Why do fans keep old Arsenal Jerseys even when they no longer fit?

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Why do fans keep old Arsenal Jerseys even when they no longer fit?

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Why do fans keep old Arsenal Jerseys even when they no longer fit?

Last weekend, I was clearing out my closet—sorting clothes to donate, folding sweaters that hadn’t seen light in years—when my fingers brushed a red and white striped fabric. It was my old Arsenal jersey. I held it up, and instantly knew: it’s way too small. Shoulders sat an inch above mine, sleeves ended at my forearms, and zipping it would stretch the fabric tight across my back. But I didn’t toss it in the donate pile. I folded it carefully, tucking it back into the closet corner. Old Arsenal jerseys stop being “clothes” once worn; even when they don’t fit, we can’t let them go.

This one’s from 2014, the year I went to my first Arsenal home game. I was 17, fresh out of high school, and my uncle— a Gunner since the 90s—bought it for me. “Wear it like a badge,” he said. I did: to the Emirates, screaming till my throat hurt when Giroud scored the winner; to my first job interview, clinging to the thought its colors might bring luck. I wore it till stripes faded, the zip stuck, till one day I pulled it on and realized I’d outgrown it. But letting go? Never. It’s not the fabric—it’s the stadium grass smell, the tiny hot dog stain on the sleeve, my uncle’s “COYG” sharpied on the tag.

We keep these jerseys because they’re time machines. My dad has a 2004 “Invincibles” jersey hanging in his office—too tight around the middle, but he’ll never take it down. It takes him back to the pub with mates, cheering Arsenal’s unbeaten run. My best friend has a pink Arsenal Women’s jersey from the 2023 FA Cup final. It’s too short now, but she pulls it out for games, saying it “carries the win.” These jerseys don’t fit our bodies, but they fit our memories—snug, familiar, irreplaceable.

It’s never about size, brand, or looks. It’s about what they hold: loved ones, screaming moments, the hope when our team steps on the pitch. An ill-fitting jersey is still a piece of our story—proof we’ve grown, but our love for the club hasn’t.

That’s why we buy Cheap Arsenal Jerseys for game days now, yet hold onto the old ones. Cheap ones let us wear our colors proud without breaking the bank—soft, new, perfect fit. But the old, tight ones? They’re pieces of our hearts, folded in the closet, waiting to take us back to the days that made us Gunners for life.