Wigston’s link to the World Cup

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Long before the billion-pound kit deals of today, a small textile company in Wigston, Leicestershire, fundamentally changed the way we consume sport. The story of Admiral Sportswear is not just about clothes - it is the story of how the “replica shirt” was born. Founded in 1914 Admiral was originally an undergarment brand before changing its focus towards the rapidly expanding sportswear sector. The brand’s first brush with football immortality came in 1966 when the Leicester City and England goalkeeper Gordon Banks walked out onto the pitch at Wembley for the World Cup Final. BBC Leicester’s Ben Jackson went to find out more with historian Bill Boulter, Mark Atton, and Emma Buckler from Oadby and Wigston Borough Council. Produced by Pete Wardman. If you want to know as soon as a new episode is available, make sure you subscribe to Secret Leicestershire on BBC Sounds and have push notifications turned on. Image: Getty Images