Retro Gent Shirt – The Buffalo's Historic Rise to Glory

The story of K.A.A. Gent begins in 1900, when the club was founded in the Flemish city of Ghent, a place already steeped in industrial pride and civic identity. The early decades were modest affairs, the club finding its feet in the regional footballing landscape while the likes of Anderlecht and Club Brugge established themselves as the dominant forces in Belgian football. Gent spent much of the mid-twentieth century oscillating between the top flight and lower divisions, building a loyal but often frustrated fanbase who dared to dream of something greater.

The club's nickname, 'De Buffalo's', is said to derive from a legendary American Wild West show that visited Ghent in the early twentieth century, and it perfectly captures the spirit of a club that has always had something a little untamed and defiant about it. Their home ground for decades was the Ottenstadion, a characterful if modest venue that witnessed countless battles in the Belgian top flight.

The real transformation came in the 2000s and early 2010s, as a wave of investment and ambition began to reshape Gent. The opening of the stunning Ghelamco Arena in 2013 signalled that the Buffalo's were serious contenders. Two years later, in the 2014-15 season, the unthinkable happened: Gent won their very first Belgian First Division title, ending a 115-year wait and sparking scenes of unbridled joy across the city. It was a title won with style, tenacity, and a squad assembled with remarkable intelligence.

But the drama did not stop there. The following season brought Gent onto the European stage in the UEFA Champions League group phase, where they performed admirably. Then came their Europa League campaign of 2015-16, which produced one of the most stunning nights in Belgian club football history: a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, knocking one of England's biggest clubs out of the competition. Ghent erupted. The world took notice.

Rivalries with Lokeren (before their sad demise), and ongoing battles against Club Brugge and Anderlecht, have defined much of the competitive landscape for Gent. The derby against Lokeren carried enormous regional pride, while matches against the traditional giants always carry extra spice. Gent have since established themselves as genuine contenders in Belgian football, regularly competing in European competition and continuing to punch above their weight on the continental stage.

Over more than a century of football, K.A.A. Gent have been home to players who captured the imagination of the Belgian football public and beyond. The title-winning squad of 2014-15 produced the most celebrated generation in the club's history, with several players etching their names permanently into Buffalo folklore.

Laurent Depoitre was the powerful, barnstorming striker who terrorised defences during those golden years, his physicality and finishing ability making him a fan favourite before he moved on to Porto and later Huddersfield Town. Kalifa Coulibaly provided similar menace up front, a player whose raw power and directness made him a nightmare opponent. Danijel Milicevic, the Swiss midfielder of Bosnian heritage, was the creative heartbeat of the championship-winning side, his technical quality and vision setting him apart.

In goal, Stefan Mitrovic established himself as one of the most reliable shot-stoppers in Belgium, his performances during the Champions League and Europa League campaigns drawing admiring glances from clubs across Europe. Samuel Gigot brought composure and quality to the defensive line, while Renato Neto and Kenny Saief added energy and craft in midfield.

From earlier eras, the club has celebrated local heroes who gave decades of service and helped establish Gent's identity as a serious footballing institution. Manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck deserves enormous credit for masterminding the historic title win, implementing a dynamic, pressing style of football that was both effective and genuinely exciting to watch. His tenure represents the pinnacle of the club's managerial history and transformed the Buffalo's from perennial also-rans into champions.

The Gent retro shirt collection reflects the club's evolution from modest Belgian outfit to genuine European contenders, with blue and white stripes forming the enduring visual identity across all eras. Earlier kits from the 1980s and 1990s carry that unmistakable charm of the era: bold typography, relatively simple designs, and the kind of local or regional sponsorship that speaks to the club's community roots before big commercial deals arrived.

The shirts of the 2000s began to reflect growing ambition, with more sophisticated design work and evolving sponsor branding. But it is the kits from the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons that command the greatest attention among collectors today. The championship-winning strip and the European campaign shirts are the holy grails of the Gent retro shirt world, instantly recognisable to anyone who followed that incredible journey. The blue and white stripes have remained consistent, but the cut, collar design, and badge details have shifted across decades in ways that make each era's shirt distinctly its own.

With 9 retro Gent shirts available in our collection, there is genuine breadth to explore – from earlier decades through to the golden era that put Ghent on the European football map.