FOOTY FAIR

Grading the Shirts of Euro 2016 (Group E & F)

2016-05-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

The last two groups in this summer's Euro 2016 tournament, the teams in groups E and F feature some interesting new kits from popular manufacturers such as Adidas, Puma, Nike, Umbro and even Errea. To see our grades for the other nations: Groups A & B | Groups C & D

Group E

Belgium

Belgium's first kit gets an automatic F from me this year as it seems Adidas has put absolutely no effort into this design whatsoever. It's boring, ugly and in no way unique or interesting. But the alternate design is really the one that is worth talking about. Personally, I think it's hideous and that the baby blue color looks absolutely awful together with the colors of the Belgian flag. That said, the idea behind it is quite interesting as Adidas decided to use the Belgian cycling jerseys as inspiration for this design. Basically, these kits would get an epic fail mark if it wasn't for the bonus point I give them for thinking outside the box.

Overall Grade: D-

Italy

Puma has managed a nice clean classic look for four-time World Cup champions Italy. The main shirt features subtle stripes, with the blue-on-blue working very well. The alternate shirt will stand out on the pitch with the Italian flag running right down the middle of the jersey but without overpowering the shirt design. Overall, I like these shirts for being both simple and well balanced while featuring unique characteristics.

Overall Grade: B+

Sweden

Sweden's first kit is nothing to write home (or blog) about, but it's the alternate design that brings the nation's shirt design up in the overall grading. Like it or not the design is quite unique and will likely stand out if Sweden manages to wear them at some point this summer. Based on a similar design created by Adidas for Juventus prior to the 2015-16 season, the blue, white and grey shirt features a background pattern that makes it look more like a cotton shirt rather than a normal football jersey.

Overall Grade: B-

Rep. of Ireland

Aside from the sponsor, which is bothering me less and less with every year I see it on the Irish shirts, I love absolutely everything about this year's Republic of Ireland kits. The main jersey is a crisp classic Irish look with the two-tone green, the white collar that stands out so well and of course the slight but visible orange trim. The alternate white shirts are also great with the horizontal green stripes taking over the sides of the jersey and it's the lack of said stripes on the front which I applaud Umbro for the most as it makes the design unique and the stripes not overbearing. I do unfortunately have to take a mark off for the overly "Irish" font of the names and numbers as the cheesy attempt ruins an otherwise beautiful creation.

Overall Grade: A-

Group F

Austria

A nice clean look for the Austrians from manufacturers Puma, but without any real unique features this kit design is just too plain. While the main shirt has signs of two-tone stripes the alternate is simply boring.

Overall Grade: C-

Hungary

The Hungarian national football team's last appearance in the Euros was in 1972, with their last major tournament appearance at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico and it sure seems that Adidas got their inspiration for the nations kit from around that era. Plain and boring is about the the only way to describe it, and while I am a big fan of simple designs, simplicity does not have to reflect lack of creativity. To make matters even worse...this design was picked by a fan vote.

Overall Grade: F

Iceland

Iceland's Errea kits are a perfect example of how a simple clean design can also be unique. A simple feature such as the vertical design on the left side of the nation's shirt will make them stand out on the pitch without being busy and overbearing. The doted design together with the gradient as it gets closer to the crest is a nice touch.

Overall Grade: B

Portugal

All of Nike's kits at the Euro 2016 tournament are based on the same cut and template. But while Poland, Turkey and Croatia feature truly unique designs, Portugal's concepts resembles more those simpler ones of England and home nation France. But while France's look features the two color sleeves and England's at least a color combination that has never been used before, Portugal's shirts offer absolutely no unique characteristics and are perhaps the worst of the Nike lot.

Overall Grade: F

Grading the Shirts of Euro 2016 (Group C & D)

2016-05-14T10:18:00.002-04:00

Moving on to Groups C and D in this summer's Euro tournament in France and as far as team kits and shirts are concerned the designs are indeed becoming more interesting than those we graded in Part 1 of this feature.

Group C

Germany

Defending world champions will be wearing a very classic white home shirt this summer, with minimal black trim. This minimalistic approach is contrasted by the very unique alternate shirt design which features the colors green, gray, black and white; a combination that sounds odd but comes together very nicely on this particular shirt.

Overall Grade: B

Northern Ireland

There were fans that were not too pleased with this design when it was just released in Norther Ireland, but while they have their reasons for disliking the design, I personally think it's just a bit too boring. The colors used in Norther Ireland's kits work well together and the stripe just below the chest almost makes us forget that this is the same template used for Wales' super boring home kit. This design may not be spectacular, but it is distinguishable from all other in this summer's tournament and for that reason gets a small bump in its grade.

Overall Grade: C

Poland

I've got a huge problem with this design. First of all, I'm Ukrainian and feel that Poland will be our biggest obstacle in this summer's Euro tournament. Secondly, I haven't been a fan of Nike's shirt designs of late. That said, these shirts for Poland look pretty solid! Both designs are sharp and together with the subtle design on the front and the two-tone red color on the alternate shirts makes this number a very nice and clean one.

Overall Grade: B

Ukraine

Well, of course I have to stay as unbiased as possible on this particular one, but I really believe these shirts are pretty cool. For one, I think the design on the front is pretty unique but also subtle enough. Also, the collar used here by Adidas is very similar to the collar style of a traditional Ukrainian shirt which makes the overall look seem very traditional and fitting. As a Ukrainian I was very pleased with this design from Adidas.

Overall Grade: B+

Group D

Croatia

Featuring the unique checkered red and white look as always, Croatia's 2016 design is made unique by the warping effect of the cubes and the inclusion of the same design on the alternate shirts with a blue on blue concept. Overall, Nike has managed to compose a solid look for the Croatians once again.

Overall Grade: B

Czech Republic

Puma's choice of design features on the home kit for the Czechs is pretty odd. The arrows pointing down to the footballers' crotch area is quite odd, but while the red shirts at least have a somewhat unique look, the alternate shirts are very boring and will not differentiate the Czechs from any other plain shirt wearing nation in the tournament.

Overall Grade: C-

Spain

Boring is definitely not a word anyone will use to describe Spain's look this summer. The home shirts are pretty neat, featuring Spains traditional colors together with a subtle triangle pattern design all over the jersey. The alternate look will very likely be the most unique shirt of the tournament with a triangular design which includes a variety of red and yellow shades spreading from the country's crest.

Overall Grade: B+

Turkey

While some may have a seizure looking at Turkey's Nike kits, I absolutely love these kits. The design on the front of the shirt is one of a kind, but the gradient that takes the shirt from red to black is what puts it all together. The alternate kits are even better as the white, bright baby blue and red come together so nicely with the same line pattern design. I think Nike hit a home run with this number and I cannot wait to see the team wear those on the pitch.

Overall Grade: A

Grading the Shirts of Euro 2016 (Group A & B)

2016-05-13T11:51:00.001-04:00

With this summer's Euro 2016 tournament kicking off in less than a month, we take a look at all of the shirts designed for the 24 nations competing in France. In part 1 of 3 we take a look at the first two groups, featuring the host nation and seven other countries.

Group A

France

Host nation France's kits are pretty different from the nation's usual look. The two tone blue on the first kit and the different colored sleeves paying homage to the country's flag on the alternate shirt are a nice touch by kit manufacturers Nike. That said, other than the two previously mentioned features France's shirts still have a strong templated feel about them.

Overall Grade: B-

Romania

I apologize in advance to the many countries that identify with these same 3 colors, but as far as sports apparel design is concerned the combination of yellow, red and blue is as terrible as it is common and Romania's shirts designed by Joma are a perfect example of that. Some manufacturers manage to work around this problem by working with very specific shades of these three colors, as seen in the past with Colombia's top notch kit in 2014. But that was obviously not the case for the designers at Joma as they managed to put together what is one of, if not the worst shirt design of Euro 2016 with this boring (and frankly ugly) design for Romania.

Overall Grade: F

Switzerland

A tale of two worlds; in one, a "home" shirt that is almost an exact copy of an Adidas template (see Sweden kit in part 3 of this feature), but perhaps made even worst with the white sleeves and Switzerland's need for two crests plus the Puma logo all on the front which makes this shirt just plain awful. Then, we have the Swiss alternate kit, which looks like the shirt of some awesome ambulance driving superhero. The lines on the lower portion of the shirt along with dropping the white Swiss cross to the middle of jersey frees up space and makes this s solid shirt!

Overall Grade: B-

Albania

Perhaps this design by Macron is not for everyone, but for their first ever appearance in a major tournament the Albanian national team has signed-off on a shirt concept that will stay with viewers for quite a while whether or not The Eagles manage to impress on the pitch. Likely inspired by Macron's recent unique alternate design for SS Lazio in the Serie A, Albania's Euro kits give the nation a unique look.

Overall Grade: B+

Group B

England

Using the same template as the France kits, England's Nike outfit does have a few unique features despite being pretty minimalistic. The very light blue sleeves on the white kit is a new addition to England's look, while the alternate jersey is red again but with a blue trim rather than the more traditional white. While I don't absolutely hate these England kits I can't help but feel that this would be more appropriate for a Great Britain team rather than England.

Overall Grade: C

Russia

I have been very impressed with some of the previous kits Adidas has been able to produce for the Russian National Team in the past. This time around however, it seems that the designers at Adidas were running out of ideas and simply tried to do too much "creative stuff". I still love the fact that Russia started using the deep red with the gold trim, but this year's shirt looks a bit like a pajama with the tiny crest silhouettes in the background (although it seems that Chelsea supporters should be more upset at this particular design as it seems this same template will be used by the club throughout the 2016-17 season). The alternate kit is another example of misplaced design feature as the grungy looking crest silhouette in the middle of the shirt simply looks like an unnecessary splatter.

Overall Grade: D

Slovakia

A nice sharp look for Slovakia courtesy of kit manufacturers Puma. Perhaps the white shirt could have been "tinkered" with just a bit, but the alternate design is a perfect example of how a football jersey can be both simplistic and yet have a unique feel about it with the design feature in the background. The two crests along with the Puma logo make it a bit busy at the chest area, but overall this kit is well designed.

Overall Grade: B

Wales

Not much to say about these kits for Wales "created" by Adidas. This is obviously your run of the mill drop a color onto a template type of stuff and the templates used were not great to begin with. Pretty disappointing for a nation that will be playing in their first ever UEFA European Championship tournament final.

Overall Grade: D-

Throwback Thursdays: When Admiral Ruled the World

2016-02-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

The first proper football I ever owned, not counting the cruddy plastic ones from the grocery store that lost their shape when you kicked them, was an Admiral ball.

Once upon a time Admiral was one of the biggest brands in world football, and while they've been surpassed in recent decades by the likes of Adidas and Nike in their heyday they created some truly iconic gear and kits.

Founded in Leicester in 1914, Admiral spent their first fifty years selling mainly underwear until the 1966 World Cup winning euphoria surrounding the English national side convinced owner Bert Patrick that football kits and sportswear presented a huge opportunity for growth.

Believing that the advent of colour television would allow him to sell customized kits to clubs in England, that he could then produce replicas of to sell to supporters, Patrick first struck up a deal with Don Revie's Leeds United.

Leeds, who were the best team in England in the early 1970's, became the first team in the country to wear visibly branded kits. In addition to this, the club wore distinctive warm-up tracksuits from Admiral as well, and a whole market was opened up.

The jewel in Patrick's crown though came in 1974, when Revie took up the position of England manager and helped negotiate a five year kit deal between the FA and Admiral, so that the National side would wear the company's branded kits that would then be made commercially available.

This exposure led to further club sides in England signing up with Admiral, as well as clubs from Scotland, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, West Germany, Yugoslavia, and rather memorably the NASL in the United States.

By the end of the 1970's Admiral were one of the biggest football sportswear brands in the world, but by 1982 the company began to see increased competition from the likes of Umbro and Adidas.

After the 1982 World Cup they lost the England contract, as well as several other high profile clubs.

Although their peak is a long way off now, since a major restructuring in 2011 the company has slowly begun to get back into the football sponsorship market and although they may never topple Adidas or Nike, they certainly made their mark with some truly amazing kits.

England's Euro 2016 Kit Might Have Been Leaked

2016-02-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Before any England fans reading this get too carried away, the images you see in this piece are just alleged leaks and haven't yet been confirmed by either Nike or the English FA.

That said, the new white home kit posted up yesterday by Footy Headlines looks alright in the artist's rendition at the top, but rather awful in the supposed production images below.

To me it looks a bit like something you would wear to the beach in 1989 or something you'd use for drying the dishes.

Even if this dodgy design is legit you can guarantee that Nike will shift a few of them to England supporters this summer.

What do you think of the new England kit?

Four Epic Football Kit Blunders

2015-08-18T08:00:00.001-04:00

Major League Soccer club Orlando City and its goalkeeper Tallman Hall turned some heads this weekend after the shot stopper was spotted wearing a keeper shirt with the words "Team Crest Here" in place of where the club's badge was supposed to be on the shirt.

Hall and Orlando City however, were not the first player or team to have an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction in the world of football so today I give you my 4 all-time favorite football kit blunders.

#4 - That's not how you spell my name

Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder is just one of many footballers that have had their last names misspelled on the back of their shirts, so this will be the only player name spelling error on the list. "Andesron" wore this misspelled jersey in United's season opener back in 2012.

#3 - There's only one H in palace

If you think misspelling a player's last name on the back of the shirt is bad, Crystal Palace's spelling error was much worse. In 2004 the club had their own name misspelled on the team badge by adding an "h" to "Crystal" for an unknown reason. The blunder was so funny that it inspired a chant from the Palace supporters: "There's only one h in Palace!"

#2 - Upside down

When Wolverhampton fan Richard Gough ordered his favorite club's shirt for a low price he was quite happy with his purchase. But when the jersey came with the club badge sewn-on upside-down Richard was understandably upset and took on social media to vent his frustration. The club did respond to Mr. Gough with an appropriately humorous upside-down apology letter and they also treated him with some awesome gifts.

In case you can't read the letter attached, here is what it says:

Dear Richard,

I'm very sorry to hear you've received a shirt with an upside down badge on it.
Although we've been riding on the crest of a wave recently, in terms of results, we pride ourselves on the quality of our shirts and we certainly don't get a badge of honour on this occasion.

That said, the world can sometimes look better upside down — last year's league table being just one example.

Please accept our apologies, along with a ticket (printed the right way up) to our home game versus Shrewsbury on the 15th March. We'll also take you into the Dressing Room to meet the players before the match, where you can get both shirts signed.

Thanks, as always, for your support.

Best regards,

Matt Grayson
Wolves

#1 - Liverpool El-Mahalla

By far my favorite kit blunder of all time was when Egyptian side Ghazl El-Mahalla’s kit-man forgot to bring his goalkeeper's shirt to a match against Al Ahly. With the appropriate kit nowhere around, the man in charge of providing his players with the gear opted for the only option at the time, picking up a replica Liverpool goalkeeper jersey from the local sports shop. The club's shirt sponsor McDonalds was even plastered over Liverpool's partner Standard Chartered.

Football's National Team Kit Suppliers - How They Spread Across the Map

2015-07-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have recently came across a fantastic map project by Geolic.com, mapping the entire world as it pertains to the various national football teams and the manufacturers that supply their kits. So let's take a look at the world of football and which companies dominate the market and what other interesting things we can find within this map.

On a global scale and looking at the complete world map above one thing is quite obvious: Nike and Adidas are still the world leaders in football kit manufacturing which is probably not surprising to anyone. But I noticed one interesting fact which I never realized before. Nike are the current suppliers for 6 of the ten most populated countries in the world including every nation from the top 5 on that list, putting its brand in the world's largest markets such as China, India, USA, Indonesia, Brazil and Nigeria. That said, Adidas seems to dominate the larger total amount of markets including Russia and Japan which are also in the top 10 most populated nations in the world.

Looking at the smaller companies I have noticed two interesting things: Puma seems to have really lost its market share in the national team sponsorship departments and Spanish company Joma (green) is starting to appear in quite a few places.

Now let's take a look at the map region by region.

Africa

One thing is apparent in Africa right away; the continent is dominated by Adidas and Puma has really lost its grip on the CAF, which used to be the manufacturer's strongest continent for some time. The Adidas "blue" spreads all across the norther part of the continent with strong footballing nations such as Morocco, Algeria and Egypt all signed on with the German manufacturer. Nike and Umbro both supply 4 African nations with kits, a comparison that seems a bit odd given Umbro's inferior share in the market, but it's clear that the two are nowhere near one another as Nike supplies kits for the number 1 and number 5 most populated nations on the continent in Nigeria and South Africa.

One odd thing that caught my eye was the partnership of DR Congo with Irish manufacturer O'neills which is known for its support of the Irish GAA but not so much for football. Apparently, the nation's football liaison officer has been living in Dublin for the last 15 years and is the connection between the two working together.

Asia

While there are quite a few smaller companies such as Uhlsport for Iran and Lotto for Syria and Myanmar, Nike is without a doubt the kit leaders on the continent. With Saudi Arabia, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, China and India all signed on, Nike has their brand in the not only the largest markets in the AFC but worldwide.

One company however caught my attention as I didn't really know much about the brand. Thai sportswear company Grand Sport Group is starting to show up in a few nations, most notably its own national team Vietnam, Sri Lanka and of course North Korea. Apparently the copmany has existed since 1961.

Europe

Not surprisingly perhaps the European market is dominated by Adidas, with Nike claiming a few large markets as well. But while most of us are familiar with the large European footballing nations and their sponsored kit manufacturers, I wanted to take a look at the smaller companies that are able to compete in the UEFA region.

Puma's share of Europe looks like a last attempt at survival in a game of Risk. All of the countries they supply uniforms to are bordering one another and it looks like Nike and Adidas are really squeezing. Nonetheless, Czech Republic, Austria and Italy (among a few others) are pretty decent national teams to be associated with.

We've already seen their green on the Asian map with Uzbekistan and Kyrgistan and in Africa with Kenya, and now Joma has also put their stamp on Europe as the kit supplier for neighboring nations Romania and Bulgaria. Big steps for a Spanish company that has been in the club level for a long time but has had trouble getting into the national team market.

North and Central America & the Caribbean

Umbro seems like giants in the CONCACAF market but that's only because Canada is so large. In reality, the UK company is struggling on the national team level market share and their contract with Canada and Guatemala who's combined population is 52 million people (rounded up) are trumped by both of Nike's and Adidas' markets. USA and Mexico individually have larger populations than Umbro's markets as Adidas and Nike comfortably control the kit manufacturing in the region.

Despite the "big two" dominating CONCACAF, again we notice more of Joma's green on the map as the Spanish manufacturer provides the kits for various nations both in the Caribbean islands and on mainland Central America.

South America

Last but not least, the South American region presents almost the same situation as the CONCACAF region as Nike and Adidas are absolutely dominating the continent. As has been the case for many years, Adidas and Nike control the two most popular markets in CONMEBOL as the manufacturers of Argentina and Brazil. Puma seems lost once more with Uruguay as its only nation, when even small-time Ecuadorian company Marathon was able to sign on both their own national team and that of Bolivia.

Men in Pink - Five Clubs That Wear Barbie's Colors

2015-07-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

OK, so the title is a bit harsh, but in reality I have nothing against the color pink and probably have a few shirts myself that make me look like a bearded, overweight Barbie. Nonetheless, the color pink is rarely associated with football unless boots are the topic of discussion, but even in that realm pink has lost its place in the last year or so it seems.

As far as football clubs that have embraced the color pink and made it a staple of their look and tradition are concerned, there are five that come to mind. Many clubs around the world have used pink as a form of alternative look for a season or two. English side Everton for instance have used pink on a number of occasions, but haven't made the color a permanent feature, unlike the five clubs below.

Juventus

If you're thinking that Italian club Juventus don't always use the color pink you'd be correct. However, Juve makes this list for two reasons: for one, the club has used the color pink on their alternative shirts many times in the past, including an interesting getup for this coming season. But the real reason why I included "The Old Lady" on my list of five is because the club's first ever shirts were in fact pink (as seen in the first photo taken of the club in 1898). As a matter of fact, pink could have been Juve's official color to this day if it wasn't for a man named John Savage who had asked English club Notts County for their black and white striped shirts to replace Juventus' fading pink ones in 1903.

Partick Thistle

As is the case with Juventus, Scottish side Patrick Thistle do not use pink in their primary colors or in their club's badge. But in 2008 Thistle became the very first club in Scotland to permanantly incorporate the color into their away kits on a permanent basis. Since the 2008-09 season Patrick Thistle has had various interesting designs which included pink in combination with black, silver and white.

Cerezo Osaka

56 year old Japanese club Cerezo Osaka is all about the pink. The color is their primary together with a bluish purple accent. Together, the color combination is very sharp, but by sharp I really mean that it feels like somebody is cutting your eyes out with a Tanaka sword. It seems that the club has decided to incorporate the brightest, most candy-like shade of pink for their shirt and crest and I feel like sitting at their home stadium could very well bring one to the state of an epileptic seizure.

Évian Thonon

Despite having a crest that consists of red, white and gold, French club Evian are actually nicknamed Les Roses, which in French means "the pinks". The club features the pink color in its home shirts and as an accent in most of its away kits as well. That and the fact that the club used the mountain design that is seen on Evian water bottles (if you just realized the club and the water come from the same town, you need to sharpen up!) on their shirts, really made the team look a bit like a packaged product. With Evian water's parent company Groupe Danone no longer sponsoring the club, the shirts will likely look much less like a water bottle, but will feature a pink color or accent in all three of its 2015-16 season shirts.

Palermo

Without a doubt, Italian side Palermo are the most popular club associated with the color pink. With a primary nickname as "Rosanero" (the Pink-Blacks), few could argue that the color is ingraned in the club's tradition and history. Pink has been used at the club since 1907, giving the color its only home where it was used for over a century in professional football. From 1936 to 1940 the club was ordered by the Mussolini regime to wear the colors of its municipality, which were yellow and red. Then in 1941 the club known as Palermo Foot-Ball Club merged with Juventina Palermo and sported a light blue color shirt for a year, but went back to the popular pink and black the following season, a combination they have embraced since.

5 Football Teams Sponsored by Bands

2015-07-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

While banks, breweries, insurance giants and dubious money lenders are typical sponsors of most football teams these days, there are still the odd ball sponsors that pop up from time to time.

Hull City for instance, raised some eyebrows last week when they adopted the theme park Flamingo Land as their sponsor for the upcoming season. I thought that Hull's wacky chairman was pushing the whole "Tiger" thing, so I'm surprised he signed off on a pink bird sponsored park but what do I know?

Besides theme parks there have also been some musicians that have thrown their financial muscle behind their favourite clubs and here are five of the best:

Brighton and Hove Albion - Fat Boy Slim

Local Brighton legend Fat Boy Slim, arguably the most famous DJ on the planet, sponsored his local side under his Skint Records label for several season in the early 2000's.

Greenbank Under-10s ‘B’ Team - Motorhead

When the manager of Lincolnshire side Greenbank needed a sponsor he reached out to an old acquaintance, none other than heavy metal legend Lemmy of Motorhead.

Newport County - Goldie Lookin' Chain

The Welsh hip hop group Goldie Lookin' Chain didn't just sponsor their local side, but even influenced the look of the kit with a hilarious looking chain imprinted around the neck and holding up the club badge.

Cardiff City - Super Furry Animals

Another Welsh club, Cardiff City, had the shirts worn in their Welsh Cup run in 1999 sponsored by Super Furry Animals, who had also featured Cardiff legend Robin Friday on the cover of their 1996 single "The Man Don't Give a Fuck."

Fortuna Dusseldorf - Die Toten Hosen

German punk band Die Toten Hosen sponsored their beloved local club for two seasons in the early 2000's and the result was probably one of the best kits out of Germany in the past two decades in my humble opinion.

FC Carl Zeiss Jena - Heaven Shall Burn

Speaking of badass German kits, heavy metal band Heaven Shall Burn sponsored their local side FC Carl Zeiss Jena for one match only to conclude the 2014/2015 season and produced a kit that will be sure to fetch a pretty penny on eBay.

5 Football Kits I Want to Get My Hands On This Season

2015-07-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

Not all clubs have officially released their outfits for the 2015-16 season just yet, but there are already quite a few classy numbers out there. Five released/leaked kits have really caught my eye and as a football shirt collector of sorts I will surely be splashing a few bucks in the coming months on these five (at least).

As far as design is concerned I am mostly a minimalist, but jersey designs of late have been so minimal that now my interest has shifted to the odd and weird; designs that really stand out.

#5 - Palermo (Third)

I realize this number by Joma is really quite ugly. However, the use of the color green for a club that has been made famous by its pink color is quite unique. Moreover, the designers decided to incorporate the club's crest which was used by the club in the 80's, making this shirt unique as f#@k!

#4 - Juventus (GK)

This year's goalkeeper shirt for Italian club Juventus are based on the same design famously worn by Dino Zoff at some point in the 1980's. It's simple and goes back to the black and gray tradition of goalkeepers. Also, it looks like a really comfortable pajama shirt, so I want it.

#3 - Bordeaux (Third)

This psychedelic design from Puma is absolutely fantastic. I mean what other jersey makes it look like you have a tsunami wave coming out of your crotch? But really, it's unique and the color combination while is also fitting for a Barbie outfit, is nonetheless pretty nice.

#2 - Legia Warsaw (Away)

I could definitely do without the sponsor on the chest and ass, but in any case this "military green" away shirt for Polish side Legia is pretty awesome. The black and gold trimming/detail wrap this one into a perfect package, one that I imagine if worn in public would definitely receive a hand salute from onlookers.

#1 - FC Porto (Away)

Brown, brown, brown! Not exactly a color you imagine would look great on a football shirt, but this combination with the Porto blue is absolutely amazing! An added bonus with this shirt is the fact that babes everywhere I go won't be able to look away, thinking I am a giant chocolate bar.

Swansea's Epic Kit Trailer

2015-06-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Three things happen for English clubs at this time of the year: They get embroiled in unrealistic transfer speculation, they get into drunken hijinks in the Far East and they release a new kit that's slightly different than last season's kit, but will still set supporters back $100USD.

Swansea City are no different, at least in the new kit stakes, and they dropped their latest home effort this week.

But the club decided to do something rather different for this summer's cash grab release and opted for a Hollywood blockbuster style trailer with no expenses spared.

Drawing on the city's ties to the copper industry the trailer has copper, miners and lots of sparks.

It's industrial, it's sharp, it's a Swansea kit release trailer.

To be honest, I'm all for trailers like this as they're a nice way of generating some excitement for upcoming kits that we'll probably all buy, despite complaining about them any way.

But that said like a lot of movie trailers that are better than the movie's they are previewing, Swansea's kit trailer is a lot more impressive than their kit which isn't too different from last years model and actually looks a bit odd with that copper trim.

The Round Table: Our Favourite Kits

2015-05-24T16:29:00.000-04:00

Every weekend we go beyond the headlines and talk to real football fans about current topics, issues or random tomfoolery in the football world.

Today the group discussed their favourite kits.

On the round table today we were joined by:

Bramble
Parmar
Luka
Jay
Kon
Iain (me)

What is your favourite football jersey, or jerseys, that you've owned and why?

Iain: Manchester United 1993/1994 - 1994/1995, Black away kit from Umbro.

Just a classic looking black kit with a slick gold trim. This was a prime example of the great kits Umbro used to make before they were bought out by Nike.

Oh, and it's the kit of Cantona. Specifically the one he wore when he drop kicked that thug at Selhurst Park.

Jay: United's Theatre of Dreams kit from 94/95 to 95/96. Still have mine but it's a wee bit small, haha.

Parmar: I had the 1986 World Cup Canadian Men's National Team shirt, that was pretty special.

Iain: I had the England 1986 and 1990 World Cup kits. They were both pretty nice.

Bramble: In order of personal faves most fave to least:

United Theatre of dreams hologram kit *Umbo*
Italia 90 England kit *Umbro*
United home kit from the 99 season(still have it) *Umrbo*
United Black sharp viewcam 94-95 *Umbro*
Holland kit from 1994 WC *Lotto*
Brasil 1994 away kit *Umbro*
Special mention my Rep kit for Burlington youth soccer in 94ish which looked like the Sweden kit in USA 94. I really loved that man. *Adidas*

I'm jealous that Parmar had the 1986 CMNT kit!

Parmar: (Laughs) Had it. I wish I had kept that with me for life. Back then framing shirts wasn't even a thing and you didn't "worship" it, you fucking wore it to practice, to kickabouts and to school. It got pretty worn down.

Iain: I hear you. I wore my old kits until they were thread bare. Even my Black United - Sharp Viewcam is a little beat down, but I saved it because I loved that kit so much and was a bit older (16 or 17) when I got it. My '80s ones are all long gone.

Parmar: Shit, I also had a first season (1974) Whitecaps shirt that was my Dad's that he passed down to me. And ya, wore the crap out of that one too.

Bramble: I had a Toronto Blizzard kit from the late '70s that my dad handed down to me. He bought it when going to watch Toronto play Pele's NY Cosmos.

Kon: All of my Newcastle kits are by far my favorites, however, I really like getting my hands on club kits from small countries and leagues, ones that are otherwise hard to get. So I'd have to say CD Motagua and CD Marathon from Honduras, LD Alajuelense from Costa Rica and FC Sheriff Tiraspol from Moldova.

From my Newcastle collection I own a David Ginola match-worn shirt, so that one is probably my most prized one!

Iain: I'm the same in terms of buying kits from smaller, lesser known clubs. I have a few non-league kits from England and a bunch of kits from El Salvador including FAS, Firpo and Alianza in my collection. As for Newcastle, I always dug the collar on the 95/96 kit. It was a real throwback with a great collar and that was the best Newcastle side I've seen.

Luka: 2000-01 Lazio Home - I try my best to avoid buying jerseys with sponsors but this one makes my list because it's got fucking Nedved on the back! I'm pretty sure that I run faster with the ball when I wear this.

AC Milan "Retro" - Not a real jersey per se but a pretty sweet looking top that Adidas made a few years back. I like wearing this, comfortable, nice fit. Never play in it though, it's too nice.

1996 Croatia Away Shirt - Only white Croatian away shirt and by far my favourite (maybe it's the Hajduk fan in me but I never liked the blue kits nearly as much). Also one of the NT's finest victories was secured wearing this shirt, defeating the defending EURO champs Denmark 3-0.

2013-14 Roma Home Shirt - Yup, I own both Lazio and Roma kits, so what? Are they rivals or something?! I'm no Roma fan but when I saw this I was dying to get my hands on one so i ordered it direct from the Roma Webshop. Roma for the season, didn't have a shirt manufacturer on contract, so they decided to make their own kits in house. The kit was clearly designed by a Roma diehard because it reeks of class and of shirts from their history. The material is great to play in so it's my favourite kickabout/practice shirt. Looks better in person.

2010-12? Hajduk Split Away Shirt - I'm unclear on what specific seasons this shirt was used but who cares, it's awesome. Barcelona can only dream of having a shirt this nice. The crest also marks the centenary.

Social Media Football Kits (Gallery)

2015-04-03T20:00:00.000-04:00

Juan Futbol created a project like no other. We have all seen fictional concepts for popular football clubs, but Juan created a series in which he designed football kits for the most popular social media outlets. The result is, well, interesting.

Concepts: Tottenham Hotspur Kit Proposal

2015-02-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Most weeks on Concepts we feature branding ideas for clubs from around the world. This week however we take a look at this design proposal for the kits of English club Tottenham Hotspur created by Brazil based designer Mitsuo Motoshima.

Home Kits

Away Kit

Alternate Kit

Goalkeeper Kits

Manchester United Adidas Kit Proposal by Ryan Wong (Gallery)

2015-01-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

With Manchester United's imminent switch to Adidas as their kit manufacturer, Ryan Wong from Swansea takes a shot at proposing some designs for the new partnership.

My Five Favourite Kits of the 2014/2015 Season

2015-01-02T20:00:00.000-05:00

So 2015 is upon us and as we stagger through day two of our hangover (What, just me?) it's always a good idea to throw on some casual comfortable clothes to make the day go smoother.

While some folk opt for sweat pants and an old Pantera t-shirt that they may have lost their virginity in, I typically throw on a comfortable pair of jeans and one of my football shirts for days like this.

This season has been a strange one for me, as I lost faith in my jersey connection last year, who could get me kits at a very reasonable rate, after a few of my supposedly 100% legit kits fell apart after two washes. So I haven't really bought many kits this year, as who the hell can afford the prices the clubs charge in this economy?

Anyhow, it pains me that I didn't buy much this year as there have been a few great offerings for the 2014/2015 season and the following are a few of my favourites:

Arsenal - Away

This offering from Arsenal is simply terrific. It's a throwback to the club's classic away strips, think Michael Thomas winning the league at Anfield in '89 in something similar, and yet has cool modern lines and styling. Nice little number, even though I'm no Gunner.

VfL Wolfsburg - Home, Away, Third, The X-Men?

Maybe I'm still drunk, but these crazy numbers from Wolfsburg just work for me. Maybe it's because I'm an X-Men fan?

Stade de Reims - Pure Danish '86

OK, I try to keep my curse words to a minimum on this football site of ours, but I only have three words to describe Stade de Reims tribute to the one of the greatest kits ever, the one worn by Denmark at the 1986 World Cup, and that is: "YES, FUCKING, YES!"

Bursaspor - 2014/2015

The amazing collar reminds me of the 1950's with rugged looking guys wearing essentially work boots and their hair all firmly held in place with Brylcreem. The rest of the kit reminds of Saint Etienne in the 1970's and dudes with big hair. Either way you look at it, it's a damn fine kit.

Lazio - Home

Adding to my shame of dismissing Macron up until a few months ago, this offering of theirs for Lazio this season is terrific. Their maroon number is pretty sexy in a platonic way as well, of course.

Macron and My Football Kit Snobbery

2014-12-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of the fall indoor football season here in North America when my daughter received her new kit from her football academy team I looked at it and shook my head.

"Macron? What the hell is this shit? This academy thing is costing me almost $500 for the season and they stiff us with piece of crap no-name kits instead springing for Adidas or Nike? What the fuck?"

The kits looked pretty nice, and seemed to be really well made, but I was a little disgusted by our local academy cheaping out and figured this nickel and dime gear would fall apart after the first wash.

OK, I'm a kit snob, I admit it.

Anyhow, that weekend I happened to be watching Aston Villa get a 3-0 thrashing from Chelsea and I noticed that Villa's kit supplier was none other than Macron.

"Oh, so they are legit and not from the Dollar Store." I said to myself.

Feeling a bit better about my kid's kit situation, I Googled 'Macron' and was surprised to find that they're an Italian sportswear firm that has been in business since 1971 and has really started to make a push into the football market in recent years.

The first professional football club that signed with Macron in 2001 was Bologna FC 1909, and in the following years the company has quietly signed deals to provide kits to over 200 clubs from around the world.

Until this season they had largely focused on providing kits to clubs in relatively small footballing nations or lower division sides, but in the last two years with new deals with clubs like Lazio, Napoli, Aston Villa, Real Betis, and Zamalek being signed, the small company is really beginning to make a big name for itself. Even though I hadn't noticed, of course.

Speaking of their name, as of July 2014 the company signed an agreement with Bolton Wanderers to rename their former Reebok Stadium as the Macron Stadium and to provide them with kits.

I guess I don't know as much as I thought about good kits and bad afterall.

Steaua Bucharest: The Club With No Name

2014-12-08T16:00:00.000-05:00

I lost track part way into the '90s on what we were supposed to call Prince, who was in the midst of changing his name every other month.

But I didn't have Prince on speed dial, and hell I hadn't enjoyed much of his music since Purple Rain, so it really didn't matter if he was the 'The Artist Formerly Known as Prince', 'The Artist', or 'The Symbol'. The crazy bastard could call himself whatever he wanted for all I cared.

But fans of Steaua Bucharest most certainly do care about the name of their club, and what's going on with the rights to the name and overall identity of the club must be a dagger to their hearts.

The Romanian champions, and 1986 European Cup winners, were stripped of their name, colours and emblem by Romania’s highest court on Wednesday after losing a battle over their trademark with the country’s defence ministry.

Founded in 1947 as an army side, Steaua Bucharest were bought by a private investor in 1994 and the Romania defence ministry has argued that the club are using the name and likeness of the Romanian army illegally. The ministry first filed a motion in the courts against the club in 2011 and last week's decision has left the most famous club in Romania as a team with no name.

For their match on Sunday against CSMS Iasi, Steaua were forced to remove the club's contentious name and emblem anywhere they appeared around the stadium, and were forced to abandon their red and blue shirts in favour of yellow kits.

The stadium announcer even introduced them simply as the "Romanian Champions".

On the scoreboard in place of their name it simply said "Hosts".

As Steaua officials work to try and hammer out a favourable deal with the defence ministry, matters haven't been helped by the fact that their owner, Gigi Becali, and the club’s general manager, Mihai Stoica, are currently serving prison terms for abuse of power.

It's a very sad situation for one of Europe's most storied clubs.

1860 München Signs Kit Deal with Macron

2014-11-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

According to German magazine SPONSORs, 1860 München has signed five year deal with Italian manufacture, Macron.

This new deal will be affective at the start of the 2015-16 season and will be replacing the current deal with German manufacturer Uhlsport that has been their kit supplier since 2011 and was responsible for this seasons iconic Oktoberfest kit.

With this deal, the Italian manufacture enters the German market for the first time. This is a huge step for Macron that is looking at adventuring themselves in new markets and gain exposure to a new audience. No terms of the deal have been disclosed with the exception of the duration of the contract, which will see Macron produce 1860 München kits until 2020.

Macron is currently the official kit sponsor of SSC Napoli (Italy), Sporting CP (Portugal), SS Lazio (Italy) and Leeds United (England), and there has been reports that while the deal with 1860 München will be the first with a German side it won’t be the last. Union Berlin appears to be in negotiations with Macron to have them as their kit supplier for the start of 2015-16 season.

Macron will see this move in to German’s second division as a way to gain access to a lucrative market and perhaps eventually earn themselves a lucrative deal with a Bundesliga side. They are a very competitive company that is trying to gain a foothold in the kit market that is currently dominated by Nike, Adidas and Puma.

Here is a concept of how the 2015-16 Macron designed 1860 München kit may look like:

My Five Favourite England Kits

2014-11-08T16:00:00.000-05:00

As another international break creeps upon us, and a new England kit due to be released in the very near future, I thought I'd take a look back at some of my favourite England kits and what made them great.

These are my top five:

1966 Red Away

Although this was actually England's away kit at the time, this classic strip, which I own a reproduction of, was most famously used when England defeated West Germany at Wembley to win the 1966 World Cup.

It's a classic, simple design with a big bold English FA badge and was made from the heavier cotton of the day, before synthetic materials were introduced into football kits. Although it would have been heavy to play in when wet from sweat or rain, it's still a brilliant looking kit.

1982 White Home

One of the most sought after kits for collectors, this was the finest offering from the unfairly maligned Admiral brand. With it's terrific V-neck collar, to go along with it's red and blue bars over the white top this is a terrific looking kit.

England wore this at the 1982 World Cup where they actually exited the competition, in the second group phase, without losing a match.

1990 White Home

A classic kit from England's finest performance in a World Cup tournament outside of the British Isles, this release from Umbro had a great simple collar with a nice pattern woven into it.

This kit brings to mind Gazza's inspirational performances in Italy during that great summer, almost a quarter of a century ago.

2002 White Home

This great kit with it's blue piping and bold red stripe is arguably the last great England home jersey.

To see this jersey is to remember Beckham's last gasp free kick against Greece to qualify for the World Cup and of course the famous 5-1 destruction of Germany in Munich.

2010 Red Away

Unlike the others on this list a look at this kit brings to mind bad memories of Fabio Capello's disastrous leadership of a ponderous England side in South Africa. This was also the kit worn by England when they were mauled 4-1 by Germany in the Round of 16.

But from an aesthetic sense only this is a great kit. It's a classic design with a simple round collar, an England badge that really stands out on the kit and the white trim around the sleeves is cool unique touch.

A fun fact about this kit is that it was debuted by the band Kasabian at one of their concerts.

The Monday Meltdown: Half and Half Kits?!

2014-10-27T16:00:00.000-04:00

Just when you thought the worst abomination to ooze it's way into a modern football grown was a half and half scarf, we now have a confirmed sighting of an absolute pillock wearing a half and half jersey from the Manchester United and Chelsea clash at Old Trafford yesterday.

A lot of debate has occurred over the half and half scarves phenomenon of recent years. Some see it as a harmless souvenir for day tripping tourists on match day, while others see them as being worse than a six hour anal probe.

For meaningless pre-season friendlies or player testimonials I can see the appeal of them and don't have that much of an issue with the half and half scarves.

But for a meaningful league fixture, particularly one between two big rivals I think they're ridiculous and make you look like someone who likely has pieces of string tying your mittens to the sleeves of your coat in winter.

Despite all the bells, whistles and pyrotechnics these days, going to a football match isn't like going to Comic-Con. You can't be both Darth Vader and Pinky Pie from My Little Pony, at a match you wear your teams colours or you go completely neutral.

By wearing items belonging to both teams you look like someone who waits until the last moment to back the winning side. For those of you that sport half and half scarves to matches, to put this in Game of Thrones terms, you are one of those bastard Lannisters. Now am I saying that you shag your sister? Well, I'm not saying that. But I'm not not saying it either, if you catch my drift.

These half and half shirts are a new low though. Both Manchester United and Chelsea are massive clubs, whose support goes well outside of their traditional geographic boundaries.

With satellite TV, internet coverage and pre-season summer tours, both sides have taken massive strides to expand their reach across the globe.

Going to Old Trafford for someone from a foreign country could be a once in a lifetime occurrence and may well be the culmination of a lifetime dream.

But in a bizarre twist, this person could view going to Stamford Bridge as much of a monumental moment in his or her life.

Call me a grizzled old traditionalist, but I don't think anyone, regardless of their mailing address, should support two teams from the same league. It shows a distinct lack of moral fibre.

However, if someone like this does make it to a ground and both of their sides are playing, they need to show some respect for the clubs, the fans and themselves by supporting one or the other.

Take a good look in the mirror before heading out to the ground. If you're wearing something that's half and half, give yourself a hard slap and get changed into something more appropriate.

Millwall to Raise Money for Injured Soldiers with Special Kit

2014-10-20T21:00:00.000-04:00

Championship side Millwall have been granted permission by the league and its sponsor Euroferries to wear a special kit for their meeting with Brentford.

The special camouflage design shirts emulate the uniforms of British soldiers and will have the name of Headley Court across the chest, a rehabilitation center for injured soldiers in Surrey.

As of today, Millwall supporters and any one else looking to help can pre-order the shirt via the club's website. The Lions are looking to raise £20,000 for this special cause.

The one-off kit will be worn by the players as part of Remembrance weekend. Millwall's manager Ian Holloway volunteered his voice for the official commercial of the initiative, reciting a World War I poem by John McCrae.

Serie A Nike Concepts by Davide Lanave (Gallery)

2014-10-16T12:00:00.000-04:00

That's right, Davide Lanave is at it again and this time he takes the brand Nike and proposes these Italian Serie A kits that looks absolutely fantastic.

Fans Faces Part of New MLS Kit Numbers

2014-10-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

Major League Soccer announced this past weekend that next season, fans will be able to be a more integral part of their favorite team’s kits. Season seat holders will be able to have their faces printed within the kit numbers of their favorite MLS team.

This will be in effect for the 2015 season and it will last until August 2015.

MLS clubs will offer a specific number of season ticket holders the ability to have their faces as part of the kit number for their respective team. The season ticket holders will be given the choice of number between 0-9 and the exact spot within the number. They will also be able to upload their picture in order for the process to be completed.

MLS clubs will wear the numbers with the faces of the fans for the duration of the 2015 season, and these numbers will be used on the team’s home, away and third kit.

The idea while new to Major League Soccer it is not new or revolutionary in the world of football. Teams like Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Schalke 04 have done similar promotions.

This idea is part of a much larger re-branding that MLS has started in September of this year when they unveiled the new crest. I am sure this will be a huge hit with fans and some will have an extra excuse to purchase a new kit once the 2015 season gets underway, especially if their face is on the number.

Another way MLS has found to reach to the fans and keep them engaged with the product on the field, as they continue to grow the brand and earn exposure to the league.

New MLS Logo

5 Things I'm Thankful For in Football

2014-10-13T21:00:00.000-04:00

As most of you may know FootyFair.com is based in Canada and today we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Usually we are all about the rants here at FootyFair, but today in the spirit of the holiday I decided to list the five things I am most thankful for in today's beautiful game of football. Five positives that can be listed in a day and age when negatives are much easier to find.

#5 - Footballer's skill level

As much as football fans love nostalgia, and I must admit I myself am very big on sitting down with the boys reminiscing about some iconic matches and footballing events, the skill level of most footballers has gone through some impressive changes over the decades. I truly believe that putting any current squad against the same club's outfit from the past would almost always produce the same result. The modern day footballers would be victorious on almost all occasions. Today's footballer's quality on the pitch is absolutely remarkable. Both the skill level and managerial strategies are superior, and is something that is probably inevitable in all sports.

#4 - TV coverage in Canada

Moving to Canada from Europe in the late 1990's was a shock to the system for a 14 year old boy who has been living his life around football. Following European football was nearly impossible in the country I now had to call home because of the great lack of football coverage on Canadian television. Today, our country does a great job of providing its football fans with coverage from all the major leagues, international actions and major club competitions from all over the world.

#3 - Internet live score sources

Going back to when I first moved to Canada, looking anything up on the internet involved arguing with your parents just so you can connect to the internet in order to read about football scores from the past few days. Now, I can check on football scores as they happen, from my mobile phone, while camping. How can a football fan not be thankful for something like this?

#2 - Traditional football supporters

With the ever changing football fanatism, and the introduction of the more "family friendly" atmospheres in stadiums worldwide, it's really nice to see that some clubs' supporters stick to their traditional ways. Hull City and Everton are great recent examples, with the Hull fans fighting new owners about the renaming of their beloved club and Everton's fans going to great lengths about the re-branding of their club's badge. Some fans are still fighting against the elimination of the game's identity.

#1 - Quality of football kits

One of the biggest issues I had as a football fan growing up was the quality of jerseys and having to wear my favorite team's shirt, a piece of clothing that while showing off my passion for a club, was cutting my neckline and was perhaps the most awful thing to wear in my entire closet. Today, while perhaps the creative capacity of most kit manufacturers is down to a few templates, the quality of the merchandise is impressive. New football kits are a joy to wear as they are made of materials that don't give you a full-body rash as you put them on.

This (Canadian) Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful for these 5 things in football.