Retro Peterborough Shirts – Wear The Posh's Proud History

Peterborough United were formed in 1934 after the disbandment of the older Peterborough & Fletton United, and spent their early decades in the Midland League, building a reputation as a non-league force. Election to the Football League finally came in 1960, and the club announced themselves to the nation in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. In their very first Football League season, striker Terry Bly netted an astonishing 52 goals – a Football League record that stands to this day. The Posh won the Fourth Division title in that debut campaign, scoring 134 goals in 46 matches. It remains one of the most extraordinary single-season achievements in English football history.

However, controversy followed quickly. The club were controversially voted out of the Football League in 1968 due to financial irregularities relating to illegal payments to players – a scandal that rocked the club to its foundations. They were re-elected the following year and continued their existence in the lower divisions, never quite recapturing those early heights until the 1970s, when they established themselves more solidly in the Third and Fourth Divisions.

The Barry Fry era in the 1990s was wonderfully chaotic – the exuberant manager became synonymous with the club, buying and selling players at a frantic pace. Fry later became chairman and director of football, a fixture at London Road for decades. The club achieved back-to-back promotions under Darren Ferguson in the late 2000s, reaching the Championship in 2009 and 2011, their highest sustained level. The Ferguson years produced some of the most exciting football fans had seen at London Road in generations, with Craig Mackail-Smith and Aaron McLean forming a devastating strike partnership.

Britt Assombalonga's electric season in 2013-14 – 23 goals before a serious knee injury – hinted at what could have been before the club were relegated. More recently, Darren Ferguson returned for a third managerial spell and guided the club back to the Championship in 2021, before a period of consolidation back in League One. Great rivals include Cambridge United, in the Cambridgeshire derby, and Northampton Town, with these East Midlands/East England fixtures always carrying fierce local pride.

Peterborough's history is littered with players who either made their names at London Road or passed through on their way to bigger things. Terry Bly's record-breaking 1960-61 campaign remains the defining individual performance in the club's history – 52 league goals in a single season is an achievement that may never be surpassed in English football.

In more modern times, Craig Mackail-Smith became a Posh legend during the Ferguson years, his pace and eye for goal making him one of League One's most feared forwards. He earned a big-money move to Brighton and later capped Scotland. Aaron McLean formed a lethal partnership with Mackail-Smith, his energy and finishing earning him cult status on the terraces.

Britt Assombalonga arrived from Watford and took League One by storm before a devastating cruciate injury cut short a truly special season. His sale to Nottingham Forest for £5 million represented a record sale for the club at the time. Ivan Toney – now an England international – spent a formative loan spell at Peterborough, showing glimpses of the elite striker he would become at Brentford.

Managerially, Darren Ferguson's three separate stints at the club are remarkable – his promotion-winning sides played attractive, ambitious football that aligned perfectly with what the club represents. Barry Fry's larger-than-life personality shaped the club's culture for a generation, while Mark Cooper also enjoyed a productive spell. Goalkeeper Mark Tyler served the club with extraordinary loyalty over many years, becoming one of the finest one-club men in the lower divisions.

The Peterborough United shirt has always centred on their distinctive royal blue – a rich, proud blue that sets them apart from many lower-league clubs and gives their kits a sharp, professional appearance. The retro Peterborough shirt from the 1960s era is now enormously collectible, representing that record-breaking debut Football League season and the extraordinary goal-scoring feats of Terry Bly's team.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, the kits reflected the era's aesthetic – bold collars, simple designs, with various shirt sponsors arriving as commercial football grew. The Admiral and Umbro eras produced some distinctive cuts that collectors now seek out with real enthusiasm. The 1990s Barry Fry years brought some wonderfully garish away strips – the sort of bold, confident design choices that look increasingly charming with the passage of time.

The Ferguson-era strips from 2007-2011 are perhaps the most sought-after for modern fans, representing the club's highest ambitions and most celebrated recent football. The club's traditional blue-and-white palette has remained consistent, though the exact shades and design details have evolved considerably. A retro Peterborough shirt from any era in our collection of 25 available kits captures something genuine about a club with a proud, distinctive identity.