WARNING: We have received several complaints from readers in the past few weeks where they have not received the merchandise they have ordered. Plus they have not received replies from the owner of the site. Based on recent interactions with several of our readers, we would encourage you not to order merchandise from The Onion Bag.

The key ingredients of football culture are beer, football shirts and laughter, so it’s appropriate that we introduce you to The Onion Bag. Created by football mad Iain McNee, the site features a wide selection of football shirts for sale as well as  The Onion Bag Blog that highlights soccer pubs, funny videos and more.

Iain McNee is pictured in the center of the above picture next to the aging Ronnie Biggs, the famed bank robber best known for The Great Train Robbery of 1963. Here’s the interview with McNee:

The Gaffer (TG): What came first — the Onion Bag website, shop or blog? And how did you come up with the initial idea?

Iain McNee (IM): The shop. Initially, it was Onion Bag Travel – we were gonna do bus trips and the odd flight here and there. A shop made more sense after a couple of bus trips, the next progression after the shop was the website when Gabriel signed his professional terms for The Onion Bag. The blog is just a recent thing, something myself and Gabriel just do for a laugh really.

TG: If you had to pick one football shirt that stands out in your mind as your favorite, which one is it and why?

IM: Carlisle United’s from the 1974/75 season, it was my first full season of never missing a home game at Brunton Park.  Luckily for me we were in the old First Division. We finished last and got relegated, but we played entertaining stuff and were rarely betaen by more than one goal.

TG: What’s your favorite Premier League shirt for the 2008/2009 season?

IM: That would be Everton. Each year and every year.

TG: What’s your favorite pub to watch football matches at?

IM: As an Everton fan I like to watch the games with other New York based Evertonians, we watch the games at Mr. Dennehy’s pub in Manhattan,  you can check out our website here.

TG: What type of stories does your blog feature?

IM: Usually things that revolve around beer, football and eating. There’s no real theme apart from stuff myself or Gabriel find amusing.

TG: Why should people shop online at your website for football shirts instead of Kitbag, Subside or World Soccer Shop?

IM: I think our website speaks for myself and Gabriel’s interest in the game. Hopefully our audience connects with what we are trying to do and supports us.

TG: What’s the most fascinating story you’ve heard from a football fan who has traveled abroad to watch a football match?

IM: I can’t incriminate friends with stories, but I can tell you that I met Ronnie Biggs, the famous Great Train Robber, at his house during the Club World Cup 2000 in Rio De Janiero. The same afternoon I met David Beckham at the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcavado Mountain. It was fascinating for me anyway, meeting Ronnie Biggs that is.

TG: What’s the most interesting fact about you that your customers would be surprised to read?

IM: Most people don’t know I was involved in the mid-90’s NewYork Hip Hop scene and released about 80 or 90 12″ singles on my own independent label.