New Arsenal shirt unveiled (sort of)

[Gothamite]

Well, we now have a side image of the new Arsenal kit. Maroon shirt with collar and white shorts. No pic of the socks.

Wow.

It's a throwback to 1913, the first year playing in Highbury. It's a darker color, but perhaps more importantly it's all one color - Arsenal has worn red shirts with white sleeves since 1925.

This is huge. Football teams don't change their colors. Well, okay, but very rarely. They come out with a new kit (uniform) style every two years, rotating home and away so there's a new design to buy every year, but they don't change the colors.

Chelsea is always blue shirt, blue shorts, white socks.

Liverpool is always all red.

Newcastle is always black and white stripes, black shorts.

Manchester United is always a red shirt.

And Arsenal is always a red shirt with white sleeves and white shorts.

This would be something like the Dodgers going back to Kelly Green for a year, or the Yankees going back to solid white jerseys for a season.

Personally, I rather like it, although I'm reserving judgment until I see the front. Could it be possible that they'll forego a sponsor logo for home matches? What sort of crest will it have?

[Discrim]

i like it, but at the same time it doesn't seem Arsenal-ish. ah well, at least this change is for a good reason.

[Gothamite]

And strictly temporary.

You're right - it seems a little odd, doesn't it?

[MJWalker45]

It's only for the 2005-06 season. I'm sure the fans would riot if it were permanent. I just wonder if they are going to use the current logo or an older one since their kits usually didn't have the team badge on them back then. I like the collar too. It's funny, some teams are going back to a similar collar only shorter.

[theLOFTstudio]

gothamite, thanks for the update, as a fellow gooner, im estatic.

i was hoping for a very simple red/white sleeves with just the cannon, sorta like the famous 70's kit. but this is nice, and yes, i believe i read somewhere that they are foregoing the 02 sponsorship on their home kits. perhaps they will do something like real did a few years back with a "arsenal.com" on their kit, but i figure they will just keep it blank.

now i just got to find a way to get tix to a game over at highbury before its a condo.

i was at the aug 00 mon night match v. livi, easily one of the greatest days of my life.

[Discrim]

And strictly temporary.

You're right - it seems a little odd, doesn't it?

i know...the only similar recent example I can think of is that fake throwback the Redskins used a couple years ago.

[ReginaCanuck]

i miss the collar on soccer jerseys

[Cashcleaner]

I don't think I really like it...and thats got nothing to do with what I think of Arsenal as a team. That aside, the dark red with no collar just looks too....plain I suppose. A white stripe down the sleeve or something would have been nice to break up the flat look to it.

Also, the dark red reminds me of the Heart of Midlothian FC home shirt so I suppose that's also reason enough not to like it.

[Gothamite]

And strictly temporary. 

You're right - it seems a little odd, doesn't it?

i know...the only similar recent example I can think of is that fake throwback the Redskins used a couple years ago.

Fake throwback? Are you referring to the color scheme and logo on the sleeve?

I dunno, Cashcleaner - that shirt sure looks like it has a collar to me. Guess we'll see. And it wouldn't be much of a throwback if they started adding white stripes and things to the shirt, would it now?

theLOFTstudio, I really hope that you're right and they will go without sponsorship on the home shirts. That would be a nice trade-off, to have plain shirts at home and the sponsor's logo on the road.

[Discrim]

And strictly temporary. 

You're right - it seems a little odd, doesn't it?

i know...the only similar recent example I can think of is that fake throwback the Redskins used a couple years ago.

Fake throwback? Are you referring to the color scheme and logo on the sleeve?

yeah, more the jersey but the color scheme factors in too.

[pittunited]

I hate to admit it (being a Spurs fan), but I like it.

[TFoA]

I figured this would be a good place to put my concept for Arsenal's alternates, based on the throwbacks

[Cashcleaner]

My bad. I meant to say I don't like it without a coloured collar.

[kc51design]

This is the info I got after asking them to release better photo of the jersey, and after assuming that in 2 years they will get a new shirt sponsor, since Chelsea is loosing Emirates as a sponsor:

Thank you for contacting the Club.

I'm afraid we are not releasing any further pictures or information of

the new commemorative kit as it will not be revealed in it's entirety

until later towards the end of the season. The Emirates sponsorship deal

does indeed start in 2006, to coincide with the first season at the new

Emirates stadium.

We are sorry that we cannot assist you any further with your enquiry,

but I hope you can understand our position.

[Gothamite]

Gotta love the English. They're so polite.

I'm not sure I understand your question about the shirt sponsor. They have already announced that Emirates will be the shirt sponsor for eight years starting in 2006/2007.

[Gothamite]

UPDATE:

Arsenal is letting its fans vote on a commemorative patch for next season's kit.

No pictures yet, but the five finalists are:

1. The Art Deco facade of the East Stand with the outline of Herbert Chapman's bust in the middle.

2. The Art Deco facade of the East Stand with '1913-2006' underneath and a representation of the trophies won whilst at Highbury around it.

3. A circular badge listing the trophies Arsenal have won while at Highbury and their years. The words and dates would spiral inwards towards the centre where there would be space for the words "Success 1886-2006"

4. The clock face from the Clock End.

5. Images of players from the past and present in the different kits.