Sky Bet League Two 2017 - 2018
The proposed expansion of the English Football League hit the rocks in November when the FA refused to move FA Cup matches to midweek, which would have freed up additional weekends for league matches. Naturally the FA see things differently and, according to a spokesperson, "Remains fully committed to working with the EFL and the Premier League to address the issue of fixture congestion."
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Designer: Adidas
Sponsor: What More UK Ltd
Under a £200,000 sponsorship deal Stanley now play at the Wham Stadium and wear this brand name on their new Adidas Squadra shirts.
(Arthur Cowburn)
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Designer: Jako
Sponsor: Jako/Toshiba
It's back to plain amber shirts and black shorts this season. The club crest is embossed into the front of the shirts to give the tops some individuality.
Toshiba Medical Systems will continue to sponsor Barnet's shirts but are sorting out their new branding after being taken over by Canon. In the interim Jako's logo appears
(Matthew Wilmot, Chris Sheils, Stuart Robinson)
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Designer: Puma
Sponsor: Mick George
Cambridge have gone back to stripes which is fine, but those down the side feature Puma's latest gimmick, graded spots. No.
Choosing black and neon yellow for the alternatives seems an odd choice but it must have been approved by the EFL.
(Zachary Lewis, Alex Morris)
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Designer: Umbro
Sponsor: The Edinburgh Woollen Mill
Umbro have picked up another contract after JD Sports withdrawal but this is not one of their better efforts. The Complicated graphic on the front of the blue shirt is unattractive and the traditional red accents are reduced to near invisibility. The black alternative is brightened up with neon yellow trimmings.
(Dan MacLennan)
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Charity
v Crewe 9 Dec
Designer: Errea
Sponsor: Mira Showers
Cheltenham are retaining their first choice strip while fans were invited to choose the new change kit from a short list of three. This will also be kept for two seasons.
The charity strip is in support of the British Lung Foundation and was worn in the home game against Crewe.
(Simon J Gardner, Andrew Bower)
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Designer: Puma
Sponsor: Tomlinson
The early release of Chesterfield's new strips gave us the first glimpse of Puma's latest Striker template. The usual broad tapes down the shoulders, sleeves and shorts now have a fade effect which on closer examination turns out to be made up of small dots. Not among my favourites.
Launch photographs showed strips with matching shirts and shorts but according to the club shop, the team will continue to wear contrasting shorts with each strip (although they can be mixed and matched if required).
(Chris Connolly)
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Designer: Macron
Sponsor: Weston Homes plc , Jobserve
I was critical of Colchester's first choice last season because of the excessive detailing so the new version is very pleasing. This is a very fine, traditional strip enhanced by a little pale gold trim at the collar and cuffs. While we are used to seeing the team wear blue shorts, white is in keeping with their original look going back to 1937. The change strip is more modern in style and colour while last season's change kit is now designated their "clash" kit.
(Jordan Knott)
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Play-Off Final
28 May
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Designer: Nike
Sponsor: Allsopp & Allsopp
Coventry are in the fourth tier for the first time since 1958-59 and the future does not look good. Protests by supporters against the current owners SISU/Otium have become a regular occurrence and there are fears that the club's training ground may be sold off for housing.
After the team qualified for the play-off final it was announced that the club had run out of replica shirts. According to their CEO they could not order additional Vapor II shirts so instead ordered the new Nike Stripes design as a one-off. Striped shirts are popular with supporters after their team won the FA Cup in 1987 in stripes. Replicas were available in the club shop.
(Diamond One)
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Designer: Errea
Sponsor: Checkatrade
Errea have taken over from Puma, which is good news for everyone that likes to see a bit of originality. The strips chosen are among the Italian company's more restrained models.
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Designer: FBT
Sponsor: Mornflake Oats
It's time for a change and Thai sportswear company FBT have replaced Carbrini as Crewe's technical sponsor. The brief is pretty straightforward - Crewe shouldn't depart too far from their traditional red/white/red outfit (last season was the exception that proves the rule) but there should be enough detailing to make their first strip stand out. Graded irregular bands and a smart contrasting tape on the red shirt meet these requirements. The blue alternative lacks the additional detailing but is nevertheless perfectly serviceable.
(Zachary Lewis)
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Designer: Joma
Sponsor: Flybe
Exeter are retaining their first and second strips and once again have a distinctive third choice. This is in the corporate colours of their long-term partners, Flybe, who have sponsored their shirts since 2003.
(Gary Morris, David King)
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Designer: Puma
Sponsor: Ecotricity
History has not been kind to clubs from small communities: think of Gretna and Rushden & Diamonds, clubs that went to the wall when their wealthy owners stopped backing them. FGR's owner, Dale Vince, took over in 2010 with the intention of making the club the most ecologically sustainable in the UK so perhaps the outcome will be more positive. Visiting supporters can look forward to Vegan catering and, if plans come to fruition, a beautiful all-wood stadium in the future.
Their strips are unchanged. But really, lime green?
(Steff)
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Designer: Errea
Sponsor: Young's
Errea's partnership with Grimsby is now in its tenth year and the Italian company continue to produce some startling and original ideas. First choice appears to be a straightforward riff on the Mariners' traditional look but has fine diagonal lines on the black stripes. The second kit has a complex pattern and is in shades of blue and turquoise while the third kit is as audacious as it gets.
(Robert Wacey, Jonathan Wacey)
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Designer: Errea
Sponsor: Bishop Grossetest University, Selenity
Lincoln return to the English Football League as champions of the National League. By Errea's standards, their new first choice strip is conservative but nevertheless it's a very acceptable version of the Imps' traditional look.
(James Bride)
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Designer: Puma
Sponsor: Ssangyong
Purple is now the alternative colour of choice for the Hatters, matched with "intimidating" dark blue on the change kit (a shade more frightening than standard navy I suppose) and white/silver on the third. What I don't like is Puma's increasingly fussy detailing. The bands on the third shirt, for example, not only fade but also are printed with a cross-hatch pattern.
(Alec Hitchman, Alfie Mayfield)
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Designer: Surridge
Sponsor: One Call Insurance
Mansfield have a new first kit with a fade effect on the shirt, designed by an eleven-year old fan. The white kit is held over from last season.
(Saul Turner, Paul Nyland MTFC, Mike Pollitt)
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Designer: Macron
Sponsor: Purple Property Group
Macron have taken over from Carbrini, one of the JD Sports brands that has disappeared this season. The shorts and socks can be swapped around if necessary.
(James Main)
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3-23 December
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Designer: FBT
Sponsor: Mr Tom
Newport have signed up with the Thai company FBT and reverted to black shorts. The change strip is a very different design while the third choice strip simply reverses the shirts of the first kit. Hooped socks were worn when County beat Cambridge in the FA Cup Second Round and adopted as a good luck charm for a few matches before they reverted to their (registered) black ones in January.
(Robert Healey, Robert Morgan, David King)
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Designer: Puma
Although it is a shame that County have turned to Puma after wearing some distinctive outfits in recent years, the new "home" strip is very close to the strips worn between the wars. The stripes on the back fade to grey to make the gold numbers and names more visible. There is an elaborate jacquard pattern printed into the front of the blue change shirt.
Rather than have a single shirt sponsor the club have opted to have a different sponsor each month as well as a separate one for cup games. Click on the link above for details.
(Richard Williams)
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Designer: Errea
Sponsor: Manorshop.com
Vale normally wear black shorts but from time to time all-white is adopted, a look that first appeared in the 1960s. This version doesn't quite gel in my view. The change kit is another cheeky copy by Errea of an Admiral classic.
(Richard Meir, Alex Morris, Robert Wacey)
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Designer: Macron
Sponsor: Astute
Stevenage have worn some interesting strips and now they have partnered with Macron, they have gone one step beyond. The vertical stripes on the front of the first choice shirt are made up of fine red and white pinstripes for a completely original look.
(William Geddes)
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Special
v Grimsby 21 April
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Designer: Puma
Sponsor: Imagine Cruising
One day Swindon will shock us all by adopting a first strip that is not straight out of the catalogue. Not this season though. On the other hand the green and white change kit is a bit of a show-stopper. But not in a good way.
The all-red kit was worn when Grimsby visited to mark 25 years since Swindon were promoted to te Premier League wearing all-red.
(Diamond One, Robert Wacey)
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Designer: O'Neills
Sponsor: Beechdean Ice Cream, Utilita
Wycombe retain their strips from last season (the white one now being third choice with a new sponsor) and have introduced a natty new change kit in orange and gunmetal. For devilment, two extravagant goalkeepers' kits designed to distract strikers have been introduced.
(Ed Goode, Dave Peatey)
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Designer: Sondico
Sponsor: Jones Building Group
Yeovil have worn hooped shirts since they were promoted to the Football League fifteen years ago and each season they come up with a fresh interpretation: this one is perhaps the most original to date. The three stars above the crest have provoked much comment in the West Country. Each one represents five years spent in the Football League. Reminds me of getting gold stars for turning up at primary school.
(Zachary Lewis, George Tomlin)
