Historical Football Kits

 

Barclays Premier League 2015 - 2016

barclays english premier league at HFKChanges to the rules for UEFA's club competitions mean that losing FA Cup finalists no longer get a Europa Cup place if the winner has already qualified for the Champions' League. Instead that place goes to the highest placed team that has not already qualified. Because England finished second in the UEFA Respect Fair Play league, an additional place in the Europa League has been awarded to the Premier League team with the highest domestic Fair Play ranking, West Ham United.

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Contributors are credited in brackets. Opinions expressed on this page are those of HFK and not contributors.

Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two

Arsenal

arsenal 2015-16 kit

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arsenal 2015-16 change kit

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arsenal 2015-16 3rd kit

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Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Fly Emirates

Arsenal's FA Cup triumph means they now hold the record for the most wins, twelve. The new change strip stays with the popular combination of yellow and blue and is our first glimpse of Puma's new Swerve design. The updated first kit and the striking third strip (marketed as a "cup strip") are rare bespoke designs from Puma.

(Sam British, Diamond One, Lawrence Emanuel)

 

Aston Villa

aston villa 2015-16 kit

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Designer: Macron

Sponsor: Intuit Quick Books

Villa's new first kit is a pretty straightforward interpretation of their traditional look, including a small collar trimmed with narrow claret stripes. Yellow and black was last used for the change strip in 2003-04.

(Ryan Dalton)

 

AFC Bournemouth

afc bournemouth 2015-16

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afc bournemouth 2015-16 change kit

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afc bournemouth 2015-16 3rd kit

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Designer: JD Sports

Sponsor: Mansion Group

Six years ago Bournemouth narrowly avoided being relegated to the Conference but now they are taking their place in the top tier for the first time in their history. Furthermore they are doing so as winners of the Championship. Their technical sponsor is taking the opportunity to plaster their own logos all over the new kits rather than one of their brands, which have been on the team strips since 2008. Last season's blue/black outfit is retained as second choice while 5% of proceeds from the sale of the third strip will be donated to Breast Cancer Care.

(Joshua Gray, Nick Hawkins, Matt Callaghan, Travis Hogarth-Colby)

 

Chelsea

chelsea 2015-16 kit

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chelsea 2015-16 third kit

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Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Yokohama Tyres

With Mourinho back in charge Chelsea won the League Cup and Premier League title last season. Their new "home" strip features understated red and white trim, a motif that has appeared several times in the club's history, but is otherwise unremarkable. Their new shirt sponsorship deal is worth £200m over five years, second only to Chevrolet's sponsorship of Manchester United. The white alternative strip is perhaps underwhelming when compared to some of Chelsea's recent efforts but the third kit, with a subtle interference pattern woven into the fabric, is more memorable. Black socks are also available for this set.

(David Niblock, George Pannell, Ryan Dalton)

 

Crystal Palace

crystal palace 2015-16 kit

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Designer: Macron

Sponsor: Mansion Group

Good, bad or indifferent, you can rely on Palace to wear something striking. The latest "home" shirt, with broad off-centre stripes is certainly distinctive. The white alternative is inspired by a perrenial favourite but with the red/blue stripe arranged vertically rather than on the diagonal.

(Travis Hogarth-Colby, Jason Taylor, Alexander Leiberich)

 

Everton

everton 2015-16 kit

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Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Chang Beer

The shirts and socks of the first kit are fine but what on earth is going on in the shorts department? That said, I rather like the change strip which features silver-grey bands on the sleeves and sides of the body. The third strip is an unusual combination of olive green and black.

(Nathan Patrick, Travis Hogarth-Colby, Alexander Leiberich, Antonio Raimo)

 

Leicester City

leicester city 2015-16 kit

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Designer: Puma

Sponsor: King Power

Leicester are in all-blue this season, a look first seen in 1966 and revived from time to time, although some supporters are not happy that gold rather than white is used for the trim. While I am not a great fan of Puma's new Swerve design, I must admit the version used for City's change shirt looks rather good. The set is completed with a conventional white third strip.

(Travis Hogarth-Colby, Alexander Leiberich, Martinos Perdikis)

 

Liverpool

liverpool fc 2015-16 1st kit

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v Aston Villa 26 Sept
liverpool fc 2015-16 2nd kit

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Designer: New Balance

Sponsor: Standard Chartered

Warrior Sports have gone back to making ice hockey and lacrosse gear and their parent company, New Balance, has taken over their football contracts. Their new designs are workmanlike with subtle detailing. The charity strip now features the Global Goals initiative, a UN campaign supported by Standard Chartered.

(Ahmad Omar)

 

Manchester City

manchester city 2015-16 kit

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Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Etihad Airways

Runners up last season, City have reverted to white shorts with some minimal trim. The collar has very small flaps so it might be mistaken for a plain crew neck from a distance. "Very smart" is my verdict. The sleeves of the change shirt have a print of the Moon's surface sublimated into the fabric, inspired by the supporters' anthem, "Blue Moon." The strip is in "dark obsidian" and "chlorine blue." Note to designers: chlorine is a poisonous yellow/green gas. Think again please. The third strip is based on a template also worn by Barcelona and Inter Milan but in "Ghost Green." Curiously this really is the colour of chlorine gas!

(Alexander Leiberich, George Pannell)

 

Manchester United

manchester united 2015-16

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manchester united 2015-16 change kit

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Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Chevrolet

All the leaked images purporting to show United's new kit have proved to be fakes. Adidas, who provided the team's kits between 1980 and 1992, have produced satisfyingly conservative outfits at the start of their ten-year contract, worth a record £75m a year. The third strip is more adventurous and is embossed with the same abstract pattern that featured in the 1990-92 alternative. This is designed to be reflective under floodlights and will be worn mainly in Europe.

(Dante Di Nardo, William Gorsuch, Martinos Perdikis, George Pannell)

 

Newcastle United

newcastle united 2015-16 kit

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newcastle united 3rd kit 2015-16

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Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Wonga

Hostility towards Mike Ashley's ownership has been mounting on Tyneside as the team narrowly avoided relegation last season after losing their safe mid-table position. However, in a rare interview, the owner has promised to invest some of the mountain of cash in their current account in the team to make it more competitive.

Looking at the new first kit the word "dreadful" springs to mind and the "Finale" third strip is not much better. The change strip is white and "ocean blue."

(Jonathan Auty, Travis Hogarth-Colby, Lukman Rewa, Sean Paul)

 

Norwich City

norwich city fc 2015-16

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norwich city 2015-16 charity kit

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v Man Utd 7 May
norwich city 2015-16 change kit

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norwich city 2015-16 3rd kit

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Designer: Errea

Sponsor: Aviva

The Canaries have bounced straight back after relegation to the Championship in 2013. It is 80 years since the club moved into Carrow Road and to mark the occasion, halved shirts, worn at the time, have been revived. It is a shame the effect is distorted by the oversize panel on the front and I would have liked to have seen the shirts teamed with black shorts but we can't have everything. The yellow is a warmer shade than in recent years while the green is a tad darker. The choice of green for the alternative shirts may seem odd given that it is so prominent in the first shirt but City are only going to have to change at Watford. The third kit is a stunner, an original design that manages to look retro. As this clashes with the alternatives perhaps it will be seen in cup competition.

The charity shirt promotes an emergency app launched by the Red Cross last October.

(Zak Nelson, Joshua Gray, Josh Petch, Stuart English)

 

Southampton

southampton fc 2015-16 kit

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V Leicester City 17 Oct
southampton 2015-16 change kit

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Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Veho

It is always a shame when a club abandons bespoke strips in favour of some anonymous template from one of the big multinationals but that is what has happened at St Mary's Stadium. At least the alternative strip, in Adidas' sash design, is original. the charity shirt is in support of Breast Cancer Now.

(Tom Murray, Rich Wrigley, Ryan Dalton, Alexander Leiberich)

 

Stoke City

stoke city 2015-16 kit

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stoke city 2015-16 3rd kit

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Designer: New Balance

Sponsor: bet365

Stoke's new first shirt is an altogether better design than the fussy version provided last season. The red stripes have a subtle vertical pinstripe effect printed into the fabric. The set was launched with red socks but white were worn in Stoke's opening home Premier League match. The sash motif seen last season is retained (inspired by a change kit from the 1970s) but is reinterpreted in a black, green and grey change strip. The white strip was commissioned for Stoke's visit to Bournemouth.

(Andrew Mihaleff, Martinos Perdikis, Diamond One)

 

Sunderland

sunderland fc 2015-16 kit

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sunderland afc 2015-16 change kit

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Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Dafabet

Essentially the new Sunderland first shirt is the same design as last season but with the red and white swapped around. Green is an unfamiliar look for the Black Cats and has not gone down well with some supporters. Kermit the Frog has been mentioned.

(Mick Earle, Ryan Dalton, Chris Goodall, @LiamJMilburn)

 

Swansea City

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Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Goldenway

In 1720 the first copper works was established in Swansea, processing ore from Cornwall (a short sea voyage away) using the high quality coal available around Swansea and Neath. By 1823 there were nine smelting works in the area and the town became known as "Copperopolis." This history is celebrated in the new white strip which has metallic copper trimmings. The change kit is really rather unpleasant.

(Travis Hogarth-Colby, Alexander Leiberich)

 

Tottenham Hotspur

spurs 2015-16 kit

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Europa League

spurs 2015-16 change kit

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Designer: Under Armour

Sponsor: AIA

Traditionalists prefer to see Spurs play in classic white shirts with little or no adornment but there is only so much designers can do with this so they like to add a feature or two. This season's sash (inspired, we are led to believe, by a motif on the crest mounted above White Hart Lane) has divided opinion. If they win a trophy it will become a classic. Otherwise look out for something more conservative next season. The change strip is good example of how Under Armour keep coming up with original ideas. Purple has featured in Spurs' alternative kits several times and is now revived as third choice, trimmed in silver.

(Patrick Rawlins, Alexander Leiberich, Tony Sealey)

 

Watford

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Designer: Puma

Sponsor: 138.com

Watford are back in the Premier League after finishing as runners-up in the Championship last season. Their new first kit features Puma's latest design gimmick, graduated bands which are turning up in a variety of unpleasant ways this season.

(Travis Hogarth-Colby, Alexander Leiberich)

 

West Bromwich Albion

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Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: TLCBet

Albion have returned to deep cherry red for their alternative shirts, adorned with a revival of the iconic 70s calligraphy crest, which has gone down very well with the fans. The same shade of red appears on the new first shirt, now with proper stripes, a welcome development after the ill-chosen strip introduced last year. Albion have signed a new shirt sponsorship deal - yet another on-line casino, this one based in China.

(Simon Nelson, Ryan Dalton, Baresi Spence)

 

West Ham United

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west ham united 2015-16 third kit

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Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Betway

Given how poor the Adidas commemorative strip provided for Sheffield United is, West Ham's decision to drop the German sportswear giant in favour of Umbro for their last season at the Boleyn Ground, was a wise one. The result is a superb first kit based on what the team wore when they moved to Upton Park in 1904. It is just a shame that an online bookie disfigures the shirt.

The change strip takes us back even further to 1901 but with some modern touches such as the fine diagonal claret lines on the upper section of the shirt. The all-navy strip evokes the original kit worn by Thames Ironworks with the addition of royal blue and claret details.

(Andrew Braybrook, Alexander Leiberich, Martinos Perdikis)