Kit History
1892 A
1892-1900 A
1907-1908 A
1908-1910 A
1911-1912 A
1912-1918 A
1 Feb 1913
1918-1919 A
1920-1921 A
1928-1929 A
1930-1931 A
1932-1933
1933-1934 A
1934-1935 A
1935-1939 A
29 Feb 1936 FACup
1945-1946 A
1947-1953 A
1950 FA Cup Final
1952 FA Cup
28 Feb '53 FA Cup
1953-c1957 A
c1957 -Oct 1958 A
Oct 1958-1960 A
1959-1960 A (2)
1960-1961 early
1960-1962 A
1963-1968 A
1967-1969 A
1969-1976 A (1)
1969-1976 A (2)
23 March 1975
1976-1977 A (2)
1977-1978 A
1978 FA Cup Final
1978-1981 A
1979 FA Cup Final
1981-1982 A
1982-1983 A
1983-1986 A
1986-1988 A
1988-1991 A
1991-1993 A
1993-1994 A
1994-1995 A
1994-1996 3rd
1995-1996 A
1996-1997 A
1997-1999 A
1998-1999 Eur
1999-2001 A
2001-2002 A
2000-2002 3rd
2002-2003 A
2002-2003 3rd
2003-04 A 3rd 04-05
2004-05 A 3rd 05-06
2005-2006 A
2006-2007 A
2006-2007 3rd
2007-08 A 3rd 08-09
2007-2008 3rd
2008-2009 A
2009-2010 A
2009-2010 3rd
2010-2011 A 3rd 12-13
2011-2012 A a
2011-2012 3rd
2012-2013 A
Background
The first reference to Arsenal wearing a change of shirts comes from 17 December 1892 when they wore stripes against Nottingham Forest. Although the colours were not recorded there is some circumstantial evidence that they were red and blue. Photographs of two key players taken some years later may show these shirts. 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, possibly because of clothing shortages.
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 seem to have several more appearances until 1954.
For the 1968-69 season, Arsenal wore navy blue shirts when colours clashed, a kit identical to Spurs' change kit of the time. This outfit was also worn in October 1967 at Old Trafford and at Blackpool in the 1970-71 season.
In 1969 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, an outfit that recalled that FA Cup win of almost 20 years previous. (The navy and white strip did reappear in November 1970 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).
Sources
- 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