Oldham Athletic Home Kit 1991-93
Posted by John Devlin
Oldham Athletic were a founding club of the Premier League back in 1992 and were just one of a plethora of Umbro-supplied teams in the top flight that year. That season saw the club wear this rather elegant all-blue outfit that had been introduced a year earlier. Umbro included mysterious asymmetrical designs on the right sleeves of most of their teams in 1991 and this Oldham shirt was no exception. But in the case of the Boundary Park club these curious markings combined well with the red collar, OAFC monogram and tasteful shadow pattern and made for a great looking strip.
The shirt was sponsored by construction firm Bovis in the 1991-92 season before being replaced by JD Sports the following year (after a brief 3 month sponsorless hiatus).
Oldham’s adventures in the Premier League lasted only for two seasons before the club were relegated (despite a cracking 93-94 FA Cup run) and, like Bradford City (as featured in an earlier Kit Cupboard post) they have struggled to return to the top flight.
Worn in: Numerous astonishing wins in the 92-93 campaign: 1-0 over Manchester United, 3-2 versus Liverpool, 6-2 over Wimbledon, 4–3 versus Southampton and 5-3 against Nottingham Forest. Despite these amazing results, the club only narrowly avoided relegation that year!
Worn by: Neil Pointon, Nick Henry and Darren Beckford.
Look out for a True Colours Oldham Athletic kit history – coming soon!
Burnley -100 Years of Claret & Blue review
Posted by John Devlin
Burnley are this year celebrating the 100th anniversary of their switch to claret and blue in 1910 after experimenting with a vast array of colour schemes prior to that date. To mark the occasion the club have staged an exhibition in Burnley’s Towneley Hall with all 34 different shirts on display. In conjunction with the exhibition a special 84 page colour brochure has been produced. Burnley’s just a little too far for me to travel but I snapped up a copy of the ‘100 Years of Claret & Blue’ publication eagerly from the club shop. I was delighted when the book arrived next day and on opening the package was very impressed by the look and feel of the publication.
No shorts or socks, but ever claret and blue shirt worn by the club since 1910 is portrayed beautifully in photos depicting the shirts on mannequins. The design of the brochure is superb with details of when the shirt was worn, manufacturers and material (very interesting!) along with what the club describe as a ‘biography’ of the shirt. Although it looks great, my problem with the text that accompanies photo is that it falls into the old trap that many football shirt literature does and merely details what was going on at the club when the shirt was worn and, with few exceptions, doesn’t offer much background in to the shirt style or design itself. It was a trap I was determined to avoid in True Colours – I wanted the kits to be the main focus of the text along with putting the outfits into historical context. If you’re producing a book about team shirt history it makes sense to write about the shirts themselves! Anyone wanting a history of Burnley FC could choose from plenty of other books.
So although the book looks superb and there’s few ways I’d rather spend an hour or so than studying superb photos of past kits it was let down that there’s nothing in the book about how football fashion has changed through the years, the story of Spall taking over from the long serving Umbro, why EN-S decided to move the club badge to the right breast or the reasons behind Super League’s ultra-retro effort in 2000-01.
Its great to see a club celebrating their kit history – this was one of the major reasons for starting the True Colours books as I found it strange that most sides don’t seem to be remotely interested of their kit past – but I’m afraid the lack of facts about the shirts themselves means that this publication is a slightly wasted opportunity. Still well worth £5 though!
For more details of the exhibition click here.
To order the book directly from the club eagerly here.
Poll: Favourite Premier League Kit 09-10 – The Winner
Posted by John Devlin
Thanks again to everyone that voted in the poll to decide on the best Premier League kit for 09-10. There were loads of really great suggestions for the best (and worst) strips of the year. The winner of the best kit in the PL is the Manchester City Umbro home outfit. Throughly deserved, the retro-themed design is a great strip and bodes well for the next series of Tailored by Umbro designs we’ll see in 10-11. Simple, classic and devastatingly stylish.
The club’s home and away kits got good shouts as well (as did Hull’s home) but the second favourite was Burnley’s home kit (with special mention of their away as well). Another example of retro designs that have gone down well with the discerning football kits fans who visit the site!
It was neck and neck for the least favourite and Umbro’s unpopular home kit for West Ham was just pipped at the post by Spurs’ Puma home strip.
As with the choice of City kit as favourite, you’ll get no argument with me on this one! The Spurs strip just didn’t cut it for me this season to be honest and the Hammers shirt is in my view one of the less successful of Umbro’s recent outfits.
Poll: Favourite England Kit Ever – The Winner
Posted by John Devlin
Well, this really surprised me! The winner of the favourite England Kit Ever as chosen by your good selves is …the Admiral 1980-83 home kit!
To be honest its not one of my favourites but in its defence it’s certainly a memorable, unique and iconic outfit that clearly holds many memories for England fans during its three years of use.
England didn’t enjoy a particularly successful time in this strip but it did see the end of the likes of Keegan and Brooking’s international careers.
There was a real spread of votes with nearly every England shirt of the past 30+ years getting a shout. The least favourite appears to be the Umbro 1997-99 home kit as worn in the 98 World Cup. Definitely not a classic in my book – too much red and blue.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their opinions – some really interesting views there. Cheers.
What would you like banned from kits?
Posted by John Devlin
Friend of the site Andy Burton (from Kit Classics) emailed me recently with a list of things he’d like to see banned from being worn on the pitch:
1. Gloves for outfield players (with or without short sleeves!)
2. ‘Polo’ necks/scarves under shirts.
3. Long sleeved undershirts with short sleeved shirts (nightmare with stripes!)
4. Socks taped up covering most of the lower part of the sock.
5. Tights under shorts!!
I have to say I agree with most of them. Surely by now we can produce kits that don’t require this extra customisation (special limited edition winter versions anyone?)
I personally am glad the trend of rubbing Vicks Vapor-Rub on shirts has ended, and I also think tournament sleeve patches could be scaled down in size (or removed altogether!)
Just wondered if anyone else has any football kit related pet hates you’d like to see abolished?
Bradford City Home Kit 1999–2001
Posted by John Devlin
Bradford City’s brief two-year stay in the Premiership 10 years ago was accompanied by a set of superb kits by Japanese firm Asics who were, in my opinion, one of the most under-rated kit suppliers of the 90s. At a time of excess and flamboyance they produced some solid, simple designs – many of which wouldn’t look out of place today.
Their home strip for Bradford (produced towards the end of the company’s venture into Premiership kits) typified their approach. A traditional design, baggy fit and rich colours (in Bradford’s distinctive amber and claret combination) with just a hint of flair – in this case the ‘Bantams’ text embroidered on the button up collar collar. Unfortunately in the kit’s last year of use Bradford succumbed to the pressures of the top flight and were relegated down to the then Division 1.
Since then, the club have sadly slipped down the leagues but at least they can know that during their short spell in the highest level of English football they were one of the best dressed.
Worn in: The vital 1–0 win over Liverpool in the last game of the 99–00 season that ensured Bradford’s survival in the top flight that year.
Worn by: Stuart McCall, Dean Windass and Stan Collymore.
Scotland 10-11 Kit Review
Posted by John Devlin
I’ve just posted my review of the new Scotland home kit.
Read it here.
QPR Kit History
Posted by John Devlin
At last, I’ve finished the QPR kit history from 1976 to date.
You can find it here.
Aberdeen Home Kit 1982-84
Posted by John Devlin
For me one of the best kits from the early 80s was Ipswich’s all blue adidas outfit with non-contrasting V-neck/cuffs and white pinstripes. North of the border Aberdeen wore a red version that definitely rivals Ipswich’s kit for class and elegance. It also accompanied the Dons in their most successful era where they broke the Old Firm dominance of the Scottish game. Thanks to Alex Ferguson’s management and a superb set of players they won the League in 83-84, the Scottish Cup (82-83, 83-84) and of course the European Cup Winners Cup triumph over Real Madrid (82-83). All in this simple yet smart kit.
Worn in: The unforgettable 2-1 win over mighty Real Madrid in the 82-83 season.
Worn by: Gordon Strachan, Willie Miller, Alex McLeish and Mark McGhee.
England Away Kit Review
Posted by John Devlin
In anticipation of the kit’s first taste of action this Wednesday, I’ve just posted a review of the new England away kit. You can read it here: http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/england-away-kit-review
