Carrying Football Style Since 1974: The Story of the Gola Redford Messenger Bag
As football fans once again turn their attention to a summer of international football, it's a reminder that the beautiful game has never just been about what happens on the pitch. For decades, football has shaped music, fashion and youth culture, influencing everything from trainers and track tops to the bags slung across supporters' shoulders on matchdays.
Few accessories capture that connection better than the Gola Redford Messenger Bag.
Originally introduced in 1974, the Redford has become one of British sportswear's most recognisable silhouettes. Combining the clean lines of a classic Sixties airline flight bag with practical sports styling, it has travelled from football grounds to university campuses, music venues and city streets, earning its place as an enduring icon of retro British fashion.
Today, over fifty years after its debut, the Redford remains a favourite among lovers of Mod style, Britpop, Indie fashion and 80s Casuals culture, proving that timeless design never goes out of style.
Gola Redford Messenger Bag in Apple Green and White
From Football Boots to British Sportswear Icons
Founded in 1905 as the Bozeat Boot Company, Gola began life producing handcrafted football boots. By the 1960s and early 1970s, however, the brand had grown into one of Britain's leading names in sportswear, supplying footwear and equipment to athletes across the country.
As football's popularity exploded, Gola expanded beyond boots, introducing sports holdalls, training bags and accessories designed for players and supporters alike.
In 1974, the Redford Messenger Bag joined the collection.
Drawing inspiration from the structured airline flight bags that had become fashionable during the jet-set era of the 1960s, the Redford combined practicality with unmistakable vintage style. Its boxy silhouette, contrast piping and bold Gola branding immediately stood out from conventional sports bags.
It wasn't long before the Redford became far more than sporting equipment.
Gola Redford Messenger Bag in Deep Red
A Favourite From the Terraces to the High Street
The Redford found its biggest audience not in changing rooms but on Britain's streets.
Throughout the late 1970s, Mods, Northern Soul fans and football supporters embraced the bag for its smart appearance and everyday practicality. Worn alongside Harrington jackets, polo shirts and straight-leg jeans, it became an effortless finishing touch to countless retro outfits.
As football supporters travelled across Britain and Europe, messenger bags like the Redford became ideal companions for away days, comfortably carrying programmes, travel tickets, cameras and the everyday essentials needed for long weekends following your team.
By the 1980s, the Redford had become a familiar sight on school playgrounds and football terraces alike.
Then came the Britpop explosion.
As Oasis, Blur and countless Indie bands looked back to Britain's sporting and working-class heritage, the Redford enjoyed another surge in popularity. Its clean vintage styling perfectly complemented the revival of retro trainers, track tops and classic sportswear, becoming an essential accessory for a new generation.
Gola Redford Messenger Bag in Black and White
Built for Everyday Adventures
While the styling remains true to the original 1974 design, today's Redford offers all the practicality expected from a modern everyday bag.
Constructed from durable PU with that iconic crisp contrast piping trim, it retains the classic airline bag silhouette that first made it famous while providing ample storage for daily essentials.
The spacious zipped main compartment is complemented by a concealed internal zip pocket for valuables, side drop pockets for quick-access items and a wide adjustable shoulder strap that makes it comfortable whether worn across the body or over one shoulder.
Whether you're commuting, heading to a festival, travelling to a match or simply exploring the city, the Redford continues to deliver the perfect balance of heritage style and everyday function.
Gola Micro Redford Messenger Bag in Black/Gold.
Meet the Micro Redford
For those who prefer travelling a little lighter, Gola has also introduced the Micro Redford.
Maintaining every ounce of the original's retro character, the Micro Redford distils the iconic design into a compact, everyday companion. Finished in a variety of vibrant colourways with crisp contrast piping and signature Gola branding, it offers the same unmistakable airline-inspired styling in a smaller, more versatile format.
Complete with an adjustable shoulder strap, twin external side pockets and a secure zipped main compartment with concealed internal pocket, it's ideal for carrying your phone, wallet, keys and daily essentials without unnecessary bulk.
Although we currently stock the Micro Redford as part of our women's collection, its timeless unisex design makes it an easy choice for anyone who appreciates classic British sportswear and vintage-inspired accessories.
Gola Micro Redford Messenger bag in Bottle Green/White.
A Summer of Football, Music and Style
International tournaments have always brought together more than football. They celebrate travel, friendship, music and the shared experiences that unite supporters from every corner of the globe.
The Gola Redford feels perfectly at home in that world.
Its heritage is rooted in British sport, its styling reflects the optimism of the 1970s, and its cultural journey has taken it through Mod revival, Northern Soul, 80s Casuals and the Britpop movement of the 1990s.
Whether you're heading to watch the football, spending the weekend at a festival or simply embracing retro style this summer, the Redford remains one of those rare accessories that effortlessly bridges fashion and function.
Gola Redford Messenger Bag in White and Black
An Icon That Still Carries the Spirit of British Sportswear
More than five decades after its introduction, the Gola Redford Messenger Bag continues to embody everything that has made Gola a British institution. Practical, stylish and unmistakably retro, it remains one of the brand's most enduring designs.
From football grounds and away days to concerts, cafés and city streets, the Redford has travelled through generations without losing any of its original appeal.
This summer, wherever the football takes you, it's the perfect companion for the journey.