I'm traveling with a group of soccer playing high schoolers on a trip to London and Paris. Are there any stores where the kids might pick up souvenir soccer jerseys, hats, pennants, etc. related to the English soccer league? We're going as part of a package tour so I'm hoping for a place near the major sights. A few years back there was a cool little shop with items from all the teams located near Charing Cross.

Heathrow has a Manchester United shop. The prices aren't bad and the selection is large. Best part: you won't pay VAT since you're in the duty-free district of the airport when you hit Heathrow to head home.

There are also stores in Gatwick and Stansted. Other than that, you can generally find paraphernalia all around Oxford Street and near Leicester Square. If anyone's a Chelsea fan, you could go to the new megastore down by the stadium in Chelsea.

There are soccer stores in every mall and High Street in England - you can't miss them, in fact you can't avoid them.They are all overpriced and replica soccer strips must represent one of the worst value buys possible as a huge percentage of the purchase price goes in royalties to the clubs and players.

Of course, Tony, how do you think the clubs can afford to spend miilions on players? It sure ain't through ticket sales. <BR> <BR>You will find English Premier League gear in any sports shop, but in London it will tend to be London Teams (Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham etc) plus the main clubs outside London (Liverpool, Man United, Newcastle). Unfortunately, as much as you might want to, you may not find Aston Villa stuff. I understand the disappointment. I can point you in the direction of their website if you're interested. <BR>You will also find National Strips for a number of the leading soccer nations (eg Brazil, France, oh, and of course England). <BR> <BR>Even NikeTown in Oxford Circus sells soccer strips of the teams that they make kit for (Arsenal, for instance).

Excuse my ignorance, but is a "soccer strip" (maybe it should be "footbal" strip), those things that look like scarves? I enjoy the EPL when we can get it in the US, but I'm still on the learning curve.

No, a football strip is the whole outfit. So, shirts, shorts, etc, although most supporters would only want to buy the shirt. I have no idea why it's called a strip. Anyone?

Just-- <BR> <BR>The only people who call it the EPL are Americans (mainly Lionel Bienvenue!). It's the Premiership. Which Liverpool is going to win next year (you heard it here). <BR> <BR>Don't know why it's called a strip. And it's often called a kit. The teams tend to have new shirts every year, so they can gouge us loyal fans. <BR> <BR>So, Kate, are you going to get Lampard? Also, I'm sure you don't, but never ever eat one of those hamburgers on sale outside Villa Park. I just had a disturbing conversation with a friend who was auditing the company where the meat for those are stored. I won't give details. Used your imagination. <BR> <BR>You can get

Dan, who knows. I'm still reeling from the shock of "acquiring" Graham Taylor. <BR> <BR>And I don't know about the burgers, but they do a mean Balti pie inside the ground.

A little off subject but does anyone know if there any exhibition soccer games in London or anywhere in England during the last half of August? Thanks

Dan: You are probably right, but other than pay-per-view and occaisional broadcasts, the "Premiership" is only available to me via Lionel's show. I guess there is a question as to whether other country's have a "premier" league. Obviously, if no other country has a premier league, then predicating "premier" with "English" would be unnecessary.... (ps: Go Arsenal (my arbitrarily adopted "home" team)).

Many fleamarkets etc sell the same stuff "unofficially" at half price. <BR>Just check the quality & workmanship before buying.Football clubs cynically change their strip design often in order to get kids to pester their folks to buy the latest version, so no moral qualms. <BR>Official strips are a ripoff.