The Football League 1985 - 1986
The 1980's brought a revolution in kit design, fuelled by the developing
market for replica kits and the acceptance of shirt sponsorship - the Football
League itself was now sponsored by a photocopier company and teams were permitted to wear sponsorship on their shirts. Advances in fabric
manufacture allowed new ideas to be developed, including pin stripes, shadow
stripes and complex designs woven into the fabric itself. There was increased
competition among manufacturers, with Adidas, Le Coq Sportif, Hummel as well as
several small companies entering the market. The collars of the previous
decade disappeared in favour of V necks with intricate trim. With all the
variations available, every club in the league now wore a unique kit. 1985-86
was the last season in which clubs had to seek re-election: from now on
automatic promotion and relegation took place between the Conference and
Fourth Division each season.
