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The Sunderland 2005-07 Home Retro Football Shirt represents a dramatic two-season period at the Stadium of Light, covering both the club’s difficult 2005/06 Premier League campaign and the remarkable 2006/07 Championship title-winning revival.
The design stays faithful to Sunderland’s unmistakable identity with bold red-and-white vertical stripes, complemented by contrasting dark detailing around the collar and sleeves. Its straightforward striped construction gives the shirt a classic mid-2000s English football appearance and makes it instantly recognisable as a Sunderland home jersey.
What makes this shirt particularly interesting historically is the contrast between the two seasons in which it was worn. In 2005/06 Sunderland suffered relegation from the Premier League after finishing bottom, but only one year later the same home design became associated with Roy Keane’s transformation of the club and a Championship-winning promotion back to the Premier League.
Players associated with the shirt across its two-season lifespan include Dean Whitehead, Liam Lawrence, Stephen Elliott, Nyron Nosworthy, Danny Collins and Daryl Murphy, while the second season also introduced important figures such as David Connolly, Dwight Yorke, Ross Wallace and Grant Leadbitter.
Please refer to the size guidance on this product page for detailed measurements.
Size Guidance (Retro Jersey)
Size | Chest (in) | Length (in) | Rec. Height (ft/in) | Rec. Weight (lb) |
S | 39 | 28 | 65–67 | 121–132 |
M | 41 | 28 | 67–69 | 132–154 |
L | 43 | 29 | 69–71 | 154–176 |
XL | 44 | 30 | 71–75 | 176–198 |
XXL | 46 | 31 | 75–79 | 198–220 |
Note: All sizes are for reference only. Manual measurement may result in an error of ±1 inch.
IN BETWEEN SIZES?
That's easier said than done. Because what do you do if you are in between two sizes?
Well, that's up to you. Do you like a tight fit? Go for the smaller size. Loving a loose fit? Go for the larger size.
TOP FIT
If your body measurements for chest and waist result in two different suggested sizes, order the size from your chest measurement.
Season Information
Season/Year: 2005/06 – 2006/07 Club: Sunderland AFC Country: England Competition: Premier League / Football League Championship / FA Cup / Football League Cup Kit Type: Home Stadium: Stadium of Light Managers: Mick McCarthy / Kevin Ball / Niall Quinn / Roy Keane Major Achievement: 2006/07 Football League Championship Winners & Promotion to the Premier League
The 2005/06 season marked Sunderland’s return to the Premier League after winning promotion as Championship champions the previous year. However, the step back into the top flight proved extremely difficult. Sunderland finished 20th with 15 points, recording three victories, six draws and 29 defeats from 38 league matches.
Mick McCarthy began the campaign as manager but departed during the season, with former Sunderland defender Kevin Ball eventually taking caretaker charge. Sunderland struggled badly for goals: Dean Whitehead, Liam Lawrence, Tommy Miller and Anthony Le Tallec each finished with three Premier League goals, while Le Tallec was the club’s leading scorer across all competitions with five.
Despite the results, several players from that side became strongly associated with the shirt. Dean Whitehead started all 37 of his Premier League appearances and contributed three goals and six assists, while Gary Breen, Nyron Nosworthy and Danny Collins were among the regular defensive figures.
The story changed dramatically in 2006/07. Following relegation, Niall Quinn initially took charge as manager as part of the club’s new ownership structure. After a difficult opening to the Championship season, Roy Keane was appointed manager, beginning one of Sunderland’s most memorable modern turnarounds. The club had started the campaign near the bottom of the table, but Keane transformed the team's results and Sunderland eventually climbed all the way to the top.
The squad was significantly reshaped. David Connolly arrived and became a major source of goals, while Dwight Yorke added experience. Dean Whitehead remained a key midfield figure, with Liam Lawrence, Grant Leadbitter and Ross Wallace among the other midfield options. Daryl Murphy also became increasingly important in attack. Sunderland’s published 2006/07 squad numbers included Whitehead 8, Lawrence 7, Murphy 11, Leadbitter 23, Wallace 33, Connolly 31 and Yorke 34.
Sunderland ultimately completed an extraordinary recovery by winning the 2006/07 Football League Championship, securing an immediate return to the Premier League. That transformation gives the 2005-07 home shirt an unusual place in club history: the same design witnessed one of Sunderland’s lowest Premier League seasons and then, only a year later, a championship-winning revival.
Rec. Player Printing Options
Printing | Recommendation |
WHITEHEAD 8 | The strongest choice for a 2006/07 version. Dean Whitehead was a central figure in midfield during Sunderland’s Championship-winning promotion season and wore No.8. |
CONNOLLY 31 | An excellent 2006/07-specific choice. David Connolly became an important attacking figure during Roy Keane’s promotion campaign and is closely associated with the title-winning season. |
MURPHY 11 | A strong promotion-era option. Daryl Murphy wore No.11 in 2006/07 and became part of the attacking group that helped Sunderland return to the Premier League. |
LEADBITTER 23 | A particularly good local connection. Sunderland-born Grant Leadbitter emerged from the club’s academy and wore No.23 during the 2006/07 Championship campaign. |
WALLACE 33 | A distinctive 2006/07 option. Ross Wallace joined Sunderland during the promotion campaign and wore No.33, making this combination strongly tied to Roy Keane’s rebuilt side. |
YORKE 34 | One of the most recognisable names from the 2006/07 squad. Dwight Yorke brought major experience to Keane’s team and wore the unusual No.34. |
LAWRENCE 7 | A printing that works particularly well for the earlier period. Liam Lawrence wore No.7 and was joint-leading Sunderland league scorer with three goals during the difficult 2005/06 Premier League campaign. |
ELLIOTT 10 | A strong mid-2000s Sunderland choice. Stephen Elliott wore No.10 and was one of the young attacking players closely associated with the club during this era. |
NOSWORTHY 12 | A cult-era defensive option. Nyron Nosworthy joined Sunderland in 2005 and remained with the club through relegation and the subsequent Championship promotion campaign. |
COLLINS 15 | A strong long-term Sunderland choice. Danny Collins featured across both seasons and later became an established member of the club’s defence. |
WHITEHEAD 8 is the strongest overall choice when representing the successful second season of the Sunderland 2005-07 Home Retro Football Shirt.
Dean Whitehead had already been one of Sunderland’s most dependable performers during the disastrous 2005/06 Premier League campaign, appearing in 37 league matches and starting every one of them. He then remained an important part of the side that underwent the dramatic transformation under Roy Keane in 2006/07.
For a shirt specifically representing the Championship-winning 2006/07 season, WHITEHEAD 8 therefore provides an excellent connection between the two years in which this design was worn.
For a more attacking 2006/07 option, CONNOLLY 31 is particularly representative of the promotion campaign, while LAWRENCE 7 and ELLIOTT 10 are strong choices for a version intended to represent the 2005/06 Premier League season.
Sunderland 2005-07 Home Jersey
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