West Brom kits always seem to be a bit hit and miss with me but I can’t put my finger on why. Maybe its the fact that the navy is often so dark it edges the colour scheme towards black and white and the overall effect is neither one thing or the other – I don’t know. Having said that the club’s 2010-11 home kit is one of the side’s better outfits in recent years. Like the Sunderland kit it borrows the trappings of Umbro’s late 70s strips for the club including the zig-zag trimming on the stripes and even going so far as to reinvent that jersey’s button-up neck (courtesy of an adaptation from the previous England kit). The shorts feature a simple trim along the leg and the socks are as plain as they could be. After a couple of years wearing shirts without a regular sponsor this year the Baggies have struck a deal with home emergency repair experts HomeServe who have decided to include a huge logo featuring their cunningly constructed phone number.
Away from home the club seem to have taken the advice of Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel and gone for a design that is ‘none more black’. With no contrasting trim whatsoever this mean, moody and magnificient strip’s only concession to flair is the inclusion of very subtle shadow stripes. In my view its simplicity makes the outfit one of the better black strips knocking around at the moment – its plainness means the necessary logos, badges, crests etc are presented clearly without clashing with the design. My only criticism is that as a set I would question whether the black of the away kit ‘clashes’ with the navy of the home.
Re the last comment about the away ‘clashing’ with the home – I don’t think this is really a problem as a team never plays itself. The only game in the PL where problems could arise in my view is away to Newcastle.
As that’s not until the last day of the season, Newcastle could end up wearing their 2011-12 away and thus alleviate any problem!
Aahh, probably didn’t explain myself properly! I meant that as a set of kits its always struck me odd to have an away kit in a colour very close, but not the same, as a key colour in the home kit.
A similar example would be a team wearing a red and white striped home shirt and a claret away.
Viewing the kits as a set I think the colours would visually clash (but not in the football sense!)
I like the West Brom kits this season.
The only problem I have with them is the huge red Homecare logo. I’m fine with having sponsors on shirts, but I find it funny how the bigger teams have their sponsors logo adjusted to blend in with the shirt, like having the colour removed – and the smaller teams just get the logo plonked on.
@John Devlin – I too was surprised that Umbro went with black as the change colour, thus “clashing” with the home kit. I’m glad they did though, as I’m a fan of black kits, and the lack of a second colour really adds to the “mean and moody” look, which I love about black kits. The subtle shadow patters is a nice touch, also.
@Denis Hurley – When I first saw the kits, I also thought about the Newcastle away game, as I don’t think West Brom could wear either their home or away kit. But recentley I read somewhere that West Brom have retained the red away kit from last season, as a third kit for this season.
Actually, they wore it at St. James’ Park last season, with change shorts and socks, in the Championship.
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/95856751/Getty-Images-Sport
Although, as you say, with the match being on the final day of the season, Newcastle may use the opportuinity to preview a new 11-12 change kit. That match will be one to keep and eye out for, should be interesting to see what both teams decide to do…
One more thing – excellent illustrations and article, as usual John. 🙂
Umbro have made some excellent kits this season and their kits for the Baggies are no exception. Just a shame that HomeServe (not HomeCare, spot the little error) had to have a big sponsor logo, when maybe a logotype would have been more suitable?
The away is very smart though I do agree, it is a bit daft for a team wearing navy and white to have a black change kit, but having said that the kit has had plenty of outings against blue or white shirted teams.
Seeing as Denis mentioned the possible problem at Newcastle on the final day of the season, well I do know that West Brom registered last season’s red change kit as their third choice, so it’ll probably get its one and only outing for that match.
love the home kit apart from the sponsor,the stripes could have been wider though,not that fussed over the away kit..bring back green/yellow stripes!!
Despite the obvious HomeServe logo problem (god I hate sponsors!) both shirts look pretty smart. I agree with you John that the dark navy stripes clash with the black away. I prefer home/away kits were the main colour isn’t too near the alternative kit (stripes included!). As john b says bring back the green and yellow!
Cheers,
Willie
You know, it was 06-07 the last time West Brom had the green and yellow stripes – so I’m pretty sure they’ll be getting them for 11-12.
They’ve “used up” their other favoured change colours. They’ve had white, black, navy, red, and yellow with navy – since the 06-07 green and yellow stripes.
I know that they could use one of those colours again, with a different design, but if you see West Brom’s change colours since the mid-90’s – they seem to follow this similair pattern.
Just a little prediction. 🙂
http://www.kitclassics.co.uk/kits/westbrom.png
Isnt it 03/04?
@Alexander Perkin – No, West Brom had another one in 06-07, that, for some reason, that website has forget to put in the list.
That 03-04 strip was made by Diadora, which I believe was an updated version of the 01-03 green and yellow stripes that I think West Brom made themselves under the brand name, The Baggies.
The one from 06-07 was made by Umbro. Here it is, worn against Preston.
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/71865298/Getty-Images-Sport
I remember it was worn against Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland, and, obviously, Preston.
West Brom also had a black with silver change kit in 06-07. Although, I’m not sure if the green and yellow stripes was the away kit, and the black with silver was the third kit – or vice versa.
Actually, thinking about it, the black with silver kit was retained as a third kit in 07-08, to accompany the new white away kit that season.
So, the green and yellow stripes was probably the third kit in 06-07, and the black with silver was probably the away kit.
Not that it really matters, just got me thinking. 😛
By the way, while I’m here, I’m watching Lyon versus Real Madrid live on Sky Sports.
Does anybody know why Emmanuel Adebayor wears squad number 6 in La Liga, but he’s wearing number 28 tonight in the Champions League?
I thought the squad number you were assigned, you had to wear for all of the season, in the league and Europe – unless you move clubs, obviously…
Odd.
There doesn’t have to be any correlation Adam, teams can have totally different squad numbers for Europe if they want.
For some reason, in 1996-97 Paul Scholes wore 12 for Manchester United in the Champions League while Phil Neville wore 18, the opposite of the case domestically, and in 98-99 Arsenal’s Michael Black, who wore 28 in the league, had 8 in the CL.
UEFA rules must stipulate that a number can only be worn by one player in a season – in 2005-06, Messi changed from 30 to 19 mid-season for Barcelona (Spanish league rules allow this), but stayed as 30 for the CL. I think Larsson may also have changed from 17 to 7 this way some year
Thanks for the reply, Denis – interesting stuff.
So, Adebayor is wearing 6 in La Liga, and 28 in the Champions League because Mahamadou Diarra wore 6 for Real Madrid in the Champions League this season before he joined Monaco during the January transfer window – and the number 6 can’t be re-issued?
It would seem to be that way! Or maybe numbers can be re-issued but Diarra was in the squad submitted in January?
Yeah, I suppose it could be either/or.
Just out of interest, regarding you’re previous post, was Ian Wright injured during the 98-99 season? It just seems strange that a young player like Michael Black would get Wright’s famous number 8, in the Champions League.
Wright joined West Ham in the summer of 98! Freddie Ljungberg joined in September and so wasn’t eligible for the Champions League, with Arsenal eliminated before the knockout stages
Oh, yeah, sorry Denis – I always forget that Wright played for West Ham. I always think he left Arsenal for Celtic in 1999-2000.
I’m watching Marseille versus Manchester United live on ITV1, and Marseille’s goalkeeper, Mandanda, is wearing the outfield away kit.
It always seems strange when some teams do that. Didn’t Tottenham used to do it? I’m thinking of when Paul Robinson played in goal. I might be wrong…
By the way, before I forget…
@John Devlin – Did you have any luck finding out about the strange goalkeeper kit choices at Arsenal this season? And, why Manchester City wore their home kit at Birmingham a few weeks ago?
I rememebr you saying on Twitter that you were going to try and find out…
Adam – I’m a freelance journalist and I put in a request with the Arsenal Communications Department to interview Vic Akers, the kit manager. I’m stll awaiting a response :/
Cool, Denis – I hope they agree to it.
Apart from the goalkeeper kit choices this season, what other kit questions do you have in mind? If you don’t mind me asking… 🙂
I have a few Adam, Arsenal has a long and storied kit history!
The logic behind the seemingly random wearing of the away kit would definitely be one, as would whether the tradition of a washed GK shirt for FA Cup finals still remains
Denis would you ask why they have only ever changed once (to my knowledge) at White Hart Lane, when they wore the Umbro 1983-86 pale yellow away kit, yet alway did against Leeds, both have White sleeves.
I was a little surprised to see Albion wearing the red third kit at Birmingham today.
What was more surprising though was Albion choosing to wear white change shorts, instead of the regular navy pair thus creating a clash with Birmingham’s white shorts!
I know that the rules on shorts clashes have been lightened-up during the past few years, but changing shorts to create a clash seems like madness!
@Bill McCai On a similar(ish) note why did United wear white shorts against Liverpool at Anfield yesterday when I understand their first choice away shorts are black? Neither would clash with Liverpool’s red shorts so it seems pointless not wearing the first choice colour.
Hello Sean – Man Utd have a real thing about wearing all-white at Anfield. I think its something Gary Neville instigated but I know for a fact that its a little quirk the club have.
Thanks John, I didn’t realise that. As an Albion supporter I was quite pleased to see us wear the red shirt at the weekend, mainly because the awful sponsor’s logo isn’t as obvious. Not sure about pairing it with white shorts though as it doesn’t match any of the trim on the rest of the kit.
Just re players wearing different numbers in Europe, Andy Carroll had 29 for Liverpool the other night, presumably nobody else was allowed to wear 9 after Torres had already done so this season
In response to Man U wearing all-white at Liverpool, I noticed they also tended to wear white shorts and socks with black shirts on the occasions where they had a black away kit, even if the first choice change shorts & socks were actually black pairs.
There are two exceptions – 05/06, where they wore all blue (both in the league and the FA Cup) and 07/08, where they wore all black.
@27. Jon – You make a good point, Jon, but it’s just against Liverpool at Anfield. I’ve noticed Man United like to wear change white shorts and socks with black away kits quite a lot – when there is no clash.
I’ve always just thought it was to do with Ferguson generally liking his players to wear white socks, because of his “visibility” thing that he likes.
And, then they switch to white shorts (as long as the opposition don’t wear white shorts) probably because black-white-white looks better than black-black-white.
The game with Middlesbrough at the Riverside in 07/08 is an example of this.
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/80540922/Manchester-United
My favourite kit set of the season. I take the point about the colour clash, but I think the predominance of the white in the home kit would sort most clash situations.
I think this is the best striped design of the current crop of (mostly) excellent Umbro templates. And I really love the use of 80s style shadow striping on a solid colour away kit for a team with stripes – subtle and classy.
I wish this was available as an Umbro Teamwear design, because I would pull out all the stops to get my team in a black and white version of this.
I agree with all above about the sponsor though – but I generally try and ignore the sponsor (up to the club) and judge a kit on the kit design alone when commenting on design. If I were a Baggies fan I’d be gutted though, as the ugliness of the sponsor would prevent me from purchasing – but then I am a proper old fart football fan who is repelled by 90% of all shirt sponsor designs, and more importantly, think it is hight time clubs allowed fans the option of purchasing and non-sponsor-daubed shirt (even if at a higher price).