Which football boots

[Sammy Chung was King]

Do you remember wearing when you were younger, were they the one's you wanted or were they 'Make do' pairs?.
Which were the best boots you ever had, and worst?, and did you get the pair you always wanted, or were they out of reach money wise?.

When i was younger i had a variet of different makes, at first second hand pairs, the first pair i can't remember the make of them, but i was really happy with them, my neighbour Jim bought me them.
Then i had second hand Patrick Comp Five's, hand me down Nike's from a cousin. Then i went through a stage of wearing Quaser boots around the 1990 World cup time, the Gary Lineker influence, i wore them for quite a few years, and always thought they were good boots.

When i left school i played a fair few years, and bought myself some Adidas Predator Rapier, did i love those boots!. Fantastic to look at, quality made, great protection, and you did seem to be able to pass a ball better with them on.
The drawback was in winter, soggy waterlogged pitch, they became twice the weight, and my skinny ankles had problems carrying them.
I looked after them mostly keeping them well polished, i learnt my lesson after leaving them mudded up for a few weeks, i went to use them, and just before the match the laces snapped, i had to search round the bottom of the bag for some more, no luck so i used my trainer one's!.

In the end they got a hole round the toe area, i took them to the local cobbler, i thought 'He will just put a thin strip of leather over them.
He didn't there was a big ball of leather stiched onto them, the guy was about eighty years old, i didn't have the heart to complain.
They went in the bin, i thought no more about them until other week, i was looking at old football boots, and pairs of those boots are selling for one hundred quid plus, and half of them look well used, unbelievable!.

[Bentley Bullet]

These bas**rds. Never  let me down!

[afro goal machine]

These b*****ds. Never  let me down!

As worn by jimmy grimble ???

[Nudga]

My worst boots were Umbro, cut my heels up something rotten.
One of the best were a pair of hand me down Gola  boots, the ones with a fold over tongue when Gola tried getting back into the cool market.
When I left school I stayed loyal to Nike, always seemed to fit the shape of my feet better.
As an aside, I don't think you can beat a pair of classy black boots. I f**kin despise these clown boots the kids are all wearing.

[Donnywolf]

My first boots were a pair of Pocock Pentagons - dare say there will be a Google Photo in Black and White maybe even Sepia

EDIT :

There was ... so study the photo and they are there ! I remember the white Lace holes well now I have seen them again
 


So for those who think YOU are hard done to these days - just look at those Boots and then remember I got a Ball the following Christmas lol (but true)

[Al4475]

I always had really cheap ones as a kid and I used to have the p*** taken out of me because of this by most of the other lads I was at first and middle school with! This was in hindsight quite funny (on account of the fact I was far more talented at the sport than pretty much all of them) but was awful to go through at the time! By the time I reached late middle school my parents relented and bought me (first) some golas, hi-tecs then patricks! To be fair to my folks tho my boots weren't fab but my goalie stuff was better (quality sondico, readers and reusch initially before graduating to uhlsport) as was my running gear (always brooks right from the off.)

When I had a paper round I saved up to buy a pair of asics gel football boots then some mizunos before settling on specific uhlsport keeper boots in uni up to the end of playing 11-a-side at 29 - continued to play small sided (and a season for the r'sonists) in a variety of multi/mouldeds ranging from lotto, through nike total 90s and one or two other nikes plus a set of adidas predators!

I started playing 11 a-side again at the start of last season in the donny sunday am prem at the ripe old age of 39 and am currently using different models of puma kings (3 pairs, moulded, screw in and astro but all black! Lol)

More interestingly for me is the fact that in the last 25 years I've probably only had 3 or 4 pairs of gk gloves that haven't been Uhlsport! Proper quality!

[dickos1]

When I was growing up i used to live next door to Jim dobbin he was at Barnsley and later Grimsby, he used to get me boots from there, unusual ones too that weren't readily available in the shops, such as kelme, the best ones he got me were actually gola, made from kangaroo leather and not available in the shops.
They had a big fold over white tongue, they were my pride an joy
He used to regularly come onto the street and play football with me and my mates when we were about 11/12

[Nudga]

Those would be the Gola I was on about. Really soft leather, most comfortable boot I've ever had.

[moses]

My dad refused to buy anything with a label on as he said we were advertising (am not sure any self respecting sports wear label, would want me as its poster boy though).
Through someone as work he got hold of some Miter boots. He thought he was being really clever as they were a fiver cheaper than Mitre boots. He still puffs up with pride whenever this is mentioned.
My favourite were Cica blades from my first seasons back in Donny Sunday league. I ended up buying about 5 pairs.

[River Don]

My first pair of boots were some no brand things, black with a yellow stripe. They had yellow moulded rubber soles, screw-ins looked like a miracle of modern engineering.

Things is they had a bit more flexibility than the Adidas boots I got next, I always felt a bit more comfortable running in them. To be honest they are just the kind of thing our players ought to be wearing now on the modern hard pitch at the Keepmoat.

[Copps is Magic]

When I was a kid you couldn't be seen in public unless you had Adidas predators. I never had Adidas predators.

[ravenrover]

When I was 10 for Christmas I got a pair of "Stanley Matthews" boots, leather studs but cut off at the ankle just like continental boots at that time were.
My next pair were from Brookes that used to be in the market place rubber soles most comfortable boots I ever had they lasted years.
I remember a pair of Puma yellow stripes moulded sole I had when I was playing for Broddie wore them till the sole fell off. Happy days

[River Don]

Now you mention it Raven I think my yellow, rubber soled boots came from Brooke's. They weren't Puma though.

It's a shame that shop has recently closed down.

[Bentley Bullet]

Donnywolf wrote

"So for those who think YOU are hard done to these days - just look at those Boots and then remember I got a Ball the following Christmas lol "


A Ball? Luxury! We used to kick a tin can about....

[RobTheRover]

The first pair I can remember were Gola's round about 1980, moulded sole, leather upper in black with a bright yellow stripe/Gola logo.  Just found a pic of them.



The best ones I ever owned were a pair I won for getting the star letter in 90 Minutes magazine in 1991.  Reebok calf-leather pro boots.  Should have been about £90 (which was a weeks wages!).  I'll try to find a picture.  They were black with silver Reebok logo on the side and this weird honeycomb gel cel thing in the heel.

I'm currently using Nike boots.  Like others have said, they seem to be the best fit in modern boots.  I've got Magista's at the moment.

[RedJ]

Them Golas are belters, Rob.

[Donnywolf]

Donnywolf wrote

"So for those who think YOU are hard done to these days - just look at those Boots and then remember I got a Ball the following Christmas lol "


A Ball? Luxury! We used to kick a tin can about....

...luxury ... we used to kick next door neighbours cat dreaming o' day we could afford a tin can - even an empty one !

You tell kids of today that and they'd never believe you (what a f*****g classic)

[BobG]

Nah.... You can't beat a pair of Puma Pele Rio's! Bloody good boots they were. Comfy and long lasting. Puma was the brand....

BobG