1905 - 1955
1905
The birth of Gola - One of Britain's oldest sporting brands. Registered by Joseph Leeson & Sons, Gola started as a brand name for football boots which were handmade from leather and nails.
1930
Boot manufacturer William Botterill and Sons bought Gola, and in 1936 used the Gola name for its popular line of football and rugby boots.
Despite the success, once WWII broke out in 1939, manufacturing changes meant that the business was limited to essential goods production only. Production of Gola football boots ceased overnight and the war brought sports to a standstill.
1956 - 1965
The '50s was football-boot focused for Gola. As technology advanced, football boots began evolving; uppers were cut lower and lighter.
Originally met with some resistance, it took until 1960 before these lightweight boots were accepted. Loved for the fact that they allowed for greater ball skill and control, professional footballers of the time began to champion the boots.
Kitting out Liverpool FC
Gola's strong reputation in the North West allowed them to forge a relationship with Liverpool FC, then led by Bill Shankly. Before their FA Cup final against Leeds in 1965, the team stopped off at the Gola factory and were kitted out in Gola boots; no financial deals were in order, so they weren't obliged to wear them. Then, Adidas officials approached them at the ground, offering the players money to play in their boots instead.
Richard Botterill, Gola's then-owner, reports that the team took the money but didn't wear the boots - instead, painting white stripes on their Gola boots. A huge promotion for Gola: Liverpool won the Cup final and Gola stole some of the limelight from their German rivals.
1960s
- Gola branched out to track shoes. Today's shoes still hold many similarities to the original designs.
- The 244 track shoe featured soft, thin, lightweight kangaroo skin uppers worn by many professional athletes.
- In 1973, long-distance runner David Bedford set a new record for 10,000 metres at Crystal Palace wearing Gola spikes (27 minutes, 30.8 seconds).
- In 1977, 10 years after the 244, the Flyer was introduced. It featured nylon uppers, a suede heel counter, facing and a toe guard. It also had a polyurethane sole for 6 individual spike positions.
With some of the greatest sports names endorsing Gola, including boxer Vernon Sollas and footballer Peter Shilton, the brand's profile continued to grow. Gola encouraged athletes to help them design and test their shoes and apparel.
1966 - 1975
Gola's Golden Era
Fred Dilley designed some of Gola's first training shoes. One was the Gola 840, originally billed as a ‘Special Hard Ground Football Boot’.
Dilley also designed and tested the first pair of Gola trainers.
This white leather trainer featured a green 'wingflash' on its side and a green suede cap and was called the 'Harrier'. It became Gola's most successful, best-selling trainer, with 6,000 pairs produced weekly in the '60s. Suitable for training, squash, badminton and volleyball, the shoe became the must-have choice of the late '60s and early '70s.
Gola underwent rapid expansion during this successful period, quickly becoming one of the era's most successful brands, exporting to 67 countries, including the US and Australia.
In 1966 - England, led by legendary manager Alf Ramsey, won the World Cup. In the 1970s, Ramsey sat on the Gola board as a non-executive, becoming a highly respected consultant and a strong ambassador for the brand.
The '60s also saw the launch of Gola's sportswear and accessories. The brand's growing success meant that Gola bags became the must-have item, used as school bags and even by physios on the football pitch.
1976 - 1985
Things changed
Championed by many sports stars, the brand continued developing specialised footwear for numerous sporting events, including track and field. In 1976, Gola was closely associated with some of the biggest sports names, including Liverpool captain Emelyn Hughes and QPR and England captain Gerry Francis.
1977
Gola's product catalogue meant the brand could be worn for sport and everyday life. The brand was among the first to offer athleisure and apparel alongside its sporting garments.
Despite Gola's best efforts and soaring success, by the end of the 1970s, sales had started to slump due to a rise in competition. Production in the Far East made it difficult for European manufacturers to compete with prices.
Director Richard Botterill resigned from the company in 1978 and Gola appointed a new managing director, Alan Sanders, in March 1981. Still, by this time, Gola had been impacted by the recession as well as increased competition. It closed its English factory and bought in stock from abroad.
In 1981 Gola sponsored popular kids’ football comic hero Roy Race, of Roy of the Rovers fame, designing a new kit for the fictional team. Liverpool captain and longtime Gola collaborator Emelyn Hughes helped launch the new kit.
Gola also produced a higher-end line of footwear dubbed Eurocup in honour of its long-standing relationship with LFC off the back of their European Cup win. Despite innovative collaborations, Gola's success continued to dwindle, by 1983 the company was in dire straits and its premises were vacated.
1983
William Lamb & Co. rescued Gola in May 1983, setting up a subsidiary, Gola Lamb Ltd. Lamb needed to establish the Gola name in an oversaturated market, so it targeted the youth market and signed a sponsorship deal with the Conference League (which later became named the Gola League). In another genius move, managing director Stuart Lamb took Gola into regular shoe shops for the first time. Gola turned its attention to women's garments, designing the GolaRobics range of female-friendly trainers.
1986 - 1995
As branded sportswear became more popular, Gola struggled to compete with the street cred of brands such as Nike and Adidas. Gola's lines had an overhaul to give them a more fashionable look.
In the late ‘80s, Gola branched further into sponsorship to increase its brand relevance.
William Lamb's ownership had helped boost the brand and so in 1990 Gola was sold to investment company Porter Chadburn PLC. Despite taking on an ex-Puma clothing team to relaunch Gola's offering, the brand's popularity declined due to a number of poor management decisions.
Production was halted in the 1990s, but market research suggested that Gola was still on everyone's minds.
1996 - 2005
In 1996, Gola was bought by Jacobson Group. Company MD Harvey Jacobson knew he was investing in something special and he was keen to improve the Gola brand image and celebrate its history and heritage.
Jacobson Group relaunched the brand as a fashionable heritage footwear choice, targeting the young and style minded. The small range proved very popular.
Apparel quickly followed, and by 1999 Gola was once again a major all-round sports manufacturer.
Quickly embracing its history, Gola relaunched some of its back catalogue during a time when retro pieces were in demand. The eagerly anticipated Harrier returned and Gola launched its 'Gola Classics' collection in 2000.
Gola's main selling point when it launched its Classics collection was that it already had a rich history and a great selection of footwear, apparel and accessory designs to draw on from 100 years of sports manufacturing. The collection was met with a roaring success and is now sold in over 30 countries worldwide.
In 2001, Gola launched its first website. This online presence gave customers a great way to stay connected with the business.
Gola continued to work with football clubs and sports stars, buying up ad space at football grounds and working with footballers of the time, including Dennis Wise and Bryan Robson OBE.
Alongside sports stars, Paul Weller and the Gallagher brothers were all brand champions, often wearing Gola trainers onstage. Other celebrity Gola lovers at the time were Jude Law and Robbie Williams, solidifying that Gola was a celeb-worthy brand!
2005 - Today
2013
Gola collaborated with Liberty Arts Fabrics and used their floral, patterned and paisley prints on a range of Gola Classic trainers. This partnership continued for a further eight years.
2015
Gola launched its 'Which Gola Are You?' campaign, working with established and influential bloggers to learn which designs complement their style. A blog and YouTube video series was born to celebrate the shoes.
2018
The Harrier celebrated its 50th birthday. After its initial design in 1968, the Harrier celebrated 5 decades, over 500 colourways, and gracing the feet of many sporting legends and celebrities. The Harrier remains a true trainer favourite.
2019
Roy of the Rovers returns, still sponsored by Gola! Gola Ativo 5 Gamma VX Football Boots were released as part of this collaboration. In August of the same year, Gola released its vegan range for men, women and children, meeting the growing needs of its vegan customers and registered with The Vegan Society.
2021
Recycled materials are introduced into the collection. Approved by Global Recycled Standards, post-consumer recycled polyester and polyvinyl feature across selected men's, women's and children's styles. This was a significant step forward in Gola's sustainable journey.
2024
Gola collaborates with Engineered Garments to create an exclusive trainer, the 'Ranger'. Drawing from Gola's back catalogue, it combines Gola's rich heritage with a minimal Engineered Garments aesthetic.
2025
Gola celebrates 120 years of being a sporting and style icon. Who knows what the future holds for this legendary heritage brand? The sky's the limit!
