Welcome to the sixth edition of KitLegit’s Seller Series Blog, and this one’s a proper heart-warmer. Meet Chris Cooper – ex-paramedic, lifelong shirt obsessive, and the man who swapped blue lights for Hummel collars and Holsten sponsors. In just over two years he’s taken Football Finery from an eBay side-hustle to a beautiful bricks-and-mortar shop in Cambridge, all while keeping the joy of 90s nostalgia alive. If you ever wondered what happens when a collector refuses to let the game he loves stay in the past, this is it.

After years racing to emergencies across the East of England, Chris Cooper now races to car-boot sales, lofts, and WhatsApp groups hunting the crisp-collared gems of his childhood. What started as a few eBay sales to fund his own collection exploded post-Covid when the vintage shirt market went supernova. Fast-forward to December 2024 and Chris has just opened the doors to Football Finery’s first physical shop in Cambridge – a proper old-school football emporium where you can walk in, smell the fresh polyester, and talk Gazza, Gullit, and USA ’94 until closing time. This is nostalgia you can touch, authenticated by KitLegit, and served with a smile.

From Panini Stickers to Real-Life Wallcharts

The spark? His son’s 2018 World Cup sticker album. One minute Chris was helping fill the wallchart, the next he was digging through lofts for his own lost 80s/90s Spurs shirts – those glorious baggy Hummel ones with the Holsten sponsor screaming across the chest. Most were gone. The hunt was back on. And this time, he decided to share the treasure.

90s Bold, USA ’94 Louder, and a Shop That Welcomes Everyone

Give Chris a 1990s shirt with a crisp collar and a mad sponsor (Nintendo, Sharp, Opel, Commodore – yes please) and he’s in absolute heaven, but open a physical shop and suddenly the world walks in: kids chasing Mbappé and Neymar, thirty-somethings hunting peak Ronaldinho in his pomp, and fifty-somethings reliving the magic of Baggio’s ponytail era.

“The variety has exploded since we opened the doors,” Chris says. “And I love it. Every generation gets their own nostalgia fix.”

Authenticity: KitLegit + Years of Paranoia

“I’ve been burned before,” Chris admits. “My biggest fear is accidentally selling a fake.” Years in the community taught him the tricks, but now KitLegit’s AI does the heavy lifting. “Peace of mind for me, peace of mind for every customer. Simple.”

The Joy That Never Gets Old

Ask Chris for his favourite customer moment, and he can’t pick one. “We get players, managers, celebs… but nothing beats someone stumbling across the shop by accident, walking in, eyes like saucers, grinning ear to ear. That face is why I do this.”

Regrets? Only the Ones Still on the “To Be Listed” Rail

There’s a mid-90s Real Sociedad third shirt – lush green – that’s been “on loan” to Chris’s wardrobe for months. “I know I’ll regret letting it go,” he laughs. “But I also know it’ll make someone else ridiculously happy. That’s the deal we all sign up for.”

The Future Looks Baggy, Bold, and Brilliant

Chris sees only blue skies (or Holsten orange skies): More sellers, better sites, crazier modern designs, sustainable drops, streetwear collabs, and nostalgia that never dies. “I just want Football Finery to keep being part of that buzz – and keep the fun turned up to eleven.”

Step Inside the Emporium

Online: www.footballfinery.co.uk or In real life: Cambridge – walk-ins, chats, and 90s collars very much encouraged. Follow the daily drops: Instagram, TikTok & X @footballfinery

Whether you’re after a USA ’94 classic, a Ronaldo R9 masterpiece, or just fancy a natter about the greatest decade football shirts ever had, Chris and the Football Finery crew are waiting with open arms and open rails.

See you in Cambridge – or in the DMs hunting the next gem.