Historical Football Kits

Barclays Premier League 2007-2008

The English Premier League is among the wealthiest and most competitive leagues in the world. The four elite clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool generate millions of pounds sterling in worldwide replica kit sales. It is therefore not surprising that the big multi-national sportswear companies dominate this tier. UK based company, Umbro, supply six Premiership teams (Birmingham, Blackburn, Everton, Sunderland, West Ham, Wigan) with kits based on their new template, a complicated affair that has met with a mixed reception from fans. Nike, on the other hand offer elegant, simple and sleek designs for Arsenal, Aston Villa, Fulham and Manchester United.

Arsenal

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Emirates Airways

Having moved into their new Emirates Stadium, the Gunners have returned to a traditional home shirt featuring subtle gold trimmings on the body. The redcurrant shade worn last season is retained for the away kit, dedicated to the great Herbert Chapman. Their new third kit is a complete departure from the past, broad hoops in "obsidian" and redcurrant.

Aston Villa

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: 32Red Casino

Villa's new kit supplier, Nike, has provided a very traditional outfit for the new season complemented by an attractive white/sky away kit. The club has also adopted a new badge. The black third kit was introduced midway through the season although it is hard to think of when it might be necessary to wear it.

Birmingham City

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: F&C Investments

Birmingham have revived the much loved "penguin strip" for 2007, although purists have pointed out that the central panel is too narrow. The away and third kits are variations on Umbro's new template.

Blackburn Rovers

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Bet24 Casino

Umbro's new template, with its complicated detailing, sits uneasily on Blackburn traditional halved shirts. The away kit is an exact copy but uses Rovers traditional red and black alternative colours.

Bolton Wanderers

Designer: Reebok

Sponsor: Reebok

For the fifth season in a row, Bolton have gone for a predominantly white home kit. The club has enjoyed a hugely successful partnership with sportswear manufacturer, Reebok since 1990, and their new logo appears on the shirts. The dark away and third kits all feature slightly different contrasting trims.

Chelsea

Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Samsung Mobile

Chelsea's home kit is now in it's second season and is joined by a new away kit in a fluorescent shade of "electric yellow." For the UEFA Champions League final in Moscow, Chelsea debuted their new 2008-09 kit

Derby County

Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Derbyshire Building Society

Derby mark their return to the top tier with an elegant adidas design and a new version of the Ram badge. The away kit is simply reversed.

Everton

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Chang Beer

Everton have opted for a set of kits based on Umbro's new template. The inclusion of a "Home Change" kit is unusual but is likely to be used away from home against teams wearing white shorts.

Fulham

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: LG Electronics

Fulham's new home shirt features the subtle shaded halves introduced by Nike last season. The striped away kit recalls the change kit worn in the 1970s.

Liverpool

Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Carlsberg Brewery

Liverpool retain their home kit for a second season. The away kit is based on the white shirts with red trimmings and black shorts that were worn during the Bill Shankly era, updated with a modern adidas trim. A new third kit has also been introduced for use in the European Champions League.

Manchester City

Designer: Le Coq Sportif

Sponsor: Thomas Cook

City's new home kit is return to tradition in a paler shade than of late, complemented by a stunning deep violet away kit. The third kit features elegant contrasting flashes.

On 10 February City 2008 adopted a special memorial kit for the derby game against Manchester United. Sponsor's logos were removed from the shirt, which featured a black ribbon to commemorate the victims of the Munich tragedy 50 years previously.

Manchester United

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: AIG Insurance

United's new Nike home kit is the essence of simplicity. The away kit is a dramatic all-black affair while the white third kit features metallic gold trim at collar and cuffs and was used the previous season as their second choice.

The memorial kit was worn for the derby match with City on 10 February 2008 and is an exact copy of the kit worn by the Busby Babes, the team that was destroyed in the Munich disaster on 6 February 1958.

Middlesbrough

Designer: Errea

Sponsor: Garmin Sat-Nav Systems

Remarkably, Middlesbrough's kits have been supplied by Errea since 1994. The new version drops the signature white band worn in recent years and revives the club's all-red look. The unusual away kit has dark gold shorts and stockings.

Newcastle United

Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Northern Rock Building Society

Toon's new Adidas home kit is similar to that worn last season but with solid black sleeves in place of the white ones worn in 2006-07. The sky blue away strip features the swirling trim seen on Liverpool's third kit and the set is completed by an attractive white and sky-blue ensemble.

Portsmouth

Designer: Canterbury

Sponsor: OKI Printing Solutions

New Zealand leisure wear company Canterbury are more familar for supplying rugby union jerseys and now make their football debut with a set of smart kits for Portsmouth. Each features metallic gold trim.

Reading

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Kyocera Mita

Reading, against expectation, are enjoying a second season in the Premier League with an unchanged home kit. The funereal grey and black away kit is a dramatic contrast to the pinkish red and gold third kit, carried over from last season.

Sunderland

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Boylesports

Sunderland have opted for a set of kits designed around Umbro's new template and a feature a new shirt sponsor.

Tottenham Hotspur

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Mansion Casino

To mark their 125th anniversary, Spurs have adopted a new collection of kits. The all-white home strip recalls the kit worn by the club in European campaigns of the Sixties and Seventies. The halved commemorative kit, worn once in October 2007, is based on the kit worn in 1884.

West Ham United

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: XL Holidays

The Hammers have returned to a traditional look with their Umbro home kit.

Wigan Athletic

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: JJB Sportswear

Yet another new Umbro template, Wigan's home kit returns to the popular striped design that saw them win promotion to the Premier league.