Identity area
Reference code
2022.74
Title
Northern Boys Club T-Shirt
Date(s)
- 2017 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
1
Context area
Name of creator
(2007 - Present)
Administrative history
The Northern Boys Club was established circa 2007 by Thomas Summerfield while he was working at LIFE, Manchester. The brand's designs incorporated cultural references to football and music, featuring bands such as The Smiths, Happy Mondays, and The Verve, alongside quotes from figures like Winston Churchill. Approximately 50 unique designs were produced, with distribution primarily through independent retailers including Accent (Leeds), Ran (Manchester), Van Mildert (Sunderland), and Union (Newcastle). The brand resonated with individuals connected to Northern culture, initially within the United Kingdom, but quickly gaining traction in Northern Europe and Italy, particularly among Roma football fans who embraced the brand's name. The t-shirts were manufactured in the Far East and printed in Manchester.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Dark blue, cotton t-shirt with short sleeves and a round neck. The front of the t-shirt features the British Rail Double Arrow logo in orange, which consists of two interlocked arrows across two parallel lines, symbolising a double track railway. Underneath the British Rail logos is the text 'The Day We Caught The Train.' Beneath the collar on the reverse are printed the words 'I like a man who grins when he fights / The Northern Boys Club' in yellow.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Label: 3XL
Materials: Cotton
Measurements: 59cm [Chest]; 71cm [Length]
Details: Short sleeve; round neck
Physical Condition: Good
Materials: Cotton
Measurements: 59cm [Chest]; 71cm [Length]
Details: Short sleeve; round neck
Physical Condition: Good
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
The text "The Day We Caught The Train" refers to the 1996 song by the British rock band Ocean Colour Scene.
Note
The British Rail Double Arrow logo was designed in 1965 by Gerry Barney, a member of the Design Research Unit, which was established by British Rail to modernise the company's corporate identity during the 1960s.
Note
The Advanced Passenger Train (APT) was a tilting high-speed train developed by British Rail during the 1970s and early 1980s for operation on the West Coast Main Line. The InterCity APT logo featured on this t-shirt was used from 1980 to 1986. During this period, various football hooligan groups appropriated the term "Intercity" (ITC) for their names, which often appeared on their 'calling cards'. Examples include Manchester United's Inter City Jibbers, West Ham's Inter City Firm (I.C.F.), Hibernian's Inter City Fleet, and Glasgow Rangers' Inter City Firm.