.
9.5/10 Shirts – Collector Condition
Shirts graded 9.5/10 are considered excellent collector pieces.
They may have been worn lightly but show virtually no signs of wear.
A shirt in this condition will:
- Have no visible defects
- Show no fading to the material
- Have clean badges and sponsors
- Look almost new
These are typically the shirts serious collectors look for.
9/10 Shirts – Excellent Condition
A 9/10 shirt will usually have very minor signs of wear.
This could include:
- A single small pull
- Very light signs of washing
- Minimal fabric wear
There will be no bobbling and the overall condition will still be excellent.
For collectors looking for great shirts at slightly lower prices, 9/10 shirts often represent excellent value.
8.5/10 Shirts – Very Good Condition
Shirts graded 8.5/10 may show some signs of wear but are still in very good condition overall.
This could include:
- Light bobbling
- A small number of pulls
- Slight discolouration
- Minor wear to the sponsor print
These shirts are still perfectly suitable for collecting or wearing.
Whenever a shirt is graded 8.5/10, the product description will clearly list any defects so buyers know exactly what to expect.
8/10 Shirts and Below
Shirts graded 8/10 or below will show noticeable signs of wear.
This may include:
- Multiple pulls or micro pulls
- Areas of bobbling
- Slight peeling to sponsors or badges
- Loose threads on hems
- Marks on the shirt that may wash out
These shirts are usually better suited for casual wear rather than long-term collecting.
Why We Don't Wash All Shirts Before Selling
Some listings may mention that a shirt "has marks which could wash out". You may wonder why we don't simply wash these shirts before listing them.
The main reason is the volume of shirts we process.
On average we receive around 1,000 shirts per month from suppliers, and around 10–15% of them may have marks that could potentially wash out.
Taking into account:
- Different colours needing separate washes
- Different print types on shirts
- The need to protect sponsor prints and badges
It would require roughly 70–80 washing loads every month, which is simply not practical.
Instead, we clearly describe any marks and provide close-up photos so buyers know exactly what they are purchasing.
If a shirt has marks listed in the description, these will always be visible in the product images.
If you need help with removing marks, you can also read our guide on how to remove stains from football shirts.
Need More Information?
If you need more information about any of the shirts we sell, feel free to contact us using the site's chat facility or message us on social media.
We’re always happy to help collectors find the right shirt.
