Historical Football Kits

Coca Cola League One 2008 - 2009

The third tier of English football includes some big name clubs this season. Leeds, having made the play-off finals despite a 15 point penalty last season are joined by Leicester City, relegated in a dramatic final round of matches last season. Milton Keynes Dons, formerly known as Wimbledon, will be hoping that promotion last Spring marks the end of the club's precipitous decline and the beginning of better times.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Designer: Errea

Sponsor: IT First

Brighton wore their new sky-blue third kit in their pre-season match against Worthing, unveiling their new shirt sponsor, IT First, (previously Technical Response Team - the rebranding is part of the sponsorship package). For home matches, Errea's original design sketches reintroduced the blue shorts last worn exactly ten seasons ago but when the kits were delivered, white became the first choice. The new yellow and navy away kit is quite a departure for the club.

For the match against Shrewsbury in the Johnstone Paint Trophy played 16 December, Errea supplied an all-white kit because all of Brighton's other kits were deemed to clash with the Shrews' blue. This was later used at Millwall in a league game with the blue shorts from the alternate home kit..

Thanks to Fabrizio Taddei of Errea, Mark Fiettkau, Rhys Master, Stuart Knight, Christopher Worrall, Luke Conboy and Alexander Perkin.

Bristol Rovers

Designer: Errea

Sponsor: Cowlin Construction

Rovers famous quarters have been given a slight facelift by Errea for Rovers' 125th anniversary. The shade of blue is slightly lighter than usual to match Cowlin's new logo and the shirt and shorts feature metallic gold seams. The green and black away kit is basically unchanged apart from the addition of the anniversary logo. The third kit is a special recreation of the famous Black Arabs strip of 1883, to be launched in October. This anniversary strip will be worn only once.

Carlisle United

Designer: Le Coq Sportif

Sponsor: Eddie Stobart Transport

Carlisle retain last season's excellent home kit and introduce new away and third kits for 2008-09. The all-black away kit is similar to many others appearing this season while the third kit maintains Carlisle's tradition of wearing the colours of their sponsor.

Thanks to Mark Landreth and Bradley Neen.

Cheltenham Town

Designer: Errea

Sponsor: Mira Showers

Cheltenham have gone for a new look this season, dropping the striped shirts worn over the last fifteen years or more in favour of an all-red kit. Errea have added an assymetric white trim with gold piping and the shirt features a shadow stripe woven into the fabric.

Colchester United

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Weston Housing Group (Home), Smart Energy (Away & Third)

Colchester's new kit closely resembles the one they wore in 1992-93: traditional stripes combined with white sleeves and blue shorts. The reverse of the shirt body is predominantly white. Many Puma kits feature metallic gold trim this season and this one is no exception.

Reported by Oliver Kukolj, Tom Eatwell and Ben Gershaw.

Crewe Alexandra

Designer: Lotto

Sponsor: Mornflake Oats

Crewe have switched suppliers from Diadora to Lotto this season and their new home kit is an understated affair, typical for the club, in traditional red and white with just enough flourishes to make it stand out from the crowd.

Home kit information submitted by Konark Sikka and Toffee Mad. Tom Eatwell sent in the away kit and Stuart Hoptroff helped out with the all-red outfit.

Hartlepool United

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Dove Energy (Home), Larsen Oil & Gas (Away), Global Process Systems (Third)

Hartlepool have reverted to their original white shirts to mark their centenary and added a reworked badge that features the wording "A Century United 1908-2008." The club offered supporters the chance to vote for the club's new third kit this season. Orange was chosen in preference to the alternatives of maroon or violet.

The striped away kit is basically unchanged from last season but worn with the latest Nike shorts and stockings.

Thanks to Daniel Mágés and John Philips for the third kit. The home kit details were provided by Stephen Toogood.

Hereford United

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Sun Valley

Hereford have opted for a standard Nike template in their traditional white and black colours. Their away kit is unchanged.

Thanks to Konark Sikka and Toffee Mad.

Huddersfield Town

Designer: Mitre

Sponsor: Casino.com

Huddersfield mark their centenary year with a smart retro kit that resembles that worn in the twenties when they became the first team to win three League championships in a row. This achievement is commemorated by three gold stars worn above the badge, which has additional gold embroidery for this season. Paul Williams, who supplied HFK with details of the new home kit also informs us that the Terriers will be using specially made footballs, provided by Mitre, in their home games this season.

The commemorative theme is picked up in the away kit which features a metallic gold shirt (worn with black or gold shorts as needed).

A very limited edition pink and white shirt introduced in September sold out within 7 hours with proceeds going to the Huddersfield HRI Breast Cancer Care Fund. The club is currently canvassing fans with a view to producing a second batch in February 2009.

Thanks to Paul Moorhouse, Stuart Hoptroff, Tony Sissons & Matt Smith.

Leeds United

Designer: Macron

Sponsor: Netflights.com

Having narrowly missed out on promotion last season, despite a 15-point penalty for infringing Football League rules on insolvency, Leeds will be confident of success this season. Their new Italian supplier, Macron, with whom Leeds have signed a four-year contract, deliver traditional home and third kits but the new away outfit, in sky-blue and deep navy, is a complete novelty.

Although the kits were formally announced on 10 July, the launch was spoiled by a dispute with their shirt sponsor, which delayed delivery. In August a sponsorship deal was finalised with Netflights.com who replace Red Kite Holdings.

Thanks to Max Harlow,Stephen Toogood, Matthew Wharmby, Ben Gershaw and Gerry Mcnamee.

Leicester City

Designer: Jako

Sponsor: Topps Tiles

Leicester supporters will be hoping that their team's stay in the unfamiliar depths of League One will be a brief one. Last season's all-blue home kit is unchanged while the yellow and blue change kit is now retained as a third strip. A brand new black away kit has been introduced for the new campaign.

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Fernández reported on the away kit and Joshua Bayliss the alternate home kit.

Leyton Orient

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Party Bets.com

The Os have signed up with Puma after three seasons being supplied with kits by Vandanel. The new season's kit sticks with the familiar all-red theme but pays more than a passing nod to the celebrated "braces" kit worn in the late seventies. The change kit is identical but in blue.

Millwall

Designer: Bukta

Sponsor: CYC Courier Services (H&A), Bukta Teamwear (3rd)

Bukta's new template makes a number of appearances this season and is used for both home and away kits by Millwall. Mark Harding correctly predicted that a third kit in orange would be released in October. This outfit includes a revival of Bukta's iconic sleeve trim from the 1970s. For reasons that remain unclear, CYC are not sponsoring this kit, which carries Bukta's logo instead.

Reported by Stephen Mills, Mark Alden, Ben Gershaw and Mark Harding.

Milton Keynes Dons

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Marshall Amplifiers

Things are looking up for MK Dons, League Two champions last season and now playing in their modern new stadium. There are no surprises on the kit front, a basic Nike template with minimal trim. The colour schemes are unchanged from last season.

Home kit reported by Robert Taylor, away kit by Tom Eatwell, third by Ben Gershaw.

Northampton Town

Designer: Vandanel

Sponsor: Jackson Grundy Estate Agents

The Cobblers' new home kit adds gold trim to the traditional claret tops, a combination that first appeared in the late 1990s, as well as white stripes on the front and rear of the sleeves and shoulders. Northampton have reverted to black for their away kit, a scheme that proved popular in 2005-06 and retain last season's white change strip as their third kit.

Thanks to Bill Craven.

Oldham Athletic

Designer: Carbrini

Sponsor: Carbrini Sportswear

Oldham's new home kit differs little from last season but with has sponsorship and modified trim. Latics' fans were asked to vote on the club's website between three alternatives to choose the new away kit for 2008-09. The winner was the "fluo yellow" contrivance shown here. Due to technical limitations it is not possible to bring you the full, fluorescent horror of this kit.

For their televised match against Leeds on 2 March, the Latics wore a stunning all-pink outfit. Proceeds from the sale of the signed shirts, which were auctioned off after the game, were donated to the Breast Cancer Unit at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

Thanks to Daniel Langhorn & Mark Wild.

Peterborough United

Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: MRI Overseas Property

The Posh have introduced a new badge this season along with a new set of kits made by Adidas. The home strip is one of the German company's recent templates that features a rather disconcerting off-centre collar. Their all-black away kit is very straightforward but some may be puzzled over the choice of colours for the new third kit. Peterborough's first ever playing strip in 1934 was a set of green and white shirts donated by a local sports shop.

Scunthorpe United

Designer: Carlotti

Sponsor: Rainham Steel

The Iron's kits remain unchanged from last season although the away kit is worn with white, rather than black shorts. A new, light blue third strip has been added to the kit hamper. This set is worn with blue or black shorts.

Thanks to Richard Young.

Southend United

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Insure and Go

Southend retain their normal all-navy outfit but with the addition of a sky-blue flash across the shoulders. The body features an unusual pattern of small white dots. The away kit is a fairly conventional all-red outfit with white side trim. A yellow third kit was introduced in October.

Reported by Alec Hitchman and Oliver Kukolj. Ben Gershaw spotted the third kit.

Stockport County

Designer: Diadora

Sponsor: Just Search Internet Marketing

County retain their home kit as well as their popular gold third strip (introduced to mark the club's 125th anniversary last season). A new away kit is, perhaps inevitably, all-black with a few light gold trimmings.

Oliver Kukolj provided details.

Swindon Town

Designer: Lotto

Sponsor: Four Four Two Magazine

Each year, Swindon poll their supporters to choose the kits for the following season. This season's winner polled "almost 500 votes," which suggests that this is not an issue that arouses enormous quantities of passion. The home kit is a straightforward variation on the familiar all-red but the change kit, in navy and white rings in the changes.

The black outfit was worn just once, 7 March 2009 at home against MK Dons to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Swindon's League Cup win. (A curious choice - I would have thought an all-white kit would have been better since that is what they wore all those years ago at Wembley.)

Thanks to Tom Eatwell and Daniel Cole.

Tranmere Rovers

Designer: Vandanel

Sponsor: Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

Tranmere's white home kit and their pale gold third kit are unchanged for the new season. The new away kit is in two shades of blue with white flashes on the upper chest.

Thanks to Tranmere Hatman.

Walsall

Designer: Swift (Own brand)

Sponsor: Easyfit Conservatories

Last season Walsall turned out in white shirts with a large red band and inset. For the new season the club, who make their own kits, have recreated the look that was the team's signature throughout the Sixties and Seventies. The shirt is adorned with a small badge to mark the club's 120th anniversary and their nickname, "Saddlers" is embroidered inside the neck. For the first time, the team will wear an all-black change kit, which is available with red shorts and/or stockings as required.

My thanks to Neil Morris, HFK's man in Addis Ababa.

Yeovil Town

Designer: Vandanel

Sponsor: Bradford's Building Supplies

Yeovil unveiled their new away kit in April. Manufactured by Vandanel, it is all black with asymetric green trimmings and seams. The home kit is unchanged.