Vintage Glory: An Ireland Native's Collection of The Game's Most Iconic Shirts
- Colin Kennedy
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Sports fandom is rarely limited to cheering a team on in a stadium. Sometimes, it takes the form of collecting memorabilia, like the jerseys collected by soccer fan Adam Hayes (https://www.instagram.com/jerseyfever03/). Hailing from Kilkenny City, Ireland, Hayes passion for the game and collecting has brought him kits throughout soccer's history from all over the world.
Hayes' love for soccer started relatively late. While many are thrown into the sport early through small clubs and summer camps, Hayes found his connection to the game through FIFA, the world's best selling sports game.
The game introduced Hayes to the soccer world. “Surprisingly, I got hooked on FIFA. Then at school, we’d play football at lunch, using our school uniforms as goalposts,” Hayes recalled.
It ultimately spurred his love for collecting jerseys after the game exposed him to all kinds of different kits from around the world.
Growing up, Adam never played for a club but his passion for soccer persisted. He spent countless hours watching some all-time greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, and Irish legend Roy Keane. Through football, Hayes found a way to connect with people as their shared passion fueled many life-long friendships.
He eventually found Manchester United, now his favorite team. “I just love the history of the club and the passion the players had," Hayes said. His lifelong support has taught him not only the emotional power of soccer but also the valueof loyalty and consistency.
While his passion with soccer was rooted with video games and schoolyard matches, Hayes found another outlet that would ultimately define his relationship with the game – jersey collecting. “I just love soccer jerseys. The designs, the crests, they really bring out who they are,” Hayes said. The collecting started as just a hobby for Hayes, grabbing jerseys for fun, but it very quickly turned into a mission to collect jerseys from all over the world.
The switch from hobby to passion occurred over the pandemic as Hayes found himself at home like the rest of the world, using digital content to pursue collecting. In 2024, he launched an Instagram page, Jersey Fever, to not only show his collection, but also support smaller businesses that sell sports merchandise.
For Hayes, the jerseys are more than just a shirt that is worn to match a team, but a blast into the past of that team's history. “I just love flicking through my wardrobe, looking at the jerseys and thinking, ‘Which one should I wear today?’” Hayes said, showing his pride in his collection.
Hayes' most prized jersey in his collection is one that traces his lineage back to Irish National teams or The Boys in Green? golden days, a 2002 Ireland World Cup jersey. It’s a rarity, being that it was the last World Cup that Ireland ever qualified for.
As he looks to the future of his journey, Hayes has big dreams for his collection. “I'd love to expand my collection to include a US-based club,” Hayes said with excitement. “Soccer in America is getting better and gaining a stronger following. I’d like to promote that and help it grow in Europe.”
His goal for the expansion is to share the love of the game with others, hoping to foster a greater appreciation for the sport and its rich history and culture in the US. The idea opens up a huge market for Hayes, with several leagues and clubs, including our very own Edgewater Castle FC.
With Hayes' hopes in expanding his collection to the states he reached out to Edgewater FC showing his interest in getting one of our kits.
“That's a lovely kit,” said Hayes. “It's very clean, adding the waves is fantastic, it's just a nice simple kit.”
Hayes' journey into the world of football and jersey collecting may have started as a hobby, but it has evolved into a worldwide passion project. It connects him to the game he loves, allows him to relive football history and share his passion with others.
“Go for it,” Hayes said. “Don’t be afraid to start. You’ll find a great community and a great following.”