In 1895, Thames Iron Works F.C played their first game wearing the oxford blue kits with the Union Jack sitting proudly on the chest.
Fast forward 121 years and Umbro have created a kit that is a game changer for West Ham United.
The third shirt will be worn for the first time when West Ham play Juventus in the Betway cup on Sunday, while it is also believed we’ll be wearing it for all FA Cup matches played during 16/17.
The galaxy navy blue kit will be the first kit that West Ham will wear without having the famous crossed hammers as the main crest. The iconic crest has been changed by a Union Jack flag with TIW above and F C below, all on it’s on stitched patch.
The shirt has a pique collar design with four navy buttons, three of which have been sowed with navy thread and the top bottom with claret thread.
The back of the shirt has the latest vapour technology material that features perforated holes to help cool down the body temperature. Just underneath the collar at the back there are small claret crossed hammers as a nod to the industrial tools used when the iron workers built the HMS Warrior.
Umbro and Betway have been very sympathetic to our historical kit.
Umbro have used a slightly darker cotton for their logo and Betway have used a glossy material for the sponsorship of the shirt.
For me I think it’s actually enhanced their brands and business by stepping aside and putting the club first. Other brands like to take advantage of the club’s kit style when the only difference between other clubs’ kits they provide is the colour palette – look at the controversial kits Nike provided for the Redbull Salzburg and Redbull Leipzig…
Where is the originality?
With the London Stadium move happening this week, the TIW kit is the best kit we’ve had from Umbro this season. The other kits have been well thought of and well designed, especially with the efforts of the TIW motifs on the sleeve details.
But the third kit is the pick of the bunch. It’s iconic, simple, elegant, bold and most of all, it’s original. The kit gets my very first 10/10 mark; it’s just absolutely stunning.
As the slogan says, “History has prepared us for today”, but in fact it’s a kit that will create history in what will be a monumental first season at the London Stadium.
