Interesting points Jon – you’re right, look back through old footie pics and white shorts were nearly always the norm for all clubs – causing no end of clashes. Never seemed a problem did it until the 70s. I guess then a new rule over clashes was introduced. It is odd especially when you consider there is one rule for the Football League and one for the Premier League.

It will be interesting to see what combinations occur due to clashes in the World Cup – my understanding is that FIFA are even more heavy on clashes than the Premier League.

Just to let you know, Birmingham wore their white and red third kit at Fratton Park last night, and they wore a pair of change socks that aren’t on the kits page.

http://i44.tinypic.com/fx5834.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/108i5it.jpg

They seem to be plain white and unbranded, so they may be the same as the change home shorts that you have illustrated.

Hope this helps.

How do they decide now…

Is it a coin toss?

Or with Aston Villa being the “home” team, well their name is first on the fixture, does that mean Man United will change?

It does seem a bit odd, particularly when shorts clashes weren’t very common up until a few years ago – only time it seemed to occur was whenever Arsenal were the away team. For instance most Umbro teams up until around 2008 tended to have a spare set of shorts and socks in the kit hamper if the away/third set didn’t really mix and match – e.g. Everton had a set of blue shorts and socks in the kit hamper if called upon. Even Blackburn, in their first season with the current Umbro period, had a set of blue shorts which they wore on occasion. Sunderland baffle me sometimes with their kit selection – they’ll wear the home kit at Spurs and Fulham, yet, at Arsenal, they wore their third kit. Makes you wonder.

Anyhow from what I can gather, shorts clashes were very common in the old days. Prior to the mid-to-late 60’s sock clashes were quite common too, but from the mid 70’s the Football League must have got stricter on colour clashes and forced away teams to change shorts in the event of a clash – so much so that even Arsenal wore red change shorts!

Ironic that abroad it was common to see shorts/socks clashes but its less common now, but closer to home the reverse is true.

Yet, West Ham, do change.

Here are some examples…

At St. Andrews… http://i46.tinypic.com/35a16hk.jpg

And at Fratton Park… http://i48.tinypic.com/2r4pusk.jpg