News & Updates 2014
18 December
Oxford United (1965-68, 1979-80 added; minor updates to other graphics 1968-82; 1979 crest added). These changes are sourced from oxfordkits.com, the successor to oxkits.co.uk, now offline. Arthurlie (1926-27 added.) Crewe Alexandra (2001-02 crest modified).
More crest updates courtesy of Oleg Baranov: Everton (1993), Ipswich Town (1933, 1965), West Bromwhich Albion (1972), Tottenham Hotspur (1930), Scunthorpe United (1947), Middlesbrough (1973), Huddersfield Town (1920), Crewe Alexandra (1958), Bury (various updates & additions), Brighton & Hove Albion (1983, 2004), Derby County (1984 Centenary, 1981, 1985, 1993), Charlton Athletic (1946), Plymouth Argyle (1964), Swansea City (1970), Barnsley (1986, 2001).
Scottish crest additions: Ayr United (1938). Crest histories added for East Fife, East Stirlingshire.
This photograph was recently discovered by Duncan Walker and Sandy Reid and is probably the earliest known picture of the East Stirlingshire team, dating from 1890-91. This was the Shire's "golden age" as the silverware on show suggests. You can read the full story on the official Shire website.
16 December
On the left is
an original Newcastle United shirt from the 1911 FA Cup final, showing very clearly the details of the traditional club crest worn for the first time in that match. Based on the city coat of arms, it was finally retired in 1976.
Arsenal (all white change strip added for 1966-68, first yellow/blue change strip worn in November 1967 had no crest): the socks worn by Celtic at Leeds in 1970 are now confirmed to have been red.
15 December Current Season Updates
Premier League: Sunderland (special).
Championship: Rotherham United (3rd corrected), Cardiff City (3rd).
League One: Colchester United (3rd).
League Two: Bury (3rd), Hartlepool United (Special), Newport County (3rd), Stevenage (3rd), Mansfield Town (3rd).
Torquay United have changed their first kit.
Scottish Championship: Rangers (2nd updated).
Scottish League One: Greenock Morton (1st corrected).
Scottish League Two: East Fife (2nd).
4 December
Rangers change kits (1993-95, 1995-96, 1997-8, 1998-99 detailing added): Cowlairs (1886-87 collar corrected & team photo added): Helensburgh (1907-
08, 1910 added). The rare photograph on the left from the Helensburgh Heritage Trust Archive shows the team from 1907-08. St Mirren (1908-10, 1966-68, 1976-77, 1979-80 added; 1898-1900, 1914-17, 1950-51 modified). Although the strip on the right does not feature in the updates, I cannot resist showing you this Saints team group from 1906-07 wearing unique cream shirts. This and many more team groups appear on the excellent stmirren.infosite.
Chelsea change kits (1961-62 badge removed, 
1966-67 colours corrected).
This photograph is from a Stoke City programme from December 1968, showing a new strip designed by David Herd, who had joined Stoke from Manchester United in July of that year, and worn for just a few months. The point of interest is the "kiln-crest" worn on the left breast. If you can provide details of this badge please get in touch.
3 December
More crest updates today: Port Vale (1937), Barnsley (1978-81), Sheffield United (1992-1999), Mansfield Town (1995), Colchester United (1985, 1993).
Accrington Stanley (1990-91, 1991-92 added; 1992-98 graphics improved): Colchester United (1985-86, 1986-87 added; 1979-96 graphics updated).
20 November
Chris Lee, who publishes a fine collection of Reading team photographs on his excellent Biscuitmen website, has been in touch to confirm that the team replaced their familiar navy/white stripes with plain white shirts in 1898-99 (apparently green shirts were also considered). Their strip for 1899-1900 is not yet known but they were back in stripes in 1900-01.
Tony Sealey has submitted new research which makes sense of the bewildering variations in Leeds United strips 1971-1976.
18 November
Liverpool (1955-56 change kits added): Newcastle United (more accurate versions of the crest used 1920-1976 added): Aston Villa (1969 crest updated): Darlington (crest history updated): Brighton & Hove Albion (1948 crest updated): Southampton (1985 centenary crest added): Crewe Alexandra (1975-90 crest updated): Bradford City (crest history revised): Hartlepool United (new crest added): Macclesfield Town (1989 FA Trophy Final crest added). My thanks to frequent contributors Jonathan Auty and Oleg Baranov for the crest updates
15 November
Apologies for the lack of activity over the past fortnight while HFK's iMac was repaired after developiing a fault.
2014-15 Updates
Sunderland (3rd added): Swindon Town (3rd): Nottingham Forest (3rd): Wales (2015 change & kit worn against Netherlands added): Northern Ireland (2015 1st kit added).
Historical Material
I am grateful to Rumwold Leigh for submitting this photograph of Archie Goldie (1874-1953) wearing a New Brighton Tower shirt. As far as I know this is the only surviving image of the unique salmon pink shirts with black trim worn by the short lived club.
Millwall (1985-86 shirt now rendered in royal not navy blue): Charlton Athletic (1922-23 socks corrected): Chester (crest amended 1974-1983): Leyton Orient (the photograph on the right from Simon Monks neatly fills a gap in the record and confirms that Orient switched from their iconic chevron shirts to broad red and white hoops in 1931-32; 1932-33 sock detailing altered).
25 October
Glentoran (special Vienna Cup commemorative kit added).
Word Cup History Update
1930: According to futbalcafe.com Mexico wore navy shorts rather than black as peviously shown (photo left).
1938: Poland socks corrected.
1950: More background to Spain's blue shirts worn against Chile added.
1954: England (sleeves now correct for match with Uruguay)
1966: Soviet Union (sleeves now correct length for match with North Korea).
1970: Israel (crest amended).
1974: Netherlands socks corrected in match with Argentina.
1986: Algeria (collar corrected).
1994: Russia (correct Reebok logos applied).
2010: France (shirt trim corrected on change strips); Argentina (detailing added to change socks);
2014: Switzerland (shirt detailing added)
24 October
Rangers (1996-97 change revised): Chelsea (October 1964 one-off kit added): Huddersfield Town (1911-12 added - see photo left): Tottenham Hotspur (1908-11, 1912-14 change kits added. The black and white striped shirts recorded for Christmas matches at Derby in 1945 and 1950 have been removed. Tony Sealey has confirmed that these were incorrectly described in the match programme.)
Everton (shorts detailing modified 1962-66): Southend United (1984-85 amended): Manchester City (1956-FA Cup final socks corrected).
Newcastle United (1978-80 five-stripe Bukta kit restored and my thanks to Gavin Haigh for his confirmation; 1973-76 change shorts amended; April 1976 change sockscorrected).
This intriguing cutting, submitted by Lee Gauntlett, comes from a Birmingham newspaper, Sport & Play, and describes a match between Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion in February 1886. The author mentions the colours of the two teams but fails to tell us who wore what. However, we know that Villa wore black and white stripes in May 1886 so we can deduce that they were wearing these colours several months earlier and that Albion changed because their navy/white striped tops clashed.
23 October
It is with deep sadness that we learned last night that Andy Porter passed away suddenly at his home on Tuesday. A devoted Spurs fan since the age of seven, Andy was the club's official historian for the last 30 years and had an encyclopedic knowledge of the club he loved. A regular contributor to HFK since 2006, Andy made many valuable discoveries about Spurs' kit history which he generously shared with us. A full obituary is available on the official Tottenham Hotspur website.
21 October
2014-15 Update: Millwall's commemorative camouflage kit, Leyton Orient (3rd), Chesterfield (3rd), Peterborough United (3rd) have been added, Dundee United (sock detailing added).
15 October 2014-15 Updates
Northern Ireland (all green kit worn in win against Greece yesterday added): Republic of Ireland (2nd kit added).
NIFL Premiership: Ballinamallard United (1st, 2nd), Institute (1st, 2nd), Warrenpoint Town (1st, 2nd). This completes the NIFL 2014-15 section.
Exeter City (3rd).
Historical Updates
Rangers (1997-98 3rd detailing added), Fulham (1972-73 numeral added to shorts), Everton (1904-05 collar detailing amended - see left).
14 October
First of all, my apologies for the lack of activity recently. This was due to a broken router.
I'm now working through some of the historical material in the inbox starting with a major update of the Newcastle United Home and Away sections. I am especially grateful to Jonathon Auty for sharing the large archive of team photographs he recently inherited, which has allowed us to confirm the team's change kits 1894-1927 and revise our records of "home" strips 1894-1980. The photograph on the left shows the team from 1914-15 wearing new chevron change shirts. Gavin Haigh and Andy Fisher also made important contributions.
26 September
2014-15 Updates: Sheffield United (3rd), Bolton Wanderers (3rd), Gillingham (sock details confirmed on all strips), West Ham United (3rd socks corrected), Falkirk (shorts corrected on both kits), Alloa Athletic (2nd).
Historical Updates: Gillingham (1901-02 {see left} & 1948-49 added): Wolverhampton Wanderers (unsponsored Umbro kit worn August-November 1986): Walsall (1983-84 manufacturer corrected): Rangers (1997-98 3rd added).
22 September
I thought I would share this photograph of Grimsby Ladies FC taken in 1886 and sent in by Willie Kay. I rather doubt that the players would have taken to the field in corsets but they are evidently wearing them for the camera.
Partick Thistle (2013-14 trim added to shorts/socks) Rangers (2014-15 change kit added).
My thanks to Nik Yeomans who has submiited some very detailed research on Chelsea's change strips between 1954 and 1982 and now recorded on HFK. Also added is the first example of the team wearing matching blue shirts and shorts with white socks from March 1964.
12 September
I've rewritten the ebay links on the club pages so that they now track club shirts 
correctly rather than obscure BMWs and stuffed owls.
HFK is pleased to have supplied replica Victorian shirts to the Standard Athletic Club based in Meudon near Paris. As part of their annual Classic Car Day, the club organised a seven-a-side football tournament in classic jerseys, with 
three sides kitted out by HFK. Here we see a Small Heath player challenged for the ball by a Newton Heath defender.
Not for the first time, evidence has been sent in to correct a recent revision, in this instance, the shirts borrowed by Spain for their 1950 World Cup match with Chile (right). Julio Lopez has sent us a press cutting from La Vanguarda Español (30 June 1950) that records Spain's colours for this match as camiseta azul y pantalon blanco (blue shirts, white shorts).
2014-15 Update
Tranmere Rovers (3rd), Coventry City (1st sponsor added), Portsmouth (3rd).
Tottenham Hotspur Historical Update
Regulars will be familiar with the contribution that Spurs' historians Tony Sealey and Andy Porter have made and I am delighted to publish today the products of their latest research into Tottenham Hotspur kits 1921-1951. These include the earliest version of the cockerel crest (1921-1930), new dates for the off-white cashmere shirts and new information on collar detailing.
4 September 2014-15 Update
Championship: Brighton Hove Albion (3rd kit revised), Rotherham United (2nd socks confirmed).
League One: Coventry City (3rd).
Scottish League One: Airdrieonians (2nd sponsorship confirmed).
Welsh Premier League: Aberystwyth Town (2nd), Bala Town (2nd), Cefn Druids (1st, 2nd), Newtown (1st, 2nd), Port Talbot Town (2nd), Prestatyn Town (1st, 2nd), Rhyl (1st*, 2nd*), The New Saints (2nd*). (This completes the WPL section for 2014-15.)
*Unchanged.
26 August Historical World Cup Updates
1930: Belgium shirts trim altered. As you can see from the image on the left, it is difficult to make out the details because of the effect of orthographic film stock (making the red and gold almost as dark as the black in the shorts) but there is just enough contrast to make out collar and cuff detailing.
1934: Austria crest revised.
1938: Hungary socks corrected, colour of Romania crest adjusted.
1950: Colour of Spain's shirts v Chile changed. Normally I am skeptical of colourised photographs but this image of Spain in borrowed green shirts is from a contemporary Spanish language magazine and has the ring of authenticity.
1966: France sleeve trim removed.
1990: Changes made to Argentina's shorts in all games except v Cameroon.
2006: Paraguay sleeves corrected.
2010: France crest corrected and sock trim v Mexico amended: South Africa & Mexico shorts trim corrected: Nigeria detailing added to shorts & socks: Argentina socks amended.
2014: Unused Mexico third kit added and minor corrections to Argentina (2nd) & Switzerland (1st) kits.
22 August
Tottenham Hotspur (2014-15 cup kit added). Now that the new season sections are almost complete, I have time to turn to the backlog of historical material that has been accumulating over the summer.
Newcastle United (1976-78, 1978-80 shirt logo removed, 1988-89 alternative sponsor logo corrected): Rangers (1994-95 change improved): Barnsley (1937-38 added): Blackburn Rovers (1990-91 sleeves corrected): Dagenham & Redbridge (1997-99 added, 1992-93 updated, 1992 crest added): Northampton Town (crest history expanded and 1963-67, 1991-2007 graphics revised): Stockport County (1966-67 updated, crest history revised).
21 August 2014-15 Update
Premier League - Hull City (3rd detailing amended)
League One - Bradford City (3rd), Preston North End (2nd), Fleetwood Town (2nd shorts/socks confirmed), Leyton Orient (2nd)
League Two - Mansfield Town (1st shorts updated), Wycombe Wanderers (1st 2nd detailing confirmed), Cheltenham Town (2nd*)
Former Football League members: Hereford United, Aldershot Town (detailing confirmed).
*Unchanged.
15 August
No doubt you have seen this wonderfully bizarre "Tuxedo" shirt, launched a little while ago by Spanish third tier side, Cultural y Deportiva Leonosa. Intended as a publicity stunt, the top was worn in pre-season games (it is not going to appear in Segunda División B, sadly) and immediately went viral. So moved are we here at HFK Towers that a special place has been created in Room 101 for this landmark outfit. Furthermore, our very good chums at Vintage Football Shirts have got hold of some replicas and are currently offering them for sale. Click on the image or the accompanying link to visit their store.
2014-15 Update
Premier League - Burnley (3rd), Hull City (3rd), Manchester City (3rd), Newcastle United (3rd). This completes the registered Premier League kits. Thanks to everyone who has contributed.
13 August 2014-15 Update
Championship - Leeds United (2nd), Huddersfield Town (3rd), Nottingham Forest (sponsor added)
League One - Peterborough United (2nd), Coventry City (1st sponsor added*), Gillingham (1st, 3rd socks confirmed)
League Two - Wycombe Wanderers (1st, 2nd)
*Subject to confirmation.
Former Football League members - Lincoln City, Kidderminster Harriers added. I have updated all former members now in the Football Conference with the new Vanarama sleeve patches.
Scottish Premier League - Hamilton Academical (2nd)
Scottish Championship - Dumbarton (2nd)
Scottish League One - Stirling Albion (kit v Elgin City)
Scottish League Two - Berwick Rangers (2nd**)
** Unchanged
12 August 2014-15 Update
Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur (3rd), Hull City (2nd), Newcastle United (4th), Leicester City (2nd, 3rd).
9 August 2014-15 Update
Premier League - Everton (3rd), West Ham United (3rd).
Championship - Sheffield Wednesday (2nd).
League One - Oldham Athletic (1st), Yeovil Town (2nd), Leyton Orient (sponsor added), Milton Keynes (2nd).
6 August 2014-15 Updates
Championship - Blackburn Rovers (3rd), AFC Bournemouth (3rd).
League One - Preston North End (1st), Bristol City (3rd).
League Two - Luton Town (1st 2nd 3rd), Stevenage (2nd corrected).
NIFL Premiership - Ballymena United (1st 2nd) Linfield (1st sponsorship added).
5 August 2014-15 Updates
FA Women's Super League - Notts County (new 1st), Manchester City (new 1st, 2nd corrected).
Scottish Premier League - St Johnstone (2nd).
Scottish League One - Ayr United (2nd), Brechin City (1st socks confirmed).
Scottish League Two - Annan Athletic (2nd).
4 August 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - West Bromwich Albion (2nd)
League One - Dagenham & Redbridge (2nd), Leyton Orient (1st), Port Vale (2nd)
League Two - Portsmouth (1st), Dagenham & Redbridge (2nd)
Former League Members - Torquay United (1st).
2 August 2014-15 Updates
Scottish Championship - Cowdenbeath (2nd), Dumbarton (1st shorts/socks confirmed), Livingston (2nd)
Scottish League One - Dunfermline Athletic (2nd), Forfar Athletic (1st 2nd*), Peterhead (1st* 2nd*), Stenhousemuir (1st* 2nd*), Airdrieonians (1st sposnsor added), Brechin City (1st shorts confirmed)
Scottish League Two - Annan Athletic (1st), Elgin City (1st* 2nd*)
*Unchanged.
The new NIFL Premiership section is now open.
1 August 2014-15 updates
Premier League - Newcastle united (1st).
League One - Oldham Athletic (2nd), Notts County (2nd).
League Two - Oxford United (1st sponsorship added).
30 July 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Manchester United (3rd).
League One - Sheffield United (2nd).
Scottish Premier League - Hamilton Academical (1st).
Scottish Championship - Hibernian (2nd), Dumbarton (1st), Alloa Athletic (1st).
Scottish League Two - East Fife (1st socks confirmed), Clyde (1st* 2nd*), Queen's Park (1st* 2nd*).
*Unchanged.
29 July: According to Chris Lee, the Reading team photograph from 1919-20 on which I based a new graphic was from a trial match and does not show the first choice strips of the time so this has been removed.
2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Manchester City (2nd), Everton (2nd).
Championship - Norwich City (2nd corrected), Bolton Wanderers (2nd), Blackburn Rovers (2nd).
League One - Scunthorpe United (1st shorts/socks confirmed), Notts County (1st), Barnsley (2nd).
League Two - Southend United (1st, 2nd), Accrington Stanley (2nd), Yeovil Town (1st).
25 July: I am grateful to Chris Lee for letting me know about his excellent Biscuitmen website where you will find a fine collection of Reading team photographs going back to 1872. I have been able to add previously unrecorded strips from 1878-79 (photograph left) and 1919-20.
The 2014-15 Welsh Premier League section is now open.
24 July SFPL 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Partick Thistle (2nd), Celtic (kit worn in Reykjavik), Inverness Caledonian Thistle (1st).
Championship - Queen of the South (1st, 2nd), Rangers (1st).
League One - Dunfermline Athletic (1st), Stranraer (1st, 2nd, 3rd*).
League Two - Montrose (1st*, 2nd*), East Stirlingshire (1st, 2nd), Albion Rovers (1st*, 2nd*), Clyde (3rd), Arbroath (1st, 2nd), East Fife (1st).
*Unchanged.
23 July 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Hull City (1st), Tottenham Hotspur (1st, 2nd), Leicester City (1st), Manchester United (2nd), Chelsea (3rd)
Championship - Sheffield Wednesday (1st shorts confirmed, 2nd added), Millwall (2nd), Huddersfield Town (2nd), Fulham (2nd), Norwich City (1st socks confirmed), Derby County (3rd), Wigan Athletic (2nd), Norwich City (2nd)
League One - MK Dons (3rd), Colchester United (1st, 2nd)
League Two - Mansfield Town (1st*), Cheltenham Town (1st), Portsmouth (2nd), Exeter City (1st, 2nd).
Former League Members - Bristol Rovers (corrected).
*Unchanged.
16 July 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Burnley (2nd)
Championship - Millwall (sponsorship added)
League One - Bristol City (2nd socks confirmed), Gillingham (shorts confirmed)
Former League Members - Barnet, Aldershot Town, Stockport County
15 July 2014-15 Updates
SPFL Premier - Aberdeen (2nd), Inverness Caledonian Thistle (2nd).
Championship - Wigan Athletic (1st), Blackburn Rovers (1st).
League One - Milton Keynes Dons (1st), Swindon Town (2nd), Oldham Athletic (1st, 2nd).
League Two - Bury (1st, 2nd), Carlisle United (1st, 2nd), Shrewsbury Town (1st*, 2nd, 3rd*).
Former League Members - Macclesfield Town.
*Unchanged
11 July 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Southampton (2nd), Arsenal (1st, 2nd, 3rd), Sunderland (1st), West Bromwich Albion (1st).
Championship - Derby County (2nd), Sheffield Wednesday (1st).
League One - Bradford City (1st socks corrected), Peterborough United (1st).
League Two - Mansfield Town (2nd).
10 July 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Manchester City (1st), Crystal Palace (2nd sponsorship colour confirmed).
League One - Bristol City (1st, 2nd).
Wrexham (shorts/socks confirmed).
World Cup History
1930 - Franc Forjan has been in touch about the Uruguay shirt (left) featured on 1 June and believed to 
have been worn by Jose Nasazzi in the 1930 final. Franc believes this is incorrect and has sent in several photographs, including this one of Nasazzi wearing the shirt but probably dating from 1939 (right). A more reliable source is this third photograph of Hector Scarone's 1930 World Cup shirt (left) on display in the Museo National 
de Futbol in Montevideo, which clearly has a laced, round collar.
1934 - Victor Manuel Rey has alerted us to the excellent Camisetas de la Selección Española website, which has allowed us to more accurately portray Spain's 
crest worn in the 1934 WorldCup.
1938 - I have reinterpreted Romania's strip after Marcelo Viana alerted me to this YouTube clip. Compare the still photograph on the right, 
taken with orthographic film stock and the image captured from the cine film on the left, from which it is obvious Romania's shorts are not white, contrary to the information the Romanian Football Federation provided a while ago. Although it is possible they are yellow, close analysis suggests they are probably mid-blue. In view of this, I have also revised Romania's 1930 and 1934 kits.
1962: Uruguay sock trim added.
1978: Iran cuffs corrected.
1986: Uruguay detailing added.
2006: Italy crest corrected.
9 July 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Crystal Palace (sponsorship added).
Championship - Wolverhampton Wanderers (2nd), Nottingham Forest (1st).
League Two - Burton Albion (2nd detailing added), Oxford United (1st, 2nd).
Former League Clubs - Bristol Rovers, Grimsby Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Lincoln City ("new" crest added), Wrexham (150th anniversary crest added).
SPFL: Dundee (1st, 2nd).
8 July 2014-15 Updates
Premier League - Manchester United (1st), Liverpool (3rd socks confirmed).
Championship: AFC Bournemouth (2nd), Reading (1st, 2nd), Birmingham City (1st, 2nd, 3rd) Cardiff City (1st, 2nd).
League One: Bradford City (2nd).
League Two: Accrington Stanley (1st*, 3rd*).
*Unchanged.
5 July 2014-15 Updates: Raith Rovers (2nd), Brighton & Hove Albion (1st, 2nd, 3rd), Burton Albion (1st*, 2nd), Sheffield United (1st), Southampton (in stripes again!), Celtic (3rd), Coventry City (1st*), Derby County (1st).
*Unchanged
4 July 2014-15 Updates: St Mirren (2nd), Hibernian (1st), St Johnstone (1st), Airdrieonians (1st, 2nd, 3rd), Charlton Athletic (2nd, 3rd), Coventry City (2nd), West Ham United (1st), Everton (1st socks corrected). More tomorrow.
1 July 2014-15 Updates: Hull City (new crest): Rotherham United (1st, 2nd, 3rd), Bolton Wanderers (1st), Morecambe (1st, 2nd), Leeds United (3rd*), Plymouth Argyle (2nd), Fulham (1st), AFC Wimbledon (1st, 2nd, 3rd), Brentford (2nd), Northampton Town (1st, 2nd), Kilmarnock (1st, 2nd, 3rd).
*Unchanged.
27 June 2014-15 Updates: Huddersfield Town (1st), Watford (shorts' colour confirmed), Barnsley (1st), Livingston (1st + crest history), Dundee United (2nd), Celtic (1st*), Berwick Rangers (1st*), Cowdenbeath (1st), Albion Rovers (3rd), Partick Thistle (1st).
*Unchanged.
26 June 2014-15 Updates: Plymouth Argyle (sponsorship added), Chesterfield (1st, 2nd), Blackpool (1st*, 2nd*), Swindon Town (1st), Swansea City (1st, 2nd), Everton (1st), Norwich City (1st), Leeds United (1st), Stevenage (1st, 2nd), Burnley (1st), Cambridge United (1st, 2nd, 3rd).
* Unchanged
This intriguing photograph (from cfchistory.com) appeared in the Derbyshire Times in 1946 and purports to be of Chesterfield FC in 1882-83. The problem is that the club had ceased to exist in 1881. It is more likely that this is Chesterfield Town FC, who were formed in 1884. (1884-85, 1921-28, 1938-44 graphics updated.)
18 June: I hope you've been enjoying our 2014 World Cup Updates. So far, FIFA's ludicrous new rules about contrasting colours has turned up some bizarre anomolies. Last night Mexico wore their change strip against Brazil when their dark green/white first kit would have been better and Ecuador were told to wear all-blue against Switzerland on 15 June when their yellow/blue first strip would have provided even better contrasts.
Incidentally, if you follow us on Twitter (@HistoricalKits) you will receive a daily update on the colours to be worn in that evening's group matches.
Here are a few more historical World Cup updates:
1930: Based on newly available photographs, I have reassesed the colours worn by Uruguay against Yugoslavia Close examination indicates some contrast between the main shirt and the collar and cuffs, suggesting Uruguay wore their usual light blue. Bolivia shirt against Brazil altered to match the Uruguay design (Bolivia borrowed a set from the hosts). United States collar corrected.
1938: Details of the kits worn by Hungary & Dutch East Indies confirmed from this (incorrectly captioned) video.
1978: Italy v Hungary shorts detailing amended.
1986: Texture stripes removed from Uruguay shirts.
1962: Hungary socks amended.
2006: Spain shorts detailing added.
11 June 2014-15 Updates: Aston Villa (2nd), Sunderland (2nd), Stirling Albion (1st shorts confirmed), Heart of Midlothian (2nd), Celtic (2nd).
8 June 2014-15 Additions: Watford (2nd), Tranmere Rovers (1st, 2nd), AFC Bournemouth (1st), Stirling Albion (1st + crest history), Brechin City (1st).
This is Wigan Borough in 1926-27, the season they adopted gold and black. Note that the goalkeeper is wearing an old green jersey with the club crest, Borough's previous colours.
With the World Cup kicking off on Thursday, I'd like to confirm that I shall be posting regular updates to create the definitive kit record of the competition. There is no need to send me kit details (unless to correct an error) as I will be monitoring each match and posting the kits worn as soon as time allows.
5 June 2014-15 Additions: Charlton Athletic (1st), West Ham United (2nd), Middlesbrough (1st, 2nd), Raith Rovers (1st), Rangers (3rd).
3 June 2014-15 Update: Aston Villa (1st added), Brentford (1st added), Walsall (1st, 2nd), Aberdeen (1st added).
2 June: Kilmarnock (1897-98, 1945-48, 1952-55, 1969-70, crest history added): Greenock Morton (1966-67, 1976-77 added; crest history updated).
1 June 2014-15 Updates: Newcastle United (2nd socks amended), Queens Park Rangers (1st, 2nd, 3rd added), Rochdale (1st, 2nd detailing added), Blackpool (3rd added), Scunthorpe United (1st added), Crawley Town (1st, 2nd added), Falkirk (1st, 2nd added), Greenock Morton (1st, 2nd added), Republic of Ireland (1st added), Northern Ireland 2nd added).
World Cup Updates
2014 - Spain (3rd added).
1990 - We now have the story behind Costa Rica's Juventus-style strip in Turin and have updated shorts detailing for Brazil.
1986 - My thanks go to Denis Hurley for uncovering why Argentina wore different blue change shirts in their matches with Uruguay and England: Paraguay crest corrected: Poland shorts details corrected.
1970 - André Silva has found this footage of Mexico v Belgium in which the hosts shirts miraculously change colour after 3 minutes. As I recall, the primitive colour cameras of the time were unable to cope when tracking between sunlit and shaded sections of the pitch, which might explain this anomaly.
1954 - This footage shows Scotland wore red socks when they were thrashed 7-0 by Uruguay.
1930 - These images ilustrate rather well the pitfalls of interpreting old photographs. The colourised team picture of the Uruguayan team (left) shows the team wearing navy shorts and with a white plaquet on the shirts. I have never been convinced about the shorts and after a very protracted correspondence, our good friend from Brazil, André Conceição e Silva received confirmation from the Uruguayan Football Federation that the shorts were in fact black. The second image is from the National Football Shirt Collection and is the shirt worn by Uruguay's captain, Jose Nasazzi considered by many Uruguanians (sic), one of their greatest ever football players. This priceless item finally confirms the details of the 
collar design. I have also re-evaluated photographs from the semi-finals and concluded that Uruguay probably changed into white shirts against Yugoslavia.
Historical Updates
This is Bootle AFC from 1882-83, when they were the only serious rival in the city of Liverpool to Everton. Wrexham 1919-22 graphics revised.
26 May: The 2014-15 Premier League/Football League and the Scottish Professional Football League sections are now open.
I have added the 2014 UEFA Champions League final kits.
21 May: Keith Ellis has supplied some photographs that expand our knowledge of Scotland's kits (1892, 1897, 1921 added; 1881, 1905-09 crest amended; 1901-04, 1910, 1935-36 collar corrected). The photograph shows the 1892 team before they thrashed Wales 6-1 at Tynecastle in a snowstorm. Note that some players are wearing dark knickers, evidence that the Scottish FA had yet to make white compulsory.
Leicester Fosse (1910 details now confirmed): Aberdeen (crest added to 1963-64): Ipswich Town (2013-14 3rd added): Chelsea (1959-60 socks updated, 1960-61 additional graphic added, Aug-Sept 1964 added, 1967-68 crest corrected, 1983-84 & 1984-85 socks corrected 1994-95 Europe kit added): Chelsea Change kits (1913-14 & 2014-15 added): the gaps in the Newport County records have been filled (aside from 1990-91) - my thanks to Jeff Krul.
20 May: The 2014 FA Cup final kits have been added.
Emma Hadley, a freelance museum curator, has sent in this photograph of an extraordinarily rare Stockport County shirt worn by Burt Middlemiss in 1907, which she has just accessioned for Stockport MBC Museums. Despite its age, the item is in near-pristine condition and confirms the observation of club historian Marcus Heap that 
County originally wore red and white.
We have more on the West Bromwich Albion 1935 FA Cup Final shirt. Jess Heaton, HFK's resident fabric expert, writes, "From reading what you said about the top especially it being very soft and able to crushed into one hand my intial thoughts were definitely silk, however like you, looking at the weave of the top, it did make me wonder if this was correct. But then I remembered I had a sample of Noil silk that has a similar texture to the photo you sent.
"Rayon would be the only synthetic that I think would have been used, it was being manufactured in the 1930's so it is possible that they may have used it, Rayon is known to have good absorption qualities and was used a lot for summer wear etc so it would seem an appropriate fabric to use at the time for sportswear."
John Lovett speculates that there might be a connection between the appearance of "silk" football shirts and the manufacture of "racing silks" worn on the turf.
2014-15 Additions: Plymouth Argyle, Motherwell, Rotherham United, Doncaster Rovers, Wrexham, Ross County, Rochdale.
Historical Updates: Probably taken on the eve of the 1935-36 season, this photograph of Carlisle United shows the team resplendent in brand new strip. More significantly, it confirms that the striped shirts we had posted for this season were incorrect. Unrecorded kits from 1952-53 and 1953-54 have also been added. Boston United (1951-52 collar corrected, 1955-56 added, 1970-72 short details added, 1972-73, 1973-74 added): Cardiff City (1963-65 socks updated): Charlton Athletic (1935-36 socks updated): Cheltenham Town (1947-48 added).
9 May: We have more today on the West Bromwich Albion 1935 FA Cup final shirt featured on 7 May. I can now state that it is definitely not nylon as this was not synthesised until 1935 and it was not until 1939 that it was first used as a fabric. Rayon, however, had been available since 1905. National Football Museum Curator Simon "Shakey" Shakeshaft insists the fibre is woven cotton while regular contributor Simon Monks writes as follows: Some years ago I owned a shirt from the final (Richardsons I think) and it was definitely silk, in fact so soft you could ball it up and hold it in one hand. (Emphasis added.)
Peter Holmes from the National Football Museum writes: I have often wondered about the material for this shirt. It is silky in feel but probably not silk, even though some Cup Final shirts were specially made in this material. There is no clue on the label and only a textile expert would possibly be able to tell. I personally think it is specially woven/treated cotton because artificial man-made fibres were not common in the 1930s. Rayon is a possibility, as this man-made fibre, a cheap imitation of silk, began to be used more in the 1930s. Microscopic investigation might give us an answer as fibres of silk, cotton, rayon etc all look different under the microscope but unfortunately the shirt is on display and we do not have a microscope (or the expertise)!
I have set HFK's fabric elves onto the subject.
Regular visitors to HFK will very likely be familiar with Mikhail Sipovich's Colours of Football site. Mikhail's most recent project is a section for National Team Kits that covers every member of FIFA, a valuable contribution to the field of football kit history.
Heart of Midlothian (crest history updated).
2014-15 Additions: Wolverhampton Wanderers (1st), Dundee United (1st), Hartlepool United (1st), Newcastle United (2nd), Liverpool (2nd, 3rd), Stoke City (1st), Watford (1st), St Mirren (1st), Crawley Town (1st), Ipswich Town (1st), Port Vale (1st), Millwall (1st), Crystal Palace (1st).
8 May 2014-15 Additions: Chelsea (1st), Liverpool (1st), Heart of Midlothian (1st + crest history), Newport County (1st).
7 May: Tim Ashmore has sent in this photograph of the shirt worn by West Bromwich Albion in the 1935 FA Cup final and on display in the National Football Museum. Aside from confirming the tops were a deep royal blue (we had assumed navy), Tim believes they were made from nylon, and this seems to be confirmed by the characteristic balling of the fabric. This is the earliest example of artificial fabric being used to have been discovered to date. The 1973-78 timeline for Albion's kits has been updated.
Marseilles (1991, 1993 crest corrected): Wigan Athletic 
(1962-63, 1963-64 added): Sheffield United (1972-73 added): Stockport County (1890-1908 graphics revised - we now think the team wore red/white in this period; 1978-79 (2) revised): Heart of Midlothian (1954-58 warm weather kit, 1961-62 added): Grimsby Town (1908-09 added).
This image of Frank Moss published in October 1914 and discovered by Keith Ellis reveals how heavy Aston Villa's woollen jerseys were in the Edwardian period but the unique feature is the blue "skirt" below the waist. This was normally tucked into the knickers and so was invisible.
World Cup History: 1930: Franc Forjan has produced convincing evidence that the red shirts we thought were worn by Yugoslavia against Uruguay are fakes (see item 
26 April below). Franc tells us that in 2011 Serbian TV made a documentary called Montevideo, Bog te Video (Montevideo: God Has Seen You) that was packed with innacuracies and nationalistic propaganda. Several scenes from the tournament were "recreated" and this has led to the appearance of misleading photographs on the internet. The photo we published on 26 April is from an exhibition of material from that film and not the tournament itself. The critical evidence is this rare but genuine photo from the opening ceremony of the semi-final that shows the Yugoslav shirts had self-coloured collars and not the contrasting white ones shown in the fake replicas. Furthermore the lightish tone is exactly what we would expect of a mid blue shirt given the orthorgraphic film stock in use: were the shirts red, they would appear very much darker.
1962: Soviet Union kit v Yugoslavia amended: Mexico collars v Czechoslovakia corrected.
6 May 2013-14 Updates: Mansfield Town wore borrowed tops at Bristol Rovers at the weekend and Torquay United played in a special commemorative strip. Inverness Caledonian Thistle (3rd added): Yeovil Town Ladies (2nd added): Colorado Rapids (sponsorship added).
2014 World Cup: Cameroon (1st, 2nd confirmed), Algeria (1st, 2nd detailing confirmed), Argentina (2nd crest updated), Japan (2nd socks updated).
26 April: I shall have a crack at the huge stack of World Cup History material in the mail silo this weekend starting 
with some treasures submitted by André Conceição e Silva for the 1930 competition. We now have evidence that Mexico wore black shorts/socks with their dark cherry shirts in the first World Cup (see left) and a photograph of Peru's shirt with crest details. Bolivia's collar amended. The third photograph shows a red Yugoslavia shirt on display in amuseum. I believe this was worn inthe semi-final match against Uruguay because of a colour clash. (This item 
was updated on 7 May.)
1938: Brazil's training shirts worn against Poland had long sleeves - now shown correctly.
1950: When Uruguay met Spain in the final 
group stage, they wore the crest of São Paulo FC on their shirts. According to André this was a tribute to their hosts and no doubt an attempt to garner local support before their final group match with Brazil in the Maracanã.
1962: Colombia socks v Yugoslavia corrected; Mexico cuffs revised.
1966: Hungary shorts v Bulgaria corrected.
1970: Mexico cuff detailing amended. Peru change socks corrected.
1982: Brazil branding added to shorts.
1986: Argentina, France & Brazil shorts detailing added. Uruguay shadow stripes added.
2014: Germany 2nd strip details confirmed, Portugal updated.
25 April 2013-14 Updates: The expanded 2014 FA Women's Super League kicked off last week and our new WSL section is now open.
Liverpool (charity kit), Tottenham Hotspur (charity kit), Norwich City (charity kit) Tranmere Rovers (kit worn at Colchester), Burnley (special), Sporting Kansas City (2nd socks updated).
15 April: Thanks go today to Ian McConnel who has researched Rangers' change strips between 1948 and 1976 from his personal programme collection. Thanks to Ian I have been able to substantially revise the timeline and fill in substantial gaps in the records.
The photograph on the left is of the Scottish village team, Renton FC. In 1888 they won the Scottish FA Cup for the third time, beating Cambuslang 6-0 (still a record) and went on to beat the English FA Cup holders, West Bromwich Albion in a 
challenge match to decide the "championship of the UK and the world."
Stockport County (1964-65, 1965-66 collar detailing amended). We also now have the full story County's lucky gold and black strip worn in January 1958 (see photo right).
Heart of Midlothian (detailing amended on 1975-86 graphics): Mansfield Town (crest history updated & detailing on 1983-98 graphics revised).
10 April MLS Update: Portland Timbers (2nd shorts/socks confirmed). I have also added "Buy From" links for all current MLS replica shirts.
Seated on the right is Jesse Thomas Williams who turned out for Shrewsbury Town between 1931 and 1933. The photograph was sent in by Williams' grandson, Martin, and suggests that amber trimmings were incorporated into the socks even earlier than we had previously thought.
Nottingham Forest (1929-31 socks amended, 1951-52 added): Fulham 1914-23 detailing confirmed.
29 March 2013-14 Updates: West Bromwich Albion (new socks added): Swansea City (charity strip 
added): Middlesbrough (3rd added): Burton Albion (2nd shorts updated): Northampton Town (shorts detailing added): Greenock Morton (1st shorts updated): New England Revolution (1st shorts corrected).
Wales 1919 updated (see photo left), 1939, 1940, 1945, 1949-50, 1975 kit v Scotland, 2014 change kit added. I have also amended the timeline thanks to Keith Ellis' research.
28 March 2014 World Cup Updates: Portugal (2nd added), USA (2nd updated), England (1st updated, 2nd added), Bosnia & Hercegovina (1st, 2nd updated).
14 March: Historical World Cup Updates: 1934 - Swedenshirt trim altered, Hungary kits confirmed, Romania & Egypt crests confirmed: 1954 - Hungary socks 
amended, Czechoslovakia band on change shirts corrected - see left: 1958 - Wales crest corrected, Hungary socks amended: 1962 - Colombia updated, Mexico shorts detailing added, 1970 - El Salvador crest corrected, Italy shorts corrected: 1978 - Tunisia crest corrected.
Most of this material comes from André Conceição e Silva including this rare image of the Hungarian team lining up for their match with Egypt in 1934. The shorts might be navy but as they are an identical shade to the shirts, I have assumed they are dark red. The goalkeeper is wearing the white top with red/white/green bands that became the Magyars' famous change strip.
9 March: To coincide with the start of the Major League Soccer season in north America this weekend, our MLS 2014 section is now open.
7 March: Pride of place today goes to this photograph of Manchester City from 1899-1900 submitted by our old frend, Keith Ellis. Careful examination shows that the socks have vertical stripes down the sides of the calf. This design did not appear again until a century later, which only goes to show that there is little that is truly new in the design of football strips.
Everton (new crest added): Tottenham Hotspur (1883-84, 1884-85 amended): Brentford (1897-1901 amended).
2014 World Cup Updates: Ghana (1st, 2nd confirmed), Brazil (2nd confirmed), Uruguay (1st, 2nd confirmed).
5 March 2014 World Cup Updates: South Korea (1st, 2nd confirmed), Mexico (2nd socks confirmed) France (2nd detailing added), Chile (1st, 2nd updated).
Between 1974 and 1985 Queens Park Rangers wore a bewildering range of shirts, including four different versions in 1976-77 alone. Cataloguing these has been a real headache but Tony Sealey has pointed us to the History of QPR Kits website, which presents the definitive history from 1974 to the present. This pre-season photo, taken in the summer of 1975, shows the team in the first Adidas kit to appear in England. This was a prototype produced as Adidas attempted to establish a foothold in the UK market. It was not used but a year later QPR signed up with the German company and wore their strips until 1989.
Arsenal (1913, 1962-64, 1964-65, March 1965 change kits amended: Cambridge United (1995-2006 graphics amended & 1996-98 crest added).
4 March 2014 World Cup Updates: France (2nd added), USA (1st confirmed), Belgium (1st, 2nd, 3rd added), Netherlands (1st updated), Ecuador (1st, 2nd added), Greece (1st added), Colombia (1st updated), Nigeria (details confirmed), Switzerland (1st, 2nd confirmed), Greece (1st, 2nd added), Honduras (1st, 2nd).
Scotland (new change strips added), Republic of Ireland (correct crest added).
25 February - Historical World Cup Updates: 1934 - Sweden collar corrected: 1950 - England crest detailing revised, Mexico shirt design revised: 1954 - Italy crest modified, Yugoslavia socks revised: 1962 - Hungary socks revised: 1966 - Hungary socks revised, Argentina kit v England now has correct short sleeves, Soviet Union socks corrected in match with Portugal, West Germany v
Switzerland both now have correct long sleeves, France crest & socks revised: 1970 - El Salvador collar revised, Mexico crest revised: 2006 - Netherlandscrest revised: 2010 - Chile crest revised.
I had thought that Birmingham City first wore the city crest on their shirts in 1945 but Russell Mann has found this photograph taken in January 1939 that shows the crest sewn directly onto the shirts rather than the more familiar white patch.
Rick Glanvill, the official Chelsea historian, has shared his recent discovery that the team switched from their original Eton blue shirts to more conventional royal blue much earlier than previously thought. Kjell Henssen has found an unrecorded Everton change kit from 1905-06 and has also confirmed that Liverpool's change shirts from 1911 until 
1921 were black and white stripes (not red/white). Pavel Shalaev has supplied this cigarette card from 1906 that suggests Liverpool wore nice wooly jumpers at the time.
Halifax Town (1925 added).
Tim Ashmore has sent in this photograph of Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1908 FA Cup final jersey. Despite the limitations of the flash photography, this sheds valuable light on the traditional shade of old gold worn at the time and I have amended the club section accordingly.
24 February 2014 World Cup Update: England (1st added), Croatia (2nd added), Nigeria (2nd added), Russia (2nd updated), Australia (1st updated), Italy (1st & 2nd updated), Japan (2nd shorts/socks confirmed), Colombia (2nd updated).
19 February: John Lovett has a theory about the silky Newcastle United shirt fetured below. In 1956 Newcastle played a friendly against Linfield at Windsor Park in Belfast to inaugurate the new floodlights at the ground. It may have been that match where the silky shirt was worn. "Silk" shirts were sometimes used at the time because they showed up under lights rather better then traditional cotton.
The Eminent Victorians section has been upgraded and expanded.
13 February: Peter Foster, whose late father was headgroundsman at St James Park, was 
written to ask if we can date this interesting Newcastle United change shirt. The number on the back places it no earlier than 1939 while the shiny "silk" material first appeared in 1953 so I have tentatively placed this between 1953 and 1958, possibly for use in floodlit games. If you can help identify this top please get in touch.
Nottingham Forest (2013-14 3rd added): Hull City (1992-93 tiger print kit graphics modified): Colchester United (now confirmed crest was 
worn before the Second World War): Dunfermline Athletic (latest version of club crest added): Arsenal (1950 FA Cup final socks corrected): Stoke City (1986-87, 1989-90 detailing amended): Charlton Athletic (1956-57 cuffs corrected): Darlington (2003-04 detailing modified).
I am grateful to John Dewhirst who has been corresponding with experts on the history of Bradford City on our behalf. As a result, I have removed the 1937-38 graphic, which was based on a team photograph that is now confirmed as not being of the Bantams. I have also added some missing detail to the 1923-24 graphic, a remarkable and unique outfit shown here in one of the many team photographs on the excellent 
Bantamspast website.
We are very pleased with the news that Umbro will be kitting out Everton next season. This is the latest version of the company's logo and we hope to see it on many more leading club kits in the seasons to come.
4 February World Cup 2014 Update: Brazil (3rd), Costa Rica (1st, 2nd), Iran (1st, 2nd) added.
31 January - World Cup History: 1930 - Romania confirmed: 1934 - Belgium revised: Romania confirmed: 1938 - Belgium, Sweden collar detailing revised: Netherlands revised 
(see photo left): 1954 - England match details removed from crest: Belgium collar detailing revised: 1958 - England match details also removed: Czechoslovakia shirt trim corrected v N Ireland: 1962 - Brazil socks corrected: Switzerland crest revised: West Germany short sleeved shirts added: 1966 - Brazil socks corrected. (Information provided by André Conceição e Silva.)
I am grateful to Paul Zaharia, Press Officer of the Romanian Football Federation for confirming the colours the national team wore in the 1930 and 1934 World Cups as red shirts and yellow shorts. The image of the 1934 team on the right shows how misleading photographs could be at the time, due to the orthographic film stock commonly used.
30 January - 2013-14 Updates: Peterborough United (charity kit added), Carlisle United (A amended), Coventry City (A updated), Sheffield Wednesday (3rd added), Charlton Athletic (3rd), Rochdale (3rd added), Leyton Orient (A socks revised), Tottenham Hotspur (texture added to away shirts).
17 January: More World Cup History Updates: 1954 Brazil detailing amended: 1958 Czechoslovakia kit v Argentina: 1970 Peru socks corrected: 1986 Argentina crest v Uruguay.
16 January: World Cup History Updates: 1986 West Germany (1st), Uruguay, Bulgaria, Northern Ireland: 1954 Austria change - see photo left, Hungary socks now confirmed: 1958 detailing on Argentina's borrowed shirts 
updated: 1990 Argentina change.
My thanks go to André Conceição e Silva for this material.
The information on Hungary's socks is taken from this rare colour photograph of Ferenc Puskas shaking hands with the West German captain, Fritz Walter, before the 1954 final. Note the heavy strapping worn by Puskas, who had broken his ankle in the group match between the teams. Based on this detail, I've revised earlier graphics to be consistent.
12 January: World Cup 2014: Bosnia & Hercegovina (1st & 2nd), Switzerland (2nd), USA (1st & 2nd), Croatia (1st), Ghana (2nd) added.
9 January: I am grateful to Malcom McGill, Peebles Rovers' Match Secretary for sharing some rare photographs of the original team dating from between 1894 and 1907, including this one showing a previously unrecorded strip circa 1900. The earliest known photograph of the team now appears in our Peebles Rovers section and you can review the full set on the club's Twitter account, @rovers1893.
8 January: Kilmarnock (2013-14 H & A updated): Morecambe (1976-77, 1977-78, 1979-80 added): Leeds City (1904-05 added - see photo left): Ross County (1983-84 added).
Rob Horton has found rare footage of Liverpool v Small Heath that proves that Small Heath switched to royal blue shirts in 1901, three years earlier than previously thought.
7 January: We're back and wish you all a very Happy New Year.
This rare photograph, found by Ray Shaughnessy shows Burslem Port Vale circa 1898, when they wore red and white striped shirts.
World Cup 2014: Australia (1st & 2nd), Uruguay (1st & 2nd), Italy (1st & 2nd), Nigeria (1st), Republic of Korea (1st, 2nd) added.
2013-14 Additions: Torquay United (3rd), Accrington Stanley (new H & A) Port Vale (3rd), Barnsley (3rd).
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