Football Shirt Enthusiast Transforms Collection into Retail Venture

Shaun Owen, a Shrewsbury Town supporter with a strong interest in vintage football shirts, encountered a significant decision when his extensive collection began to grow beyond manageable limits. He articulated this predicament by stating, “It was either buy a bigger house or open a shop, so we went for the cheapest option.” Following approximately two decades of acquiring retro shirts, Mr. Owen inaugurated a retail establishment named The 12th Man. This new shop, which houses his vast inventory, commenced operations on Thursday within the Parade shopping centre in Shrewsbury. He expressed his enthusiasm, remarking, “It’s just going to be a great opportunity to sit down and talk about football with everybody all day,” accompanied by a laugh. According to Mr. Owen, the most challenging aspect of his work involves the initial procurement of the shirts. He elaborated on his acquisition philosophy, stating, “As soon as you see something that is a little bit off the beaten track which you haven’t seen before, you’ve got to buy it.” He further outlined his vision for the store, explaining, “The whole idea is, I want people to come in here and obviously buy stuff… but also see it as almost an art gallery.” He concluded by adding, “Football shirts have a certain beauty.” Mr. Owen sources these items globally, describing his role as “constantly buying.” He provided examples of their origins: “I’ve had some from Mexico, some from Italy, some from Tunisia, I buy a lot from Northern Ireland, Scandinavia, everywhere.” He also detailed his network, stating, “You build up a list of contacts who have some good stuff, and then you check in with them every two or three weeks to see what they’ve got new.” An additional crucial element of his work involves identifying counterfeit items. He informed the BBC that “A lot of it is to do with product tags which you can source back.” For shirts produced after the mid-1990s, he noted, “it’s very much touch it, feel it, the labels in the back… stitching.” He confidently added, “I’m that nerdy, now I can tell.” Mr. Owen intends to launch a dedicated website for The 12th Man in the upcoming new year. His ultimate personal collecting ambition is to acquire a Club America shirt from the 1990s, which he described as, “That’s my personal holy grail.” Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.