WEEKLY WHINE
Third kits have become enormously popular in the footballing world. They provide clubs with an opportunity to pay homage to their past, come up with an alternative appearance, or just present something silly in hopes of squeezing more money out of their supporters.
So we will now take a look at all of the third kits in use by clubs in the top four divisions in England. You can, of course, view all of these kits at Historical Football Kits.
The diagonal stripes in different shades of blue are an adventurous approach. In this case, though, the adventure in question ranks somewhere around the level of the DeSoto Adventurer: not really making an impact at its time, but will be popularised much later by comic book detectives.
This third kit is simply a reverse of the second: silver with black trim. But the club should reverse them again; as their first jersey is dark, their second should be a light colour and not black.
This is also an adventurous approach: in two shades of blue, the front features a graphical representation of a sound wave [presumably the sound of Chelsea supporters singing]. This adventure ranks closer to Adventure Time: leaves everyone wanting more.
White and purple is a decent combination, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason for that particular choice.
The same is true of the Tigers’ white and blue: decent enough, but lacking motivation.
Leicester have selected a solid red third kit for this season. The black trim, in a similar style to the blue trim on the second kit, works well.
Warrior have now outfitted the Reds for three seasons. In that time, the club has generally had very good first kits, but the other choices have ranged anywhere from “decent” [this year’s away uniform] to “vomit would be an improvement” [last year’s third kit]. This third kit falls roughly in the middle.
Man City and Man Utd have selected the same style for their third kits, with a darker colour on the back.
But if you are going to force us to decide who wore it better, we would have to rule in favour of Man Utd.
We might be willing to allow a blue and green halved shirt if it was worn with blue shorts. But nobody should be forced to wear it with these shorts.
Understated to say the least, this design simply removes the hoops from QPR’s first kit. It may be plain, but it’s still attractive.
This third kit is simply a yellow version of the second kit. Really, though, the Saints should be using this as their second uniform; the light colour provides more contrast to the red and white stripes.
This is the same type of kit worn by Greece or Bosnia-Herzegovina at the Men’s World Cup: nothing special, just there to make up the numbers. We feel that this was the right decision, as the other two outfits include some detail, like the pinstriped away shirt.
This is a reversal of the second kit. The stripe patterns are different, but both pay tribute to longtime Spurs player and manager Bill Nicholson, who first outfitted Spurs in yellow in 1958.
This kit, a purple jersey with black shorts and socks, is definitely a nontraditional appearance. But in more practical terms, it simply fails to provide enough contrast with the first jersey. White would have been the correct choice here.
This orange and blue approach look just fine, but it doesn’t seem to fit with Birmingham. It would be a better look for New York City FC, if they were owned by the Mets rather than the Yankees.
Rovers have shifted the red and white away jersey from last year into the third position, and it looks very good with the new red shorts.
This third kit should come as great relief to language aficionados everywhere, who are no doubt puzzled as to why the first and second kits of a club called “Blackpool” are orange and white.
This kit was developed to honour the centenary of the First World War, with part of the proceeds going to a veterans’ charity.
This third kit, which features a gradient from blue to black, serves as good contrast to the other two.
The orange and black third kit looks good enough, but it is far too similar to the red and black away style.
Bluebird supporters celebrated in the streets when reviled owner Vincent Tan had a change of heart and restored the blue kits as first choice. The third kit, however, is a stark reminder of Tan’s oppressive regime.
Charlton, please be a dear and return your third kit to the Houston Astros when you are done with it. Thanks.
The yellow and blue is an appropriate choice alongside the white and navy jerseys.
This third kit is a recreation of a 1990s design, which supporters called the Darts Shirt. It was used as the away kit last season.
Yellow and blue again seems a good fit here.
Leeds ought to have at least one kit in yellow. This khaki and blue design should go.
Boro’s third kit is a simple affair in all white.
For a club with a red first jersey and a white second, blue is a natural choice for third.
The Millers have a black jersey that may be worn with the black away shorts, but it seems superfluous.
The Wednesday, on the other hand, have illustrated the correct usage of an all black third kit. Neither of the first two uniforms have any black, and so good contrast is ensured.
City wore last season’s blue and white away jersey as a third kit once this year, pairing it with their normal black shorts and socks. The result is actually fairly pleasing.
The Robins have a rather appalling third kit in purple and green. It came from the 1990s, and there it should stay.
For a club with a blue first jersey and a white second, red is a natural choice for third.
Colchester wore this pleasant all white kit in an FA Cup match.
Last year’s Brazilian away kit was retained as a third option this year.
Again, this year’s third kit is a repurposed away outfit. We feel that its correct role was as an away outfit.
The Gills have actually been quite clever in their kits for this year: all three are in the same style but different colour combinations. Our only quibble is that for consistency, there should be a broad blue stripe between the thin white stripes on the socks.
It does not make sense to have another dark kit when the first two uniforms are red and blue. Orient should wear white as their third choice.
We enjoy the Other Dons’ choice of yellow rather than the black they have used more recently. [AFC Wimbledon, of course, are the Proper Dons.]
This is a fine use of an all white kit to contrast with the first blue and second black designs, and we reject any suggestions that the third kit is too plain. Third kits have every right to be plain, particularly when the other kits are bolder.
The purple jersey offers good contrast to the other two, but we would like to see it paired with like coloured shorts.
Scunthorpe have made a delightful decision with this green kit, which pays tribute to their Irish supporters.
We enjoy the yellow and black jersey, and it looks nice with the black shorts and everything. But seriously? Black shorts with all three jerseys? And slightly different black shorts each time?
Magenta and black kits do not belong on field players. Goalkeepers, maybe.
This is a good change of pace from Stanley’s other kits.
An all red appearance fits quite well with Bury’s other kits, also in solid colours.
The third kit has a similar appearance to the change uniform, but in white with trim in the club colours of black and old gold.
Yellow and blue makes for good contrast against the first and second kits, but it does not seem to be a good fit for a club that normally wears red and black. An all white third kit would have been appropriate.
Luton have taken a slightly different approach with their third kit. The shirt [white], shorts [orange], and socks [orange] are each in a different colour from the first or second article, so that the club can mix and match the elements and turn out in all orange or all white if they so desire.
Mansfield, please be a dear and return your third kit to FC Dallas when you are done with it. Thanks.
This third kit is simply a reversal of the first one.
When club supporters were surveyed at the start of the season, the preferred colour for a third kit was yellow. It ended up looking very good, especially with the retro crest also used on the change kit.
This kit is quite similar to the second one, with red swapped for the yellow. As such, there is little reason for its existence.
The black and white with blue trim looks very good. In fact, it should be the second, and the claret kit should be third.
If Tranmere ever want to look like referees, they turn out in these kits. Because the first and second kits are both light in colour, their third kit should be all black.
If the Proper Dons ever want to look like Tranmere impersonating referees, they turn out in these kits.
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