That time of year, and there really isn’t all that long to go until the big day. Knowing how hard it can be to find that perfect gift, we’ve gathered up a selection of alternative Christmas present ideas for that football fan in your life, breaking away from the traditional club merch.
Shopping for Christmas can be a right old ball ache, trying to find something that the recipient will actually like and appreciate. When it comes to the football fan(s) in your life, it serves to think outside the box somewhat, getting away from the usual horrendous club merch, where the team’s crest can be put on anything from a Rubiks Cube to clothes hangers before being palmed off as a gift – easy, yes, but not all that thoughtful. No, we’re more for something that looks like you’ve gone to a little more effort, even when you actually haven’t! So check out what we think are a nice little selection of alternative gifts that won't break the bank yet that should be well received, taking some of the stress out of your shopping this festive season…
Subbuteo Team Print – prezzybox.com £19.99
Subbuteo holds a special place in the hearts of a certain generation of football fans. Now you can get one of the highlights from a club's recent history immortalised in poster form. Sure to be appreciated.
Scratch Off 92 Football Grounds Print – mapsinternational.co.uk From £11.70
Know someone who loves stadiums and wants to check off all 92 stadiums in the Football League? Then this is the ideal gift for them. Simply scratch off the grounds as you visit them. Each Stadium is located by a football icon and you can scratch off the label and football kit, revealing the team colours. On top of that you can also personalise it with a line of text of your choice. Shows that extra bit of thought.
"Classics" Tee Range – art-of-football.com From £28
Art of Football is an absolute treasure trove for alternative football gifts. We've opted for the "Classics" tee range, in which you can get a quality 100% cotton tee with a print of your favourite team's most iconic kits. You can pick from a dark navy, black, grey or white base colour too. But if that's not quite right, then hunt around... so much goodness there.
Mystery Box – mysteryjersey.com From £33
If you know someone who loves football shirts, then this could well be the option for you. The concept is simple: you order a mystery box, selecting the appropriate size and teams to avoid, and the rest is down to MFJ! Shirts are all 100% authentic and brand new with tags and they could come from any club in the world! Beautifully presented with an option to also gift wrap it, saving you all the work!
Retro Replica – prodirectsoccer.com From £30
A timeless way to show support, retro replica has massively grown in its appeal over the last few years. Unlike shedding close to £100 for a current shirt that'll only last one season, these come in at over half the price and never go out of date. Gotta love that.
Bootclaw – amazon.co.uk £5.97
A great little stocking filler, this. Nike have Anti-Clog, but for everyone else the problem of mud getting stuck on your boots is still there. Now this nifty little gadget offers a solution to just scraping it off with your fingers. It's also got a stud key built into the handle so you can tighten studs before a game.
Tour of Wembley Stadium – buyagift.co.uk From £15
Plan a day out and visit the home of football, Wembley Stadium itself. See where Harry Kane and the rest get kitted up before a game before taking in the whole stadium at pitch level. If Wembley doesn't fit the bill, then there's options for plenty of other stadiums across the country too.
Championship and Football League Grounds Football Print – prezzybox.com £19.99
Another from PrezzyBox.com, and this time it's a rather artful option that centres around football stadiums. If you know someone who spends most of their spare time at their favourite football ground, then this acts as a nice reminder of their home from home... Y'know, when they can't be there n'all.
Create Your Own FIFA Card – creatufut.com £15
Fully customisable with everything from names, stats, club and country and type of card, this is a great novelty gift that's sure to go down well with FIFA fans.
SoccerBible 'Volumes' – ‘Utopia’ Edition – prodirectsoccer.com £35
Yeah, OK, it's a shameless plug, but our latest special edition print publication – SoccerBible Volumes 'Utopia' edition – is the perfect coffee table companion. So much more than a simple magazine, it's sure to be a piece that any football fan will appreciate, even if we do say so ourselves.
Certain imagery courtesy of The Kitsman
Good hunting...
