Player - Tough tackling Danish centre-back Thomas Gaardsøe #36

Features

• Correct player size print professionally heat pressed
• Given to a referee as a gift and comes from their own personal collection - a signed letter verifying this will be provided

Notes - Extremely rare player shirt believed to have been issued to Gaardsøe for the UEFA Cup Third Round 1st leg match against Inter Milan played at Portman Road on 22nd November 2001. The Tractor Boys had beat Russian side Torpedo Moscow and Swedish outfit Helsingborgs so far in the competition and faced their toughest challenge yet against Zanetti, Ronaldo, Adriano and co. A close game ended in a superb victory for Ipswich in one of the great European Giant killing ties of all time. Alun Armstrong's second-half header proved the difference and gave George Burley's side the advantage going into the second leg at the San Siro. Gaardsøe started on the bench and came on for Jamie Clapham in stoppage time to seal the victory. The Dane featured just once in the UEFA Cup as Inter turned up the heat in the 2nd leg running out 4-1 winners in Milan. Gaardsøe was in his first year with the side after joining from Aalborg and made just 6 appearances this year as Ipswich suffered a shock relegation from the Premier League. He stayed on for another season at Portman Road before joining West Brom in 2003. The two-time Danish international wore long-sleeves in this game and this shirt is believed to have been a spare prepared to match specifications ahead of the fixture.