Nostalgia is a weapon - football edition

One of the bon mots Douglas Coupland included in his book Generation X is "Nostalgia is a weapon". It's always stuck with me and I've got older it's become more obvious that 'nostalgia' is weaponised by marketing departments, politicians, and by social media. (How many "good old days" posts pop up on your algorithm? Mine is full of 'em.)

Naturally football clubs have got in on the action. Retro shirts have been popular for a while among fans because they are pure nostalgia fuel. Usually retro tops are just done for leisure wear. But this year, Shrewsbury Town's main kit is a throwback to their kit from 40 years ago. 

I feel I am in the nostalgia crosshairs. Because, this was my first ever kit. Here are some pictures of when I was a matchday mascot way back in 1986. It was a typically grey October day with a crowd of less than 3,000 paying supporters.

I was a lucky mascot. Shrewsbury won 4-1 against Grimsby Town. I wore that kit for the rest of the school year in 'games' every Wednesday afternoon in junior school. 

A few years later we discovered the shirt was an almost perfect fit for our beloved family dog, Celyn.

(She was a very patient dog, putting up with this.)

The shirt I wore as a mascot now has pride of place on my office wall, after Cathy got it framed as a surprise present.

I bought the new season's shirt ahead of Shrewsbury's first game of the season at the weekend. I hadn't bought a replica shirt for a few years - I just haven't liked the designs. But this was one I felt I had to buy. 

I went to the match with my two eldest nephews who patiently queued with me in the club shop before the game. They were less patient during the match itself because it was generally dire to watch and frustrating.

But I had a very funny feeling watching the game. For the first time in a long time it really felt like watching Shrewsbury play. It unlocked a primal memory of those first games I went to, when "Shrewsbury Town" was first imprinted on my brain. This is the colour scheme I knew first. 

Other colour combinations have come and gone. But none have stuck with me this strongly. 

One of my nephews has been to several Shrewsbury games, but for the other, this was his first. Maybe he will have the same imprinting experience and for him, this will always be the true colours of Shrewsbury Town. The circle would be complete.