ONE ON ONE DEREK LYON

@DLBOOTROOM

SELF-CONFESSED ADDICT AND COLLECTOR BASED IN QATAR.

Why did you start collecting? and I’ve made some very good friends 24 hours to get a pair. Stories like this I started collecting football-related through my hobby, so that alone makes it make it all worthwhile and one of the items around 2005 and it has continued worthwhile. Some people talk about the reasons I enjoy collecting so much. since then. I bought my first pair of value of the making it worthwhile football boots for collecting around but anyone who gets into this hobby to What’s the most you’ve ever paid 2008 and was hooked. I originally set make money will be in for a surprise, as for a single pair of boots, and what out to collect Predators in the often it’s extremely difficult to make were they? original colourway but wanted them all a lot of money from collecting. Yes it The most expensive pair of boots in my brand new in-box and the collection is possible but it should never be the collection are the Ronaldo match-worn grew from that point. I also love knowing main reason for collecting. As part of Vapor IV. Owning a pair of match-worn that in perhaps 10 years’ time I can show my hobby I have been lucky enough to Ronaldo boots was a of mine for boots to people from today’s market have met one of my all-time favourite a very long time and I really wanted a and compare to what’s available at that footballers in Lothar Matthaus, and pair from when he was at Man Utd rather point in time. receive an extremely limited pair of than his Real Madrid days. I knew about boots from him. Meeting him was a huge the boots and made it well-known to the Do you think your collection will ever day for me and to be one of the lucky owner that I was interested, but it took be complete? people to receive a pair of boots made about two years for him to eventually Complete, no, but it does get to a point it even more special. If collecting boots sell them. I had to get these ones as I when you don’t feel the urge to buy was a waste of time then I would not be knew where they came from and there anything. A complete collection can only able to have memories like that. was absolutely no doubt at all about be made if you literally have everything them being authentic unlike many of the that you intend to collect, but with If your house was burning down and so-called “match-worn” boots you see football boots there is always something you only had time to save three boots out there. else to buy. Also, I don’t really have any from your collection, what would they target to complete it, I enjoy the chase be and why? How do you feel about the buying-for- of getting boots I’m after and also enjoy This is a very hard question to answer, profit trend that seems to be ever- looking for the new releases. but if I was forced to pick only three growing? I’d go with the following: Cristiano I am in two minds about this as I see What would you say to someone Ronaldo match-worn Nike Mercurial why people do it, but at the same time that says collecting boots is a waste Vapor IV, X Hublot Special Edition it’s very frustrating. I hate seeing boots of time? Falcao evoSPEED, adidas Messi 10/10 that I have been unable to get as they To be honest I don’t care. Everyone first edition. have sold out and an hour later they has their thing that makes them happy are on eBay for four times the amount. and for me it’s collecting boots. I have The Ronaldo boots because they have The problem is money can be made had people say what’s the point before been worn by him and that makes them from boots and so people will always but then when they come and see my priceless to me. The PUMA Hublot boot take advantage of that. I think it’s more collection and start asking questions because it’s simply so rare and so hard frustrating on new releases rather than about certain pairs they understand to find. The Messi 10/10 boot because I on older boots. If someone wants to the passion. Within the boot collecting flew from Doha, Qatar to Barcelona and sell a pair of boots from 1998 for a lot community there’s an understanding queued up outside the shop for around of money it tends to only be collectors

194 BOOT BIBLE XIX ONE ON ONE DEREK LYON 195 interested in them and then I don’t have the Pulse Ying Yang I have never met another collector with much of an issue there. It’s with current- boots. I was a huge a pair, meaning that it’s extremely rare. I day releases that I get annoyed, knowing Beckham fan when he was at Man Utd am sure some people out there have the that many of the limited edition pairs are and having those boots was a must, boot in their collection but I just haven’t being bought purely for the purpose of but this was before I actually got into come across them yet. being sold for profit. I think what annoys collecting boots. When I played football, me is that if, say, adidas released a boot the adidas Predator was the ultimate Do you collect anything else football for £1,000 they would receive huge boot, meaning that was what I wanted related? criticism from the media and everyone to collect. The original boot from 1994 I’ve been collecting various pieces of would have an opinion on it. However, was a boot that took me a long time Manchester United memorabilia for a when a reseller asks for that amount it’s to collect in brand new condition. I very long time too. My pride and joy is accepted as paying the going rate. was fortunate enough that my wife my match-worn Ronaldo shirt from the found a pair for me and surprised me 2006/07 season and it’s also signed by Would you call your boot collecting an on Christmas day with them and the the great man. Match-worn items for addiction? collection has simply grown and grown Manchester United are very expensive One hundred percent it’s an addiction. since then. More recently I have enjoyed and I like having the few pieces that I I spend hours on social media and collecting signature boots for players have in my collection. My match-worn eBay looking for new additions to my like Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar and any collection include shirts from Ryan collection as well as spending a lot of others that the big brands release. Giggs, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Rio time chatting to other bootheads about Ferdinand. I probably have around 100- new releases. If I know a new boot is How many pairs of boots do you own 200 pieces of signed memorabilia from coming out, I will go out of my way to and which is the rarest? Manchester United, which has been built make sure that I am free at launch time. At present the collection is around 350 over many years. I have been fortunate If I can’t be online at that time I will pairs, which covers a wide variety of enough to meet a few footballers here in have family and friends trying to get me brands. In my collection I have boots Qatar and enjoy getting various football a pair and when I lose out (as is often from adidas, Nike, PUMA, Mizuno, items signed by the players. the case) I get quite annoyed and it can , Concave, Lotto, Pantofola d’Oro take me a few hours to get over the and Pele Sports. I have never really stuck Is there a boot that has escaped you, disappointment. to one brand like some collectors purely one that you need to own but don’t? because I like so many different aspects Currently there are two football boots How strong are the parallels between of the boots. that I wish I could add to my collection, sneaker collectors and boot collectors? but I don’t think it will ever happen. It’s getting stronger all of the time. Rarity is hard to say as some boots Firstly, the Nike Mercurial Superfly IV Sneakerheads are now seeing the value had maybe more pairs released a long Carli Lloyd Limited Edition to celebrate in the market and are time ago but finding them now is her winning the Ballon d’Or. I have every creeping in, mainly just to fund their extremely hard. For example, I have a colourway of the Superfly IV but this next pair of for their own pair of adidas Predator Mania Japan Blue one limited edition boot seems to have collections. I don’t think it will ever Edition with a firm ground soleplate in just disappeared off the face of the be as big as sneaker collecting but brand new condition. Finding boots like world. I know of two pairs out there but it’s definitely a growing trend. Recent this in brand new condition is virtually that’s it, and neither is for sale. collaboration between big brands and impossible these days so very rare. fashion companies are showing that the However, we now get limited editions The other pair is the more limited PUMA market for football boots is growing. from all brands and they can be limited Hublot evoSPEED Falcao boot, which is Also, when you see new releases of to as low as 15 pairs, making them similar to the one I have but has the gold football boots being partnered with a extremely rare. But normally you can PUMA logo on the side. Only 40 pairs sneaker version, of course it raises the find them, you just can’t buy them as were released but to get them you had profile and makes a lot more people collectors often don’t want to sell them. to purchase a watch for around £35,000 interested. Then there are the match-worn pairs, and to this day I have never seen one which I guess in some ways are unique, pair of these boots in any collection. I What was the first boot you ever so again very rare. I’d say in my whole will never give up hope of owning these bought, and why did you start collection the rarest boot that I own boots as the one thing that’s very true collecting? is the PUMA Hublot X Special Edition in the collecting world is that you just First boots I bought for collecting were Falcao evoSPEED boot as up until now never know what’s around the corner.

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