The development of the football scarf.
Football fans over the years have always wanted show their team's colours. While rosettes and rattles may have given way to team shirts and horns, the football scarf has been ever present.
The home-made knitted scarf was the norm. This printed scarf probably made for the 1937 FA Cup Final being a rare exception.
The home-made knitted scarf was the norm. This printed scarf probably made for the 1937 FA Cup Final being a rare exception.
I have collected football scarves since the 1970s. The 'bar scarves' of the early 1970s had no distinctive team markings.
Scarves could be customised by sewing on a team patch or embroidering the names of players.
Scarves could be customised by sewing on a team patch or embroidering the names of players.
Probably the first 'woollen' team name scarves were based on the bar scarf. Scarves for many teams were made and although possibly sold at club shops might still be described as "unofficial". The Sunderland scarf shown here for instance lacks the "...AFC" or any reference to the football club..
'Silk' or 'Satin' (as they were incorrectly called) scarves appeared in the early 1970s. The applied lettering and badges were susceptable to even the slightest usage, and the scarf material itself was easily creased and not really washable. In spite of their shortcomings the popularity of these team specific scarves at the time paved the way for the Jacquard scarf.
This England scarf appeared about 1975. They are wearing their Admiral kit. There are similar scarves for Leeds United and Manchester United who also wore Admiral at that time.
The Signet Tie Company of Linlithgow in Scotland made scarves for the major Scottish teams and also two for Sunderland in 1976 and 1979. The nice material with a 'satin' backing was let down with the applied logo which again was easily damaged.
'Silk' scarves were still being made in the late 1980s. They were slowly overtaken by 'woollen' scarves which had the same printed designs. Although more practical to wear than the 'silk' scarves, the print still faded, especially with washing.
Designs for the first Jacquard scarves of the late 1970s and early 1980s were very basic compared with today's versions. The team name was often only on one side, the other side being plain with thin stripes. When the team name did appear on both sides unfortunately one side was often upside down. This explains why in crowd scenes many fans are holding up their scarves the wrong way round.
The England 1982 scarf has a very basic 'three lions' design. To achieve a scarf with two different sides, two separate pieces have been stitched together.
Manufacturers at the time were also happy to add fringe to one side only.
From the late 1980s scarves changed very little except that computer technology meant that short runs would be economically viiable. Even the smallest clubs have Jacquard scarves and there is an abundance of match day, tournament, friendship, personality and other commemorative scarves.
The abilty to manufacture mulit-coloured scarves with complex designs has not meant that fans have turned their backs on the original football scarf. The bar scarf is still popular although today it probably has a computer designed team badge.
Scarves or scarfs?
Either plural is acceptable.
