Did you see my first instalment of my ‘Good News Guide’ blog series? If not, head here to find out what it’s all about.
A Place to Share Positive News, Views, Tips, Tricks and Anything Else
In short, Good News Guide is a place to share positive news, views, tips, tricks and anything else. It’s going to be a semi-regular addition to my site, because we could all do with a bit of positivity in our lives, particularly over the last year or so.
Under the ‘Good News Guide’ spotlight for blog post number two, then, is my good pal Michael Pilcher. I’ve always admired Michael’s writing style, as well as his extensive list of hobbies. Below, he shares a passion he discovered during the pandemic - and I think you’ll enjoy reading this as much as I did. Read on - oh, and don’t forget, you can pitch your own ideas for Good News Guide by getting in touch here.
Take it away, Michael….
I’m extremely envious of anyone that acquired a new skill in lockdown. I was hoping to learn something, add a string to my bow; ideally something practical. I tried to learn sewing and, despite my best attempts to darn socks via YouTube videos and attending a Zoom adult education class where I made a kind-of-heart-shaped Christmas decoration, I quickly lost patience.
I tried to learn Italian - which has been something I’d wanted to do for years - before I finally got too fed up with the DuoLingo owl chastising me for my dodgy pronunciations.
Instead, and I’m not entirely sure how it happened, I suddenly became a football shirt collector.
Football has been a hobby of mine for a good 25 years. I say hobby, it soon became an obsession as I sought to join the 92 Club by visiting all 92 Football League grounds in England & Wales (which I completed in 2017). But I’d pretty much gone cold turkey since, and I had a football-shaped hole in my life.
When my house went up for sale in 2019 I sold most of my football shirt collection, to make some space and not have as many boxes to move. I never fathomed that a year later I’d essentially buy back that collection, and then some, and thus giving myself a hell of a lot more boxes to have to move than before.
It probably wasn’t helped where I saw an ITV documentary where I heard a rare shirt sells for £500. “These are future collectors’ items, surely?” I convince myself, as I bid on a 2020 Paris St Germain bright orange third or a 2009 Celtic long-sleeve away shirt on eBay.
‘A rabbit hole I never thought I’d go down’
This is a rabbit hole I never thought I’d go down, but one advantage has been finding myself part of a welcoming Twitter community.
Since my collection took off I’ve started following and messaging some terrific people - someone in Carlisle offering me first dibs on a valuable Lyon shirt at a bargain price just because I’d once mentioned to keep me in mind for any shirts he was selling in size Small.
Discussing favourite football kits - usually called ‘Grail shirts’ within the group - with a collector in Sweden. Now the weekly rounds of work and family Zoom quizzes have died down I’ve instead found myself part of a community, and it’s been a welcome distraction.
‘An Unspoken Gentleman’s Agreement’
We point each other towards bargains, initiate discussions about new releases and sell each other shirts to aid the next purchase, football shirt Twitter is a regular hive of activity. There seems to be a code of conduct, an unspoken Gentlemen’s Agreement - on auction sites seeking profit is fair game, but we never rip off or exploit each other.
After a tough year for so many, the importance of interaction - even if it’s just virtual - is so crucial. Whatever floats your boat, I can recommend joining a group or community. Even if like me it’s completely accidental - similar to nights on the town (remember those?), the unplanned ones are usually the best ones.
Feeling inspired, like Michael, to take on a new hobby? Let me know if you’d like to talk about a newfound passion here on Good News Guide too.
Once again, a huge thank-you to Michael for sharing his thoughts about the exciting world of football shirt collecting.
Until next time…