Everton and hummel's limited-edition Alan Ball trainer - marking 50 years since the Everton Giant wore his iconic white hummel boots - sold out in under an hour after going on sale on Thursday morning.
The limited-edition hummel Alan Ball trainer was available online only via evertondirect.com from 8am on Thursday - a time in tribute to the Blues icon's number 8 shirt.
And fans took no time to snap up the trainers, with the limited-edition numbers sold out by 9am!
The sight of World Cup winner Ball seeming to glide across mud-heap football pitches in his famous white boots is still an iconic image for a generation of football fans.
Ball wore his white and black hummel boots for the first time in 1970, including Everton’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the Charity Shield at Stamford Bridge on 8 August 1970.
The midfielder, who won the League title with Everton in 1969/70 and formed the glorious 'Holy Trinity' alongside Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey - became synonymous with the footwear and Evertonians snapped up replica pairs in their thousands.
In a tribute to the famous football boots, the new limited edition hummel Alan Ball trainer is white with the iconic hummel chevrons in anthracite black on the inside and outside edges.
The black tongue label features the Everton legend’s name, the Everton crest and the hummel logo in gold, while the back of shoe has the year ‘1970’ also in gold, and the insole features a gold Everton crest. It is smartly finished with black laces replicating the original boot. The trainers will be available in adult sizes 6-11.
Alan McTavish, Commercial Director at Everton, said: “We hope that the Alan Ball trainer provides a fitting tribute to a true Everton legend, who was responsible for our first association with hummel. The design is yet another example of the dynamism and creativity at the heart of our partnership. This limited-edition trainer is not only a must for a certain generation of Evertonians but also a chance for young Blues to learn more about one of the greatest players in our Club’s rich history.”
Allan Vad Nielsen, hummel’s CEO, said: “We are proud to be able to remember a true Everton legend and his historic association with our brand. We wanted the trainer to be a true homage to Alan Ball and his achievements but also a wearable classic. We are sure this will be a big hit with fans.”
The Alan Ball trainer marks the Club’s second recent tribute to the midfielder, after a statue of Ball, Harvey and Kendall – known as the Holy Trinity – was unveiled in May 2019 outside Goodison Park at a ceremony attended by Ball’s family.
Alan’s son Jimmy says the Ball family are delighted their dad still stirs the passion and the memories almost 50 years after he left Everton.
“Even after all this time people still associate white boots with my dad, which we all think is great!” said Jimmy.
“My dad loved Goodison Park and we, as a family, all love getting back there, too - he’d be made up at the thought of Evertonians wearing white hummel trainers now.
“Everton was always his club and he’d be so proud to know that he is still so well thought of by the fans.”
