Former England and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has revealed he was a big fan of the iconic Newcastle United goalkeeper shirts from the 1990s, even buying them years later when they were reduced in price.
Hart's Admiration for the Entertainers Era Kits
Hart, who won the Premier League twice with Manchester City as well as the FA Cup and the League Cup, and earned 75 caps for England across two World Cups, admitted he loved the goalkeeper tops from Newcastle's famous Entertainers era. Speaking on the Overlap Daily show, brought to you by Sky Bet, Hart said: "Ah, come on. Anything Shaka rocked, with the bridge and the sunset. I used to rock these shirts."
He added: "Don't get me wrong, I got it three or four seasons later when it was a tenner, because they were too expensive, but I rocked a few of these adidas Newcastle kits, and because of Shaka as well."
Shaka Hislop's Influence
Hart singled out Shaka Hislop, one of his goalkeeping heroes, as a key reason for his fondness for the shirts. "He had a lot of flair, and he made some massive saves," Hart said.
Newcastle signed Hislop from Reading in 1995, with the Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper battling with Pavel Srnicek for the No 1 shirt. He played 71 times in three years on Tyneside before leaving for West Ham in 1998. He later played for Portsmouth and ended his career in the MLS with FC Dallas.
Partnership with adidas
Newcastle's partnership with adidas in the mid-1990s produced a series of memorable shirts, with the eye-catching goalkeeper tops featuring the Tyne Bridge standing out. Hart, from Shrewsbury, admitted he would proudly wear those shirts as a youngster, though he waited until they were on sale.
