No single mark proves a shirt is genuine. What you build instead is a case: seven points of evidence that either agree with each other, or don't. Work through them in order and tick each one off before you pay.
0 of 7 checks done
A replica that fools you on one point usually fails on three others. A maker's logo can be copied; the way the collar is sewn, the cloth it is sewn into, and the sponsor that shares the chest are much harder to get right at the same time. That is why the order matters: start where the shirt is cheapest to fake and finish where it is hardest.
Check 01
The maker's mark
Where the kit maker's logo sits, how it is attached, and whether the maker actually supplied Arsenal in that season.
Points towards genuine
+The logo sits where that maker placed it in that era, not simply where it is easiest to print.
+It is embroidered, woven or heat-pressed with clean edges, matching the crest's finish.
+The maker listed for the season on our season pages matches the one on the shirt.
Points away from it
−A modern maker's logo on a shirt said to come from a season before they made the kit.
−A sticker or iron-on patch that lifts when the fabric is flexed.
−The logo present on one shirt and missing on its matching away or goalkeeper kit.
Check 02
Collar stitching and neck tape
Open the collar and look at the seam, the tape inside the neck, and how the size label is fixed.
Points towards genuine
+Even stitch length with no loose threads, and the collar sitting flat rather than cupping.
+A neck tape or binding in the style the era used, sewn in rather than glued.
+A size label stitched or printed in the maker's own format, not a generic one.
Points away from it
−Stitching that runs in a perfectly straight line across a curved seam, or is stitched twice over.
−A label that reads like a high-street garment rather than a match shirt.
−A printed label that cracks after one wash — a common sign of a cheap reproduction.
Check 03
The crest
How the club crest is made and how it sits on the chest.
Points towards genuine
+The crest is the version the club used in that season, with the right lettering and cannon detail.
+Its edges are crisp and the colours are the era's, not a brightened modern palette.
+It is applied the way the era applied it — embroidered, woven or bonded.
Points away from it
−A crest from a different decade, or one redrawn for a modern shirt on an older design.
−Visible glue lines, bubbling, or a crest that peels at a corner.
−A crest stitched over a sponsor's name instead of around it.
Check 04
Sponsor printing
The sponsor's name across the chest, and whether that sponsor was on the shirt in that season.
Points towards genuine
+The sponsor matches the season, as listed on our season pages.
+The print sits into the fabric with the correct font, size and spacing.
+The sponsor's own trademark styling is correct, including any registered marks.
Points away from it
−A sponsor from the wrong era, or a sponsor paired with a maker that never overlapped.
−Letters that peel, crack, or sit proud of the fabric like a transfer.
−A sponsor printed on a shirt the club never carried that name on.
Check 05
Player printing
The name and number on the back, the font, and whether that player wore that number that season.
Points towards genuine
+The font, size and colour match what the club used that season.
+The name and number are a real pairing for that season — check them on our printings page.
+On licensed shirts, the printing carries the maker's or league's licensed marks.
Points away from it
−A name and number that never appeared together in that season.
−A font that belongs to a different era, or letters cut from a generic alphabet.
−A printing that is crisp on the back but has no matching maker's mark anywhere on the shirt.
Check 06
Fabric, tailoring and fit
How the cloth feels, how the panels are cut, and how the shirt sits on the shoulder.
Points towards genuine
+Fabric weight and texture that fit the era — heavier cottons early, technical synthetics later.
+Panels and side vents that line up across seams and match the season's design.
+A cut consistent with other shirts from the same season.
Points away from it
−Modern moisture-wicking cloth in a shirt claimed to be from the 1970s.
−A pattern that does not match across a seam, or a design element that is mirrored on one side.
−A fit that reads like a unisex fashion cut rather than a match shirt.
Check 07
Provenance
The paper and story behind the shirt: receipts, photos, and who owned it before you.
Points towards genuine
+A dated receipt or order confirmation naming the shirt.
+A photograph of the shirt with a player, or a club-issued tag for match-worn items.
+A seller who can name where the shirt came from and answer questions about it.
Points away from it
−"From a mate of a groundsman" with nothing written down.
−A price far below other examples of the same shirt.
−A seller who will not photograph the labels, the inside of the collar, or the printing up close.
Deal-breakers
Five things that end the conversation
✕Every mark on the shirt is perfect and crisp, as if printed last week, on a shirt said to be decades old.
✕The labels have been cut out and the seller says they were "always like that".
✕The crest, maker's mark and sponsor come from three different eras.
✕The seller will only show a small, blurry photo taken from a distance.
✕The shirt is offered in several sizes at once — a genuine match shirt is one shirt.
Check the season before you check the shirt
Most arguments about a shirt start with a date. Who made the kit that season, who paid to be on the chest, and which names and numbers were actually printed. All three are listed for every season in the archive.
This is guidance for collectors, not a certificate of authenticity. Skilled reproductions exist, and some genuine shirts carry damage, repairs or replacements that break every rule above. For a shirt you intend to pay real money for, ask the seller for close photographs of every mark listed here, and compare them against the season record before you commit.