Umbro had produced some fine Forest kits since they reclaimed the club’s contract in 1986 but for me this is the pick of the bunch. Harking back to the early 70s trend of non-contrasting jerseys Umbro added an old-fashioned red collar to the Forest shirt and adorned it with elegant pinstripes – a full decade since their first widespread appearance on kits. It was a strip that exuded class and sophistication.
As was the trend at the time the club badge was now housed within a shield and Umbro also featured their new upper-case logotype. The white shorts were trimmed with a broad red band across each hem and the kit was completed by red socks topped off with the standard early 90s Umbro diamond trim.
As well as the regular white shorts, the shirt was accompanied by a smart alternate red pair in the 1992-93 season although the following year the 1991-93 away black pair were worn with the home shirt (although the red pair did make at least one appearance, away at Notts County despite there being no clash). Bizarrely in another blast from the past, the 1990-92 home white shorts design was worn for at least one game in the 1992-93 season, the home encounter against Spurs.
The shirt was also unusual in that it featured two different sponsors’ logos during its lifespan. The 1992-93 season saw the side alternate between Labatt’s and Shipstones (although replica versions only featured Shipstones). Labatt’s were another brand owned by Greenalls, the parent company who had originally purchased Shipstones in 1978. It seems that Labatt’s shirts were only worn when the match was live on TV as part of the sponsorship agreement agreed with Greenalls, thereby gaining maximum exposure for a more national brand than the parochial Shipstones.
The kit was worn during a tumultuous time for the club. Legendary manager Brian Clough left the City Ground at the end of the 1992-93 season – a campaign that also saw the ‘too good to go down’ Forest relegated to Division 1.
Worn by: Stan Collymore (who sported the shirt for press photos on signing for the club in 1993), Roy Keane, Kingsley Black.
Worn in: The 2-0 home defeat to Sheffield United that sealed the side’s dismal relegation at the end of the 1992-93 campaign – Clough’s last home game as Forest manager.
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Ahhh, the dreaded badge within a shield, whoever though that was a good idea needs their head examined. As if a club badge wasn’t enough, they decide to put it inside another badge! Bonkers!!!! You can probably tell that you have hit a nerve with me on that one John. One design trend that I hope wont re-surface anytime soon.
I’m afraid when it comes to Forest kits, I can’t see past the late 70s early 80s Adidas white V neck design. It could be argued that the early 80s version was the first Forest top to feature white pinstripes. Although very faint, they were there and as such they predate this early 90s Umbro top by at least 10 years.
I do like the current Umbro white collar shirt, which harks back to their early 1900s style kit.
Cheers,
Willie
Ha – we speak the same language Willie. I too was never a fan of the shield within a shield trick. Unnecessary in my view. Although the adidas Forest kits were good, solid designs I always loved the flair of this Umbro effort. I think its the combination of non-contrasting button up collar and pinstripes that does it for me.
Agree with both of you…badges within anything is wrong! The worst example of this is Liverpool, which at one point had the Liver bird within a shield within a shield! The once great bird was now almost postage stamp sized!
Actually, at one point, the Liver bird was in a shield within a shield within a shield!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/3616201053_b637bc499e.jpg
That is a cracker Andrew, I doubt any team will beat that!
I suppose Adidas were just making sure that the Liver bird didn’t escape to form a decent badge. 🙂
Agree about the Forest adidas strips..pure class but this umbro strip is a cracker,not that keen on the ‘sheild’ either but nice to see the forest badge has stayed the same for many years.
I also agree on the shield issue. I can see the inspiration on some of them and the Everton crest suited the 50s style shield used on the 1995-97 home kit. These really plain ones looked rubbish though. Imagine United’s 1992-94 third and 1993-95 away kits without them, they’d look loads better.
From that season, I thought Villa’s home and Oldham’s away were classics.
Yeah that Oldham away is a really under-rated kit, deserves more recognition!
I love this kit. Unlike some, I don’t mind the shield, in some cases. I think it worked particularly well on Manchester United’s 94-96 and 06-07 home strips, and in tandem with the unfussy Forest badge.
I agree that it diminishes the visibility of some badges – I suppose this was the ultimate template era for Umbro kits, and few teams were fortunate enough to escape this treatment!
Also, I know that the kit that superseded this one might not agree with some traditionalists, but I just loved the Forest home strips with black as another secondary colour – to me they looked great.
I found it a little strange that the change shorts for that kit, the 94-96 effort, were identical to United’s, save for badge.
Love most of Umbro’s productions for Forest, and their badge has always been a favourite – perfect simplicity!
Forest were such a cool team in the 80s. I have their hideous yellow away shirt LABBATTS from around 94-95 with the ink stain effect large badge dripping down the shoulder! Awful kit!
Apparently a version of that shirt exists with Umbro spelt incorrectly amidst the mess of black and red patterns on the shirt. You might want to check yours Rich and see if its one of them!
If the shield had been a differnt colour it might be ok.I’ve my Ipswich shirts from that time and the shield work’s on those shirt’s especially our lace up 92/94 home shirt.