Comments on: The new England kit – one of the most important in the modern era? http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era Football kits from 1980 to the present day Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:52:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: John Devlin http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-13198 John Devlin Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:49:20 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-13198 Hello Charlie - thanks for your comment. I didn't mind the actual design of the maroon third jersey, I just am never keen on Scotland wearing anything other than navy blue at home and if I remember correctly the kit was premiered in a home match? Fingers crossed for a good result against Macedonia today... Hello Charlie – thanks for your comment. I didn’t mind the actual design of the maroon third jersey, I just am never keen on Scotland wearing anything other than navy blue at home and if I remember correctly the kit was premiered in a home match? Fingers crossed for a good result against Macedonia today…

]]> By: Charlie http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-12819 Charlie Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:45:47 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-12819 I think this is a good kit for England, even though I'm Scottish. John - what did you think of the maroon/gold trim Scotland jersey from a few years ago? I think this is a good kit for England, even though I’m Scottish.
John – what did you think of the maroon/gold trim Scotland jersey from a few years ago?

]]> By: John Devlin http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-7168 John Devlin Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:13:01 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-7168 Totally with you on that David - I support Scotland and even I'd consider wearing one!(Well maybe not...) Do you know any more about why some teams are "tailored in England" and some are not? I'll see what I can do about TC3! Totally with you on that David – I support Scotland and even I’d consider wearing one!(Well maybe not…) Do you know any more about why some teams are “tailored in England” and some are not?

I’ll see what I can do about TC3!

]]> By: David King http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-7067 David King Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:05:28 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-7067 I think the current England shirt is the best ever. Great fabric, and I believe made in England (boy do we need the jobs). Manchester City's new home shirt appears to also be tailored in England. I'm not even a City fan, but am considering buying it, ditto the West Brom one if it is tailered in England, especially if it is still sponsorless. Great shirts Umbro, keep it up. PS - True Colours 3 please. I think the current England shirt is the best ever. Great fabric, and I believe made in England (boy do we need the jobs). Manchester City’s new home shirt appears to also be tailored in England. I’m not even a City fan, but am considering buying it, ditto the West Brom one if it is tailered in England, especially if it is still sponsorless.

Great shirts Umbro, keep it up.

PS – True Colours 3 please.

]]> By: John Devlin http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-5654 John Devlin Fri, 15 May 2009 09:01:35 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-5654 Great post Matt - thanks, I really agree with what you say. I also think you've touched on a really interesting point about the team wearing the kit making it appear 'classic' by their endeavours on the pitch. One of the fascinating aspects of putting together my books was tracing the fortunes of a club whilst wearing a great looking kit as opposed to a 'bad' one. It is amazing to see patterns emerge - I believe that a classy kit can inspire a team - when they look good, they play good! Of course as you point out its a mutual situation, the team can make the kit look even better if they play well in it! I thought your phrase 'a breath of fresh air' describes the new England kit perfectly...cheers! Great post Matt – thanks, I really agree with what you say. I also think you’ve touched on a really interesting point about the team wearing the kit making it appear ‘classic’ by their endeavours on the pitch.

One of the fascinating aspects of putting together my books was tracing the fortunes of a club whilst wearing a great looking kit as opposed to a ‘bad’ one. It is amazing to see patterns emerge – I believe that a classy kit can inspire a team – when they look good, they play good! Of course as you point out its a mutual situation, the team can make the kit look even better if they play well in it!

I thought your phrase ‘a breath of fresh air’ describes the new England kit perfectly…cheers!

]]> By: Matt Wilkins http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-4028 Matt Wilkins Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:54:20 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-4028 I hated the new England kit when it first came out, I thought it did not look retro, it just looked like a polo shirt. I thought it looked too spartan, and I hated the new umbro badge and the fact that it was all white - not all white with navy trim, just all white. But its grown on me. I love the look of the shirt and the feel of it when I first saw it in the sports direct shop, and it looked wonderful. I still think that the extended logo is not as dated as you make out (I think it looks better than the new one on the england shirt), and that this kit would be better with navy shorts, but I cannot argue that the players look really good in it. In the matches against opposition who wore overly complex adidas templates, England looked far better and made the jerseys the Ukrainians and the Slovaks wore look dated and overcooked. I dont think that this is without parallel, however. Remember the mid 90s? all the teams in the prem and English and Scottish football wore complex kits with fussy detailing, fade patterns and shadow and watermarks, shiny plastic material. A lot were just awful, and most look dated now. But when the home kits for Newcastle (My team....come on the Mags!) and Liverpool came out, simple, made out of great materials and with great collars and no shadow patterns, just down to earth kits, they were a breath of fresh air. The magpie shirt is a classic from that period, and IMHO, the best the Toon ever wore. And that brings me on to my next point. A kit can look classic, but the team who plays in it has to make it a classic. Would, for example, the penguin for Birmingham City be considered such a classic if they had been in the third tier of English fooball fighting for survival? Somehow, Id doubt it. And the Forest kit from 1992-1993 I think was the best the club ever had, but its not a classic I dont think, because the club went down that season. It might be a great kit, but the team who wears it has to make it a classic. On Umbro, in this country, they did go though a lull, but they still had huge contracts with famous teams in other parts of the world, Lyon signed for Umbro when they became THE team in France, Santos are long term clients for Umbro (and after some great kits, have been given a shocker as the home kit) and Independiente, one of Argentinas big five and the record holder for the Copa libertadores, were also on the roster. But Umbro never really gave them a classic iconic kit (partly because of the team being a pale shadow of the side of the 70s and 80s) Great to see them coming back though. Keep up the good work on the kits! I hated the new England kit when it first came out, I thought it did not look retro, it just looked like a polo shirt. I thought it looked too spartan, and I hated the new umbro badge and the fact that it was all white – not all white with navy trim, just all white.

But its grown on me. I love the look of the shirt and the feel of it when I first saw it in the sports direct shop, and it looked wonderful. I still think that the extended logo is not as dated as you make out (I think it looks better than the new one on the england shirt), and that this kit would be better with navy shorts, but I cannot argue that the players look really good in it. In the matches against opposition who wore overly complex adidas templates, England looked far better and made the jerseys the Ukrainians and the Slovaks wore look dated and overcooked.

I dont think that this is without parallel, however. Remember the mid 90s? all the teams in the prem and English and Scottish football wore complex kits with fussy detailing, fade patterns and shadow and watermarks, shiny plastic material. A lot were just awful, and most look dated now. But when the home kits for Newcastle (My team….come on the Mags!) and Liverpool came out, simple, made out of great materials and with great collars and no shadow patterns, just down to earth kits, they were a breath of fresh air. The magpie shirt is a classic from that period, and IMHO, the best the Toon ever wore.

And that brings me on to my next point. A kit can look classic, but the team who plays in it has to make it a classic. Would, for example, the penguin for Birmingham City be considered such a classic if they had been in the third tier of English fooball fighting for survival? Somehow, Id doubt it. And the Forest kit from 1992-1993 I think was the best the club ever had, but its not a classic I dont think, because the club went down that season. It might be a great kit, but the team who wears it has to make it a classic.

On Umbro, in this country, they did go though a lull, but they still had huge contracts with famous teams in other parts of the world, Lyon signed for Umbro when they became THE team in France, Santos are long term clients for Umbro (and after some great kits, have been given a shocker as the home kit) and Independiente, one of Argentinas big five and the record holder for the Copa libertadores, were also on the roster. But Umbro never really gave them a classic iconic kit (partly because of the team being a pale shadow of the side of the 70s and 80s) Great to see them coming back though.

Keep up the good work on the kits!

]]> By: Rich Johnson http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-3582 Rich Johnson Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:20:18 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-3582 You're not alone re badges Ricky...it seems to be something most people (here at least) get quite passionate about, including myself. Witness the debate about the liverpool badge not so long ago. I remember when Arsenal changed to the cartoon approximation they have nowadays, all due to being able to copyright it more easily. Coventry, who I think have a great crest, tried to change theirs a few years ago to an overly simplistic abomination (again for commercial reasons), but the outcry from the fans was so huge, it was dropped. Can't believe the tartan kit is already considered a retro item...then again, it is 13 years ago! Guess we are just old! I still love the Mexico 86 scotland kit...even the hooped shorts, which I believe most people couldn't stand. You’re not alone re badges Ricky…it seems to be something most people (here at least) get quite passionate about, including myself. Witness the debate about the liverpool badge not so long ago. I remember when Arsenal changed to the cartoon approximation they have nowadays, all due to being able to copyright it more easily. Coventry, who I think have a great crest, tried to change theirs a few years ago to an overly simplistic abomination (again for commercial reasons), but the outcry from the fans was so huge, it was dropped.
Can’t believe the tartan kit is already considered a retro item…then again, it is 13 years ago! Guess we are just old!
I still love the Mexico 86 scotland kit…even the hooped shorts, which I believe most people couldn’t stand.

]]> By: Ricky http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-3577 Ricky Sat, 11 Apr 2009 16:21:04 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-3577 I agree with Rich about the England kits being kept simple, i think thats why i like this one so much. As regards the Scotland Diadora kits, its more the materials and the generic badge that disappoint me rather than the style or colours. They must have a skipload of those rectangle Scotland badges cos they've used them on every strip for the past 7 years! As Rich mentioned the tartan one was a great strip, although the badge looks a bit clunky these days (i must have a thing about badges!) Incidentally Score Draw have just released it as retro top (saw it in Burtons). I feel ancient!! I agree with Rich about the England kits being kept simple, i think thats why i like this one so much.
As regards the Scotland Diadora kits, its more the materials and the generic badge that disappoint me rather than the style or colours. They must have a skipload of those rectangle Scotland badges cos they’ve used them on every strip for the past 7 years!
As Rich mentioned the tartan one was a great strip, although the badge looks a bit clunky these days (i must have a thing about badges!) Incidentally Score Draw have just released it as retro top (saw it in Burtons). I feel ancient!!

]]> By: Rich Johnson http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-3401 Rich Johnson Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:29:10 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-3401 England kits on the whole have always tended to look best when kept simple. The kits from 86 and 2000 are cases in point. As for Scotland, I've liked quite a few of their recent away kits, but the home ones have been hit and miss. I have to say I liked the tartan one from 94/96...what did other Scotland fans make of that one? A kit magazine...now you're talking! England kits on the whole have always tended to look best when kept simple. The kits from 86 and 2000 are cases in point. As for Scotland, I’ve liked quite a few of their recent away kits, but the home ones have been hit and miss. I have to say I liked the tartan one from 94/96…what did other Scotland fans make of that one?

A kit magazine…now you’re talking!

]]> By: John Devlin http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/the-new-england-kit-one-of-the-most-important-in-the-modern-era/comment-page-1#comment-3370 John Devlin Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:09:15 +0000 http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/?p=573#comment-3370 Thanks Tom - you summed it up with the word 'bravery'. It does take real guts to buck the trend in kit design - a red equivalent would be good as well. If you see the two shirts together now it just looks odd but thats the price you pay for staggering kit launches I guess. Ricky, as a Scotland supporter as well I've also never taken as much notice of an England shirt as I have this one! I do really like the Diadora Scotland kits but it would be interesting to see what Umbro would concoct were they awarded the Scotland contract. Incidentally, I do recommend 442 this month, the England kit magazine is superb. Thats what I would like to see, a whole magazine devoted to football kits every month! Thanks Tom – you summed it up with the word ‘bravery’. It does take real guts to buck the trend in kit design – a red equivalent would be good as well. If you see the two shirts together now it just looks odd but thats the price you pay for staggering kit launches I guess.

Ricky, as a Scotland supporter as well I’ve also never taken as much notice of an England shirt as I have this one! I do really like the Diadora Scotland kits but it would be interesting to see what Umbro would concoct were they awarded the Scotland contract.

Incidentally, I do recommend 442 this month, the England kit magazine is superb. Thats what I would like to see, a whole magazine devoted to football kits every month!

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