Historical Football Kits

Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League 2011 - 2012

Speculation about the future structure of Scottish Football continued throughout last season and in January the SPL put forward its Strategic Plan to move back to a ten-team structure. This was despite evidence that fans favoured enlarging the competition to increase variety. The plans include merging the SPL and SFL, the introduction of a second tier of 12 clubs and allowing six SPL clubs to enter "Colt" teams in the fourth tier. Earlier plans to regionalise the lower divisions of the SFL have been rejected and there appears to be no consensus on introducing a proper pyramid structure that would allow teams outside the existing SPL/SFL structure to progress. The Strategic Plan requires an 11-1 majority of SPL clubs if it is to go forward but after an inconclusive meeting in the Spring, no further progress was made and the plan was quietly dropped.

(Contributors are credited in brackets. Opinions expressed on this page are those of HFK and not contributors.)

Aberdeen

Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Team Recruitment

As usual the Dons turn out in a straightforward all-red strip with white trimmings. The difference is that after seven years in Nike kit, they are now wearing Adidas.
The away strip is once again all-white but with red rather than black trim and has the club crest reversed out.

(Willie Kay)

Celtic

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Tennent's

Celtic have chosen one of Nike's new designs that feature stripes or hoops in two widths for their new third kit. The effect is rather startling. On the other hand, the new away strip is very classy.

The home strip is unchanged.

(Andrew Mihaleff, William Thomas, Barry McKenna)

Dundee United

Designer: Nike

Sponsor: Calor

The chevron template Nike made for Manchester United a couple of seasons ago makes a reappearance in a no-doubt conscious effort to combine old and modern: chevrons were worn by the club back in the Twenties. We're pleased to see that the sponsor's logo now appears in black and white rather than the clashing pinky-red of last season. The decision to wear orange shorts with black shirts for the away kit was apparently based on the suggestion of some supporters, which just goes to show that consulting fans doesn't always work out. The shorts were swapped over in mid-September,a distinct improvement.

(Kris Anderson, Willie Kay, Sultanate of Tannadice)

Dunfermline Athletic

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: The Purvis Group

Dunfermline were promoted at the end of their 125th season. Black shorts and socks are reintroduced for the Premier League.

(Willie Kay)

Heart of Midlothian

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Wonga

Hearts' new away strip, released in May, was an early attempt to take the lead in the annual Most Outrageous Away Kit Stakes. In two tones of slate grey, the lighter stripes on the shirt have a fine zigzag pattern and are separated from the plain versions by pink pinstripes.

The home strip, on the other hand, takes us firmly back to the 1960s. It is just a pity it has to be spoilt by a sponsor's logo.

(Andrew Mihaleff)

Hibernian

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Crabbie's Ginger Beer

Hib's new home shirt is a variation on Puma's King template in two tones of green with the mandatory plain white sleeves.

The third shirt, launched in October is described as a "modern interpretation of the famous purple kit from yesteryear," but is in a fetching shade of mauve rather than the startling purple that frightened us all in 1977.

(Willie Kay, Martin le Roy)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Designer: Errea

Sponsor: Orion Group

Caley Thistle's new away strip is mainly white with the red, blue and black colours associated with the Caledonian and Thistle clubs that merged in 1994. The home strip is unchanged from last season.

(Willie Kay)

Kilmarnock

Designer: Killie 1869

Sponsor: Verve.net

Kilmarnock design and market their strips under their own brand and have, this season, come up with an unusual design with blue stripes that fade to white. This motif is repeated on the side of the shorts. The yellow change kit is kept from last season.

(Willie Kay, Tommy Samson)

Motherwell

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Cash Converters

This is Motherwell's 125th anniversary and a special crest is worn to celebrate. An anniversary shirt, based on the 1960s version, was made available to fans in the Spring. Plans for the team to wear it during the regular season were abandoned but the opportunity then arose for it to appear in a pre-season friendly against Leeds United. Puma's logos and the legend "125 Years" are sublimated into the fabric. HFK Research Associate, Willie Kay, played a key role in designing this replica.

Amber shorts are reintroduced to the regular home strip and the signature band on the shirt extends only across the front, a detail that may displease traditionalists. The new away strip is in pale silver-grey trimmed in claret, amber and white and rather good it looks too.

(Willie Kay)

Rangers

Designer: Umbro

Sponsor: Tennent's Lager

SPL champions for the third successive year, Rangers hold the world record for league titles, which now stands at 54. The bold white V neck associated with the period 1957-68 continues the historical theme that inspired last season's kit while the white flashes edged in red at the shoulder strike a modern note. The away strip is a variation on the usual red, white and blue theme while navy and "chili red" are used on the third.

(Andrew Mihaleff, Scott Boyce)

St Johnstone

Designer: Joma

Sponsor: GS Brown Construction

Due to the moribund state of the housing market, St Johnstone's sponsor for the past five seasons, Taylor Wimpey, have terminated their contract. Unable to find a replacement prepared to pay what the club was demanding, the Saints' chairman, Geoff Brown has put his own family construction company's name on the shirts. Brown rescued the club from bankruptcy 25 years ago.

An unusual feature of the away shirt is the feathered blue band across the top of the chest.

(Willie Kay)

St Mirren

Designer: Carbrini

Sponsor: Fila (H), Braehead Shopping Centre (A)

Carbrini have taken over from Hummel as St Mirren's kit partner, ending a four-year relationship. There are no surprises here - black shorts are retained with the home kit and the shirts revert to 3" stripes with no gimmicks. The away kit picks up the red and black theme of last season's third outfit and is in the same template as the home strip.

(Alan Hogg)