Who were Gallantry? I’m convinced that not a single person in the world knows. I’ve searched and searched, but nothing ever comes up (although, on the flip-side, I have inadvertently become an expert on military medals).
The one thing I do know about them is that, for at least two years in the ‘90s, they produced glorious catalogues that have since become wonderful time capsules of football merch from Back In The Day. As a kid, I obsessed over these things, studying each shirt and painstakingly trying to make the decision of which one I would buy myself. Bizarrely, I opted for the Athletico Rosario away shirt from the 94/95 one (the sizing was weird) and the Club America shirt from the 95/96 (the collar was itchy). Why oh why I didn’t order myself a downright beautiful Gremio shirt instead I have no idea, but there’s no accounting for childhood taste.
An interesting little easter egg in this first catalogue is that each and every player appearing in the photographs is wearing Kronos boots. Did Gallantry have some connection with Kronos? Perhaps. Either way, it’s fun to look back on a time when Adidas, Nike and Puma didn’t have things all their own way, and a brand like Kronos was able to attract genuine megastars like Hristo Stoichkov, Abel Balbo and Gabriel Batistuta.
Anyway, without further ado here is the full season 1994/95 catalogue in all its glory (and yes, of course the replica shirts are nailed-on beauties, but you owe it to yourself to also check out some of the other stuff Gallantry had on offer: my personal favourites being the gaudy “fanshirts” and iconic flatcaps).
For the similarly wondrous 1995/96 edition, click here.
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