Vereniging Betaald Voetbal De Graafschap, simply known as De Graafschap, is a professional association football club, founded on 1 February 1954, based in Doetinchem, Netherlands, and competing in the Eerste Divisie. The club’s blue and white identity and long local history make its shirts sought after by regional collectors, and Walkouts lists signed retail shirts and framed pieces that speak to that local passion.
The club has played at De Vijverberg since its foundation, a stadium that features heavily in provenance for signed items and match-issued shirts. Supporters affectionately call the side the Superboeren, and the classic home is the blue and white hooped shirt with white shorts and blue socks. Despite a steady presence in the Eredivisie over the decades, De Graafschap has won no major trophies and holds no continental honours, facts that make signed domestic shirts more culturally than commercially prized.
Anniversary releases are an important collector avenue for the club. Commemorative runs around the club’s half century, for example the 2004 50th anniversary, were issued to mark milestone years and remain a focal point for framed displays, often carrying retro styling and limited-edition numbering that appeals to fans who favour club milestones over mainstream silverware.
Specific seasons and fixtures drive interest in single shirts. Early-career pieces from the 1954-55 inaugural era and shirts associated with promotion pushes, including the season concluding in 2004, are chased because they represent turning points in the club’s league status and contain provenance tied to decisive fixtures or post-season celebrations. Match provenance, such as derby encounters, further elevates certain shirts above standard retail issues.
Away and change strips have their own collector stories. While the home hooped look is central, collectors also prize contrasting change shirts used on the road after the 1970s era updates; regional collectors often cite decisive away results in cup ties and league surprises as the provenance that makes a change strip desirable. One practical insight is that derby fixtures and matches at neutral cup venues often create the best provenance for signed shirts, linking them to matches against Vitesse and rival ties with Go Ahead Eagles.
Signed retail demand for De Graafschap items is steady, with fanshop shirts, limited early retail runs, and player-issue variants attracting signatures and dedicated attention. Provenanced retail pieces carrying a documented COA are preferred by collectors, while framed shirts from region-specific releases or short-run anniversary editions remain especially visible in Dutch private collections. The club’s match-issued variants and commemorative retail runs are commonly the entry point for signed items.
For curator notes and provenance, focus on shirts tied to concrete seasons and fixtures such as the 1954-55 inaugural campaign and the promotion-era season concluding in 2004, which together illustrate the kind of retail, match-issued and anniversary pieces that surface regularly. Walkouts closes our page with a selection that highlights these seasons and shirt types, and Free worldwide shipping is offered for signed retail and framed items where listed.
