There’s something beautiful about a football shirt. It’s not just the fabric, how it looks on you or what it represents. To me, it means so much more. It’s all about memories.

When you wear a new one for the first time, such as any of the new football shirts for the 2009-2010 Premier League season, it’s all about the material and the identity of your club. But after that has worn off, the shirt becomes an open book as the new season begins. The shirt absorbs the visual memories of what happens that season.

Years later when you look at that shirt in your closet, you’ll remember your memories of that season and your favorite players scoring wonderful goals in it, the agony of defeat and the ecstasy of winning three points against your arch-rivals, and hopefully the joy of celebrating when your club wins silverware.

I only have a handful of football shirts in my closet. I got rid of most of the ones I had to help finance the down-payment for the house where I’m now living in, so I’m not too sad that I no longer have them. The ones I still have, though, are my travel-team shirt from my high school days, a couple of horrible Swansea City shirts from the early 90s that are very scratchy and uncomfortable to wear, an England away shirt from the 2006 World Cup when I got caught up in the hype and thought that was going to be “their tournament,” a Miami Fusion shirt from the 2000 season which is the most sentimental shirt for me because it was the one I wore when I proposed to my now-wife on the pitch during half-time of a Fusion game, and a couple of shirts sent to me by football retailers as gifts (a Barca shirt from last season, and the new England jersey, which looks very snazzy when accompanied by a pair of blue jeans).

So, what football shirts are hiding in your closet, and what are the memories that you have attached to them? Click the comments link below and share your stories.

If you’re interested in creating your own new memories, go ahead and browse through the new Premier League jerseys from all 20 clubs. EPL Talk offers the widest selection of shirts for Premier League clubs in the US of A and overseas.

Is this the new Man United away jersey for the 2009-2010 season? It sure looks like it.

The leaked picture features a gray shirt with a blue V (or chevron, as the Brits like to say). Designed and manufactured by Nike, it features a similar design to Man United’s new home kit.

The shirt colours are definitely a diversion from what United has done in the past, but if the colours represented in the picture above are true, I wonder what the Red Devils will think about wearing the sky blue colour of their cross-town brethren?

Tip: Football Shirt Culture.

Pre-Order The New Man United Home Kit Today

Pre-order the new home Man United shirt or kit today so you’ll be the first to get it. UK residents can order here through Kitbag, while US residents can order here, through Kitbag USA.

Related Posts:

• Manchester United Change Transfer Policy,
• Manchester United Summer Transfer Targets,
• Interview With Man United Legend Paddy Crerand,
• Rafa Or Fergie: Who Spends More In The Transfer Market,
• Photos Of Official Man United Home Shirt For 2009/2010 Season.

I’d like to take a minute to wish the American readers to EPL Talk a very happy independence day today. I hope you and your family have a wonderful relaxing day and get to enjoy your fireworks, BBQ and adult beverages.

I’ve written about this in the past, but for me, July 4th is the weirdest of American holidays that I always have a problem trying to figure out what to do. Being an ex-pat, the significance of the day isn’t as meaningful to me as it is for most Americans. I have nothing against July 4th, but it’s hard to celebrate a holiday that commemorates the day when the USA won independence from the country where you were born and grew up.

Still, I’ll be joining in the festivities today as my family and I will celebrate July 4th with my in-laws at a block party.

And don’t forget, if you’re in the mood to cheer on the United States or you want to watch some football, be sure to tune into the CONCACAF Gold Cup which our sister Major League Soccer Talk is covering extensively.

King Kenny is back! After a 18 year hiatus, the man many hail as Liverpool’s greatest ever player, Kenny Dalglish, will rejoin Liverpool Football Club.

From the club’s official site:

“Dalglish will assume a senior role at the Liverpool Academy and will also act as a Club ambassador working with the commercial side of the business around the world.”

Jamie Carragher had already sparked Liverpool supporters’ hopes for this possibility when he suggested the idea of Dalglish’s return in his 2008 autobiography:

“After the takeover was complete, I’d argued to friends there needed to be a greater Anfield connection on the board to balance out what Tom Hicks and George Gillett openly accepted was their limited understanding of our game and Liverpool in general.”

Carra also talked about Kenny being able to act as a go-between when tension and issues arose between manager Rafa Benitez and the owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett. It is unclear if King Kenny will be in a position to do this from his position within the youth academy or as club ambassador working “around the world,” but, in any case, the Dalglish presence at Liverpool should prove to be a healthy and inspiring one.

When I first thought of Dalglish return, after Carra’s book came out, I envision Dalglish in a role with the first team. Directly working with the players for the next bid for the title. But Rafa now has Sammy Lee at his side on the pitch, and putting Dalglish in a position to influence the youth players is a brilliant move. One feels Liverpool’s future is in the best hands with King Kenny getting involved with the youngsters.

Brought in in 1977 after Kevin Keegan left Liverpool, Dalglish played in 515 first team matches, scoring 172 goals. Prolific, visionary and selfless, Dalglish the player was a true footballing genius.

Then, in 1985, Joe Fagan announced his retirement as manager, hours before the Heysel disaster. The next season, Kenny Dalglish became player/manager, leading the team to much glory over the next few years, winning titles and cups galore. Dalglish also led Liverpool through difficult times. He took over in the wake of one tragedy and remained manager through another: Hillsborough. Many believe the effect of the latter, which weighed heavily on Dalglish, led to his surprise resignation in 1991.

But now, the King is back.

A legendary figure from Liverpool’s golden era, Dalglish’s deep knowledge of football as well as of the club itself will be invaluable to the young players coming up through the ranks.

It looks more and more like FIFA are going to pass the ridiculous 6+5 rule, requiring 6 “home grown” players in a club’s starting line-up. If passed, FIFA are expected to implement the rule slowly, taking a few years until it is fully in place, and with Dalglish helping the academy players grow, Liverpool could be in a position to turn this frustrating quota to their benefit.

An academy that has already produced the likes of Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman may have more rich treasures to bear once King Kenny gets involved.

And his role with promoting the club around the world cannot hurt either. He is the perfect spokesman for Liverpool.

So welcome back, King Kenny. This is truly exciting news.

£56 million here… £80 million there… this summer has been dominated by the outlandish spending of a select few, with transfer records tumbling at every turn. But one deal that will grab most of the headlines could well be a free transfer.

Michael Owen, labelled a fallen idol, a faded star, even a has-been by the media, looks set to complete a dramatic move to Manchester United.

Just a week ago Owen’s options looked far more limited, he had admitted in an interview with Sky Sports that staying at Newcastle wasn’t an option, but the only two clubs publicly declaring an interest were Stoke and Hull.

Were they serious contenders? I guess we will never know, but as soon as United came in I doubt Owen will have taken long to make his mind up.

Talk has immediately been about Eric Cantona and Teddy Sheringham, two aging players who seemingly had their best years behind them but were inspired by Ferguson at Old Trafford and helped the club to numerous trophies. Similarly the likes of Scholes and Giggs have continued to flourish at the club despite being well into their thirties.

Is Owen another Ferguson masterstroke? Or is it a desperate move in the wake of failed moves for Benzema and Ribery, as well as the departures of Ronaldo and Tevez?

Owen’s form certainly doesn’t make him a prized asset. Without a goal since January he cut a forlorn figure towards the end of last season as his Newcastle side tumbled towards the Championship. His injury record also suggests he would struggle to make it through a full campaign, complete with Champions League matches, unscathed.
That is, of course, an outcome Sir Alex Ferguson seems willing to risk, counter balanced by what he feels he is getting for relatively little outlay.

First off is Owen’s goalscoring record. Despite his injury worries Owen managed 30 goals in 65 starts for Newcastle; even with my poor maths that is nearly one in two. With vast array of creative talent on offer at Old Trafford they have no problem carving out chances. And the one thing that hasn’t diminished with Owen is his finishing ability.

He will no doubt put through a stringent medial, especially on the knee that he damaged at the 2006 World Cup. He will only sign if they are certain he is fit enough. But again he will be joining a number of attacking players in large squad – I doubt he will be forced to play more than three games in a week unless he really has to.

Another factor, and the one that I think persuaded Ferguson to go for Owen, is motivation. Owen will have been hurt by the events of the last six months - I can imagine the Newcastle training ground has not been a happy place to work recently and has hardly encouraged a players best form.

Also given the English media’s penchant building up players only to revel in knocking them down; they have been quick to write Michael Owen off. The former Liverpool man’s determination to prove his critics wrong could be enough to ensure he can re-discover his form.

Add to that the fact that it is a World Cup year. Fabio Capello has shown he will pick players on form and would no doubt relish having a fully fit Michael Owen firing on all cylinders in his squad. A seat on the plane to South Africa could restore the fire in Owen’s belly and Ferguson wants United to benefit from that.

Looking at those reasons the deal suddenly looks like a no brainer. If he fails then he will only cost the club his wages, likely to be largely paid on a performance related basis. If he succeeds, then United will have one of the country’s greatest goal scorers in their ranks for absolutely nothing.

I would be interested to hear United fan’s thought on this issue – is it merely a desperate insurance policy for Ferguson with his transfer shopping list reducing seemingly by the day? Or is it another piece of managerial genius?

If Owen does succeed what will Liverpool fans think? If they had shown an interest I am sure Owen would have made the move back to Anfield. With finances tight at Liverpool should they have made move? Let me know your thoughts.

An Evertonian and a Liverpudlian up front for United – I never thought I would see the day!