West Ham have finally released the official 2017-18 home kit, and it’s a huge improvement on last season’s.
Square collar? Gone.
Tacky Union Jack cuff detail? Gone.
White details? Gone.
Umbro have finally stripped back the awful detailing on the previous home kit by keeping it fresh and humble. With the exception of the Umbro logo and Betway sponsor, there is no white detailing whatsoever and this is how it should be. The home shirt should be predominantly claret with light blue (or bluefish) sleeve and accents, and the Manchester based manufacturer have done exactly that.
The kit features a full colour crest, which is not stitched but printed, with a bluefish embroidered frame.
Underneath the arms are special body mapping ventilation panels, which has been made using highly technical performance materials to allow the players to cool down quickly on the pitch. The shirt is completely manufactured in polyester, which gives the shirt a lightweight feel.
It sees a reintroduction of the famous Admiral and Pony inspired chevron design but this time in a darker shade of claret and a sharper chest definition. The sleeves are coloured with bluefish and features a tonal Umbro double-diamond stripe pattern from the neck down to the lower arm.
The collar is considered a hybrid round/v-neck design where the front of the collar has an elastic feature to allow added comfort to suit any neck shape.
Underneath the front of the collar there is bluefish stitching detail to define the chevron pattern on the front – this detail also features on the back of the neck on the new away kit.
Along with details, on the back of the shirt you will see a triangle shaped union jack motif with the words ‘The Hammers’ underneath it, continuing to acknowledge our Thames Ironworks roots.
As first reported by exWHUemployee, the shorts and socks colours were originally supposed to be light blue.
However, after leaked information of the upcoming Burnley 2017-18 home kit become apparent that they have used the exact combination, West Ham have acted quickly to change the combination to revert back to white shorts and white socks.
It is suspected that the light blue shorts will be part of the third kit and we will change the colour of our shorts if the home kit is used on away games. The white shorts will be entirely white with white tonal Umbro stripe detail on the lower part of the side.
Umbro’s logo will be in claret and features a full colour badge. The socks are white with a thick bluefish hoop and a thin claret hoop above.
Due to the fixtures, the odds for which can be found at online-betting.org, the first time we will see the home kit in action will be at Newcastle away on Saturday 26th August, whether it will be in light blue or white shorts and socks is still to be decided.
It definitely won’t be used for the Manchester United and Southampton away games, so I would imagine that the black away kit will be used at Old Trafford and due to Southampton’s home kit having black detailing and shorts, we could see our unreleased light blue third kit be debuted at St. Mary’s. Visit FanBet for betting promotions leading up to these fixtures.
I think the kit does West Ham United justice for the upcoming season. I like the way it has been designed and the combination of colours, which complement the detailing aspects of the shirt. After seeing Everton’s home kit, I was fearful of what our club will get, but after further leaks from FC Nuremburg home kit and PSV’S kit release followed, I was starting to see elements that put my nerves at rest (I think Everton have got a shocker of a kit – white stitching on dark blue material, it looks like a knock off).
I must point out that the union jack motif on the back of the shirt does look like the opening titles of Dad’s Army. I’m not against it, I just associate that triangle design with the TV show rather than the Thames Ironworks. Who do you think you are kidding, Mr. Umbro?!
But I do like the fact that we could have a Dad’s Army style flag hanging in the stadium with ‘We Are West Ham’s Claret & Blue Army.’
What changes would I have made? I would have liked to have seen a light blue chevron design as a nod to the Admiral days with Brooking. But I feel it would have had too much light blue on the shirt, which means that the sleeves would have probably been in claret to reduce it.
I am in favour of a short change and I must admit I’m looking forward to the day that West Ham do this, especially seeing a claret shorts and white socks combination.
So, great job Umbro, a vast improvement on last season. I absolutely cringed over the design, the inaugural season writing under the badge and the union jack tacky cuff details.
This kit is in the bracket of the 15-16 home kit; it’s clean, crisp, simple and effective.
Overall I feel the kit is nice and it stands out from kits of the past and hopefully it will be reminiscent of a good season to come. There’s nothing worse that remembering a kit for the wrong reasons. Let’s hope we get the right players playing in it!
I’ve just ordered mine in a long sleeve and I look forward to see how this is presented.
COYI!
