Historical Football Kits

Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League 2010 - 2011

On 3 March the SPL Chief Executive revealed that the expansion of the competition from 12 to 14 or even 16 teams was under consideration as was the introduction of end-of-season play-offs. This followed a survey of supporters that indicated fans thought SPL teams played each other too often and that play-offs with the top teams from the SFL First Division would inject much needed interest at the end of the season. Any decision for change will require the support of ten of the twelve member clubs. If the SPL is expanded, there will be a knock-on effect on the SFL.

Clydesdale Bank have extended their sponsorship of the SPL until 2013.

Aberdeen

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Team Recruitment

The Dons finished a disappointing ninth last season.

What is there to be said about their new home strip? It's red. It has white bits. The away kit is once again white with, well, black bits and last season's third strip is retained.

The stars above the club crest represent the Dons' European Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup wins in 1983.

(Duncan Harman, Steve Turner)

Celtic

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Tennent's Brewery

As SPL runners up, Celtic entered (and exited) the Champions League in the third qualifying round, where they wore their "Bumblee kit" in their opener at FC Braga.

The green hoops on the home shirt include a complex jacquard print while the extravagant lime green away shirt has a repeated diagonal pattern made up of "1888" the year of the club's formation. (Also worn with green shorts).

The massive Tennent's Brewery, which is based in Glasgow, has taken over from Carling as the shirt sponsor of the Old Firm.

(BZ McKenna)

Dundee United

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Calor Gas

United finished third in last season's Premier League race and also won the Scottish Cup to clinch a place in the Europa League.

The Arab's new home strip is basically the same template that the Netherlands wore in South Africa this summer but the red and white Calor Gas logo strikes a rather jarring note.

The new away kit is a novel take on United's alternate black and white theme, the colours worn from their formation until 1969.

(Ian Raffel)

Hamilton Academical

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Reid Furniture (H), Shorline Energy International (A, 3rd)

Accies' home and Argentina-style third kits are unchanged although the latter has been updated to Nike's latest Inter Stripe II template. To complete the international flavour, a Brazil-style away strip appeared for the match at Hibernian on 18 September.

(Jon Jones, Willie Kay)

Heart of Midlothian

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Ukio Bankas

A dramatic broad central stripe marks the new home strip out from Hearts' traditional look and is reminiscent of the Ajax-style outfit worn in 1972-73. According to the club, it has been introduced in response to requests from supporters. The new away strip is in Umbro's latest striped template in a rich shade of light blue and white.

(Steven Baird)

Hibernian

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: McEwan Fraser

Hibs qualified for the Europa League this season thanks to finishing in fourth place.

Puma replaced Le Coq Sportif for the new season and launched the team's new "mint" away strip in May. Mint? Jings!! Crivens!?!

The new home strip is rather less novel - just a traditional outfit with a few of Puma's trimmings. The third strip was used for the first time in Hibs' excellent win at Ibrox on 10 November.

(Andrew Mihaleff, Neil Sharp, Ben)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Designer: Errea

Sponsor: Orion Group

Caley Thistle return to the SPL at the first attempt after being relegated in 2009. Stripes return to the home strip, which is one of Errea's more popular templates.

(BZ McKenna, Colin Robinson)

Kilmarnock

Designer: Killie 1869

Sponsor: Verve.net

Killie avoided relegation in their final game of 2009-10 when they scraped a goal-less draw at home to Falkirk, who went down as a result. Once again their new strips are produced under the club's own brand. While the home strip stays firmly traditional, the all-yellow away kit is a departure from recent colours schemes. Both tops were designed by Martin Le Roy, a long time contributor to HFK. Last season's white change shirt is now registered as the team's third strip.

(Martin Le Roy)

Motherwell

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Commsworld

Motherwell qualified for the Europa League because Dundee United, who finished above them, won the Scottish Cup.

Puma replace Canterbury, whose European operation went into administration last year. The new home strip brings back claret shorts but is otherwise a familar design. The version worn in the Europa League has the signature claret band on the front of the shirt only, as UEFA regulations require that squad numbers on the back of shirts be placed on a plain background. This shirt was worn before the sponsorship deal with Commsworld was in place and carried the logotype of the suicide prevention campaign instead. It was worn against Icelandic side, Breiðablik.

The white away strip features the new collar unveiled in the World Cup and was used, without sponsorship, in both legs of the Europa Cup tie against Ålesund FK.

Shorts sponsorship appeared for the first time against Celtic Park at Fir Park on 29 August. Amber socks were on occasion worn at home.

(Willie Kay)

Rangers

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Tennent's Brewery

Rangers won last season's SPL title with six points to spare and enter the Champions League at the group stage. A consortium headed by property developer Andrew Ellis has made a bid reported to be £33m for the club, which is currently £30m in debt and under investigation by HMRC over unpaid taxes, reported to be £24m.

After consultations with supporters, Rangers and Umbro have produced a home strip that is a modern recreation of the most long lasting kit in UK history, which the Rangers team wore from 1921 until 1957.

The Old Firm clubs share the same shirt sponsor because the intense rivalry between their supporters has meant that one set has boycotted the products advertised by their rivals in the past. Since the advertising of alcohol on football shirts is banned in Spain, Rangers wore UEFA's Respect logo when they travelled to Valencia in the Champions League.

(Willie Kay, Russel Campbell)

St Johnstone

Designer: Joma

Sponsor: Taylor Wimpey

St Johnstone finished in a satisfactory eighth place in their first season after being promoted from the first Division. The all-blue strip worn in their 125th anniversary campaign last season is retained but is now supplied by Joma and has white rather than gold trim. The white away strip is simply reversed. The all-black strip was worn at home against Kilmarnock on 6 November when both teams changed.

(Ian Raffell, Willie Kay)

St Mirren

Designer: Hummel

Sponsor: Braehead Shopping Centre (H,A), Cash for Kids (3rd)

The Saints have reverted to black shorts and predominantly black sleeves matched with their usual striped shirts, making a striking contrast to last season's strip, which was mainly white. A pale blue away kit is introduced, reminiscent of the one worn in 2007-08, not a popular choice locally. The club's shirt sponsor relinquished their right to have their logo on the new third shirt, which promotes Radio Clyde's Cash for Kids campaign instead.

(Alan Hogg, Willie Kay)