Historical Football Kits

 

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Arsenal

Change Kits

>>Arsenal Home Kits<<

Kit History

arsenal

March-Dec 1892 A

arsenal 1892-97 change

Dec 1892-1897 A

arsenal 1895 change kit

1897-1900 A

arsenal change kit 1900-05

1900-1905 A

arsenal 1905-06 change kit

1905-1906 A

arsenal 1905-08 change kit

1906-1907 A

arsenal 1907-08 change kit

1907-1908 A

arsenal 1908-10 change kit

1908-1911 A

arsenal 1911-12 change kit

1911-1914 A

arsenal change kit v liverpool 1913

1914-1918

1918-1919 A

arsenal january 1921 change kit

1919-1929 A

1929-1930 A

arsenal 1930 change kit

1930-1931 A

arsenal 1932-33 change kit

1932-Feb 1933

March 33-1935 A

1935-1940 A

arsenal change strip v liverpool 1936

25 Jan 36 FA Cup

v Liverpool

29 Feb 36 FA Cup

v Barnsley
arsenal fc change kit 1945-46

1945-1946 A

arsenal 1947-48 change kit

1947-1953 A

arsenal 1950 fa cup final

1950 FA Cup Final

1952-1953 FA Cup

28 Feb '53 FA Cup

v Blackpool
arsenal 1956-57 change kit

1953-1957 A

arsenal 1957 change kit

Aug-Nov 1957 A

arsenal 1958 v northampton

4 Jan 1958 FA Cup

v Northampton
arsenal 1956-57 change kit

Nov 57-May 58 A

arsenal 1957 change kit

Aug-Oct 1958 A

arsenal 1959-60 change kit

Oct 1958-1960 A

arsenal change kit 1959 v nottingham forest

4 Apr & 26 Aug 59

v Nottm Forest
arsenal 1959-60 change kit

1959-1960 A (2)

1960-1961 early

arsenal 1960-1962 change kit

1960-1962 A

Red socks also worn 1961-62
arsenal march 1965 change kit

1962-1964 A

arsenal 1964-65 change kit

Dec 64-March 65 A

arsenal march 1965 change kit

March 1965 A

v West Ham Utd
arsenal 1963 change kit

1965-1968 A (1)

Also worn with white socks
arsenal change kit version2 1966-68

1966-1968 A (2)

arsenal v sheffield utd december 1966

10 Dec 1966 3rd

v Sheff Utd
arsenal 1968-69 change kit

1967-Nov 1968 A

See notes
arsenal november 1967 change kit

Nov 1968 A

Worn Twice
arsenal 1969-70 change

Dec 68-1976 A (1)

arsenal away kit 1969-76

1969-1976 A (2)

arsenal direct
arsenal change kit version2 1966-68

3 Jan 1970

v Blackpool FA Cup
arsenal v blackpool january 1970

15 Jan 1970

V Blackpool Replay
arsenal kit v luton march 1975

23 March 1975

v Luton
arsenal away kit 1976-77

1976-1977 A (1)

arsenal away kit 1976-77 short sleeve version

1976-1977 A (2)

Umbro
ardenal 1977 change kit

1977-1978 A

Umbro
arsenal 1978 fa cup final

1978 FA Cup Final

Umbro
arsenal 1978-81 change

1978-1981 A

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Umbro
arsenal 1979 fa cup final

1979 FA Cup Final

Umbro
arsenal 1981-82 change

1981-1982 A

Umbro
arsenal 1982-1983 change

1982-1983 A

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Umbro
arsenal 1983-86 change

1983-1986 A

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Adidas
arsenal 1986-88 change

1986-1988 A

Adidas
arsenal 1988-91 change

1988-1991 A

arsenal direct
Adidas
arsenal 1991-1993 change

1991-1993 A

Adidas
arsenal 1993-94 change

1993-1994 A

arsenal direct
Nike
arsenal 1994-95 change

1994-1995 A

Nike

1994-1996 3rd

Used only twice
Nike
arsenal 1995-96 change

1995-1996 A

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Nike
arsenal 1996-97 change

1996-1997 A

Nike
arsenal 1997-99 change

1997-1999 A

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Nike
arsenal 1998-99 third

1998-1999 Eur

Used once v FC Lens
Nike
buy arsenal 1999-2001 change

1999-2001 A

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Nike

2001-2002 A

Nike
arsenal 2000-02 third

2000-2002 3rd

Nike
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2002-2003 A

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Nike
arsenal 2002-03 third

2002-2003 3rd

Nike
arsenal 2003-04 change kit

2003-04 A 3rd 04-05

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Nike

2004-05 A 3rd 05-06

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Nike
arsenal 2005-06

2005-2006 A

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Nike

2006-2007 A

arsenal fc 2006-07 third kit

2006-2007 3rd

Nike
arsenal 2007-08 change kit

2007-08 A 3rd 08-09

Nike

2007-2008 3rd

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Nike

2008-2009 A

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Nike
arsenal 2009-10 away kit

2009-2010 A

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Nike
gunners third strip 2009-10

2009-2010 3rd

Nike
arsenal 2010-11 away kit

2010-2011 A 3rd 12-13

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Nike
arsenal 2011-12 away kit

2011-2012 A a

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Nike
arsenal 2011-12 third kit

2011-2012 3rd

v AC Milan
Nike
arsenal fc 2012-13 away kit

2012-2013 A

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Nike
arsenal 2013-14 away kit

2013-2014 A

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Puma
arsenal 2014-15 change kit

2014-2015 A

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Puma
arsenal 2014-15 third  kit

2014-2015 3rd

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Puma
arsenal 2015-16 change kit

2015-2016 A

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Puma
arsenal 2015-16 3rd kit

2015-2016 3rd

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Puma
arsenal 2016-17 change kit

2016-2017 A

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Puma
arsenal 2016-17 third kit

2016-2017 3rd

Puma
arsenal 2017-18 change kit

2017-2018 A

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Puma
arsenal 2017-18 2rd kit

2017-2018 3rd

Puma
arsenal 2018-19 change kit

2018-2019 A

Puma
arsenal third kit 2018-19

2018-2019 3rd

 

Adidas
arsenal 2019-20 2nd kit

2019-2020 A

Adidas
arsenal 2019-20 3rd kit

2019-2020 3rd

 

Background

The first reference to Arsenal wearing a change of shirts comes from 26 March 1892 when they wore blue and white stripes against Everton (who wore red at the time) to the confusion of their supporters. This was discovered by Andy Kelly and Mark Andrews who also established that they wore stripes again on 17 December 1892 against Nottingham Forest. A week after the Forest match, Arsenal wore white tops against Burslem Port Vale and this became their regular alternative until 1908.

Between 1908 and 1910, navy tops and knickers were worn but white shirts returned in 1911. The all-navy strip seems to have been worn again immediately after the Great War: Andy Kelly and Mark Andrews have discovered that navy shirts were probably used until 1929, albeit with white knickers.

Denis Hurley has uncovered a hooped top (confirmed by Kjell Hansen to have been red and white and worn against Barnsley in the FA Cup), a black and white vertical striped shirt worn at Blackpool also in the FA Cup in 1953 (and possibly on other occasions too) and we also have evidence of the team wearing blue and white versions of their famous home shirt in the late 50s.

On Arsenal 15 April 1950 wore gold shirts at Highbury against Newcastle, a try-out for the FA Cup final against Liverpool, which Arsenal would win 2-0. These shirts made several more appearances right up until 1958.

In the mid 1960s wore a bewildering number of variants on their first choice and change strips. I am grateful to Simon "Shakey" Shakeshaft and Daniel Gellatley for permission to use their illustrations.

1966-67 Variants | 1967-68 Variants | 1968-69 Variants

For the 1967-68 season, Arsenal wore navy blue shirts when colours clashed, a kit identical to Spurs' change kit of the time.

In 1968 the FA banned navy shirts (they looked too similar to referees' black kit) so the Gunners turned out in yellow shirts and blue shorts for the first time in November, an outfit that recalled that FA Cup win of almost 20 years previous. (The navy and white strip did reappear in November 1970 in an FA Cup tie at Blackpool.) This yellow and blue strip became almost as famous as their iconic red and white home kit and was worn, with minor changes to the design of the collar and the addition of a sponsor's logo in 1981, right through until the end of the 1981-82 season. During this period Arsenal, like Leeds United, took to wearing their change kit when playing away from home regardless of whether there was a colour clash. This practice gave rise to the term "away kit" that is now universally used rather than the more accurate "change kit."

(Peter Rapley had discovered that in March 1975 the Gunners wore all-white at Luton, presumably because both their red and yellow kits were too similar to the orange tops worn by the home team at the time.)

In 1982 Umbro introduced what became known as the "bluebottle strip," a mirror image of their new home kit but in green and navy blue. The kit proved unpopular with supporters and was replaced the following season by a rather more traditional affair that substituted navy for royal blue and, for the first time, incorporated red trimmings.

In 1986 Adidas took over as Arsenal's kit manufacturer whose designs included their trademark three stripes, each edged in a contrasting colour. Among the spectacular designs introduced in the 90s was the infamous "bruised banana" strip (1991-93), a kit that consistently appear near the top of any poll of the worst kits ever.

Nike took over from Adidas in 1994 and their radical reinvention of the Gunners' kits included navy and turquoise away kits (a yellow and navy shirt was also available but used only twice). Yellow, then deep gold reappeared at the end of the decade and in 2000, the shirt was rendered in metallic gold. In 2002 Nike introduced a revolutionary shirt in navy blue with a striking geometric pattern on a broad vertical panel. the 2002-03 season was also the first time that the club recycled their previous change kit as a third choice kit for the following season. This practice is now widespread and allows the top clubs to retain kits for two seasons while introducing a new line each year.

Arsenal have continued to sport dramatic away kits, including dark grey shorts matched with yellow shirts (2005-07), white shirts with redcurrant shorts (2007-08) and redcurrant and "obsidian" hoops (2007-08).

You are welcome to Contact Me with corrections and additions.

Sources

Arsenal Home Kits

  • A = Away (change) kit
  • 3rd = Third kit
  • FA Cup = FA Cup change kit (both teams changed if kits clashed in the FA Cup. These kits were used when both first and second choice kits clashed).
  • Eur = European change kit