Football strips have always come at a cost, but nonetheless fans will always buy them, as you can’t go to the football at the weekend without wearing the crest of your team — no fan would. Has the price of a strip become that bit too steep?

I’ve looked at the cost of home adult shirts, as well as kids’ kits (not inclusive of socks, which are an added expense — and a big one) for the 12 SPFL teams, as well as the home kit for the Scotland national team.

Some tops, especially if you are a fan of the Old Firm, are priced at over £100 just for the authentic home shirt (it does become cheaper if it’s not the authentic version). On the other end of the scale, teams like Kilmarnock have adult tops at just £30, which is an absolute bargain.

* Some of these kits are on sale at their respective clubs, so these prices have been taken from what they would have cost at the beginning of the season.

Nothing beats the feeling of rushing to the club shop to buy the latest home kit and get someone’s name and number on the back. Everyone anticipates the launch of a kit to see the design and colourways, and many sell out before the campaign even begins. It’s certainly a great sight to witness — a sea of people all wearing the latest kit — but have prices increased too much over the years? Yes.

Kids’ kits, in my opinion, should not exceed £50, given that one day they will no longer fit into them. Shirts for anyone above a juvenile should be no more than £65, but that’s just my opinion.

Why do they cost so much? Well, like everything, prices have increased. Manufacturing tops costs more than it used to. There is then the distribution of kits, VAT, the fact that it’s an original top rather than a replica feeding into the price tag, and of course marketing the kit.

Some of the prices of these kits also include the sponsorship on the sleeves and chest, which adds to the extra cost, though that still doesn’t justify the price of tops. Adding to the already steep expense, clubs typically charge extra to print the name and number on the back.

Obviously, the major factor is that clubs have to make a profit on the kits they are selling, and when you know thousands of people will buy your top — or multiple — then sales are guaranteed.

It’s not even just the price of a Premiership football top that seems expensive — it’s across various leagues. Many tops from both the Championship and League 1 cost around £40–£55.

We are all guilty of moaning about the price of something and still paying for it, and football tops are no different. Everyone has a bit of a gripe but purchases one anyway — it’s part of the cycle. Once you have that kit, you’ve committed to the season, and with the purchase of a top comes allegiance — the highs and the lows.

Fans will always continue to buy strips; it affords them a sense of community. They are all there supporting the same cause, and if it’s a cup-winning or season-defining kit, it gives people memories. Kits hold the memories of the old and the hopes of the young. For the future, however, could the price come under consideration? It would be even sweeter if it dropped just a little.

Louise Davidson

I have a keen interest in sport journalism and broadcasting.