Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Tuscans on May 26, 2026, 11:33:39 AM
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https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2026/may/26/news-aston-villa-and-adidas-unveil-2026-27-home-kit/
(https://img.gc.avfcservices.co.uk/fit-in/1400x1400/10166de0-58e0-11f1-b4c5-eb010330d951.jpg)
(https://img.gc.avfcservices.co.uk/fit-in/1400x1400/17798bc0-58e6-11f1-83c7-69b70f367ea0.jpg)
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPHQTxnnlEubRI0kMtHNwQp-5V77iww57T5g&s)
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Already can't wait for the 2027-28 kit launch when we might actually get an Aston Villa kit.
Such an opportunity for us to market ourselves and we release this shit.
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I like it.
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Awful cut, awful design, completely wrong shade of claret.
Other than that it's fine!
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I hope it grows on me but I’m a claret body/blue sleeves, white shorts, blue socks traditionalist.
This isnt the Villa.
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Take the badge off and imagine being shown it. I doubt many would think it's a Villa home shirt.
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Aye its great.
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I like it.
It’s a bit concerning that the kit goes on sale of Thursday without a shirt sponsor.
Does that suggest nothing is lined up yet as any new sponsor will want their name on the shirts before they go on sale ?
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Moving into a glorious era by harking back to our worst decade. I despair.
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Sponsor is apparently lined up.
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Jacob Tanswell
@J_Tanswell
Really like the kit and great video... have explained previously but #AVFC, right now, grow in commercial appeal to sponsors when they are a Champions League club - which they now are. This considerably impacts how lucrative a front-of-shirt sponsor is.
So, although it has no front-of-shirt sponsor at this precise moment, Villa will look to put one on this shirt once it is agreed. Considering this video was made a little while back and Villa only found out they were in the CL a fortnight ago, it makes sense that they need more time to agree with a front-of-shirt sponsor.
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“What the fuck?
What the fuck?
What the fucking hell is that?
What the fu-u-cking hell is that?”
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The only thing in its favour is they got rid of the yellow lion.
But surely they can do better than that.
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They look snazzy but it is too much claret, there's just no way around it. Ah well, hopefully we'll write some better history with it.
Thought the promo skit was delightful and charming, absolutely love this team.
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A shirt based on an era when we finished 16th, 18th, and 21st in the second division and 4th in division 3. Be still my beating heart.
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Its ok, the 'clarets' certainly no worse than the Under Armor interpretation, which I hated.
Its a lot of money for what it is, I'll wait for the away top (if it is the black one as leaked).
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“We cannot leave the decade without considering a typical piece of audacity from the flamboyant Scot, Tommy Docherty. Having established his reputation as a aston villa 1969successful manager with Chelsea (1961-67) he had a brief spell with Rotherham United (relegated) and an even briefer one with Queen's Park Rangers (resigned after 29 days following a row with the chairman) before being appointed manager of Aston Villa in December 1968. In preparation for the 1969-70 season he introduced a radical redesign of Villa's treasured traditional strip. The contrasting blue sleeves, worn for more than 75 years were dropped and a novel flappy collar with v inset appeared. The claret shirts were now teamed with light blue shorts, the first time ever that such a combination had been tried. To cap it all the familar crest was gone, replaced by a somewhat scrawny lion rampant in light blue above the letters "AV" in an ornate script. Had the season gone well this might have entered the pantheon as a classic strip but in January 1970, Villa were bottom of The Second Division and "The Doc" was sacked. The board immediately made a request to the Football League management committee that they be allowed to switch back to their strip from the previous season, which was granted.”
So it only lasted a few months before fan power changed it!
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Wrong uns, bounders and ne'er-do-wells, 2026 edition
chrisw1
Demitri_C
Des Little
Percy McCarthy
VancouverLion
darren woolley
nigel
Clampy
Stu
LeeS
Skipper_The_Eyechild
eamonn
ADVILLAFAN
VILLA MOLE
andyh
KingstandingVilla
Tuscans
RamboandBruno
Sdwbf
Ads
Jacob Tanswell
Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle
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Fully get that people don't like it, however loads of people wear the Asics 1993, Hummel 1987, Reebok 1999 & Luke shirts, so the club obviously think there's a market for non traditional shirts every few years.
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And light blue shorts? Surely not.
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No sponsor would be epic. But why would Audi or whoever it is, allow the shirt go on sale without their branding on it? Thousands of sponsorless shirts will be sold this week...
Also, surely Adidas would stick to the same shade of claret from the last two seasons? We finally got the colour right and now we're reverting back to something brighter?
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Having the same traditional kit is boring. If you're bleeding parents dry for these, then mixing it up is good.
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Not on sale on the website yet, waiting for the sponsor?
I imagine we're trying to negotiate a good deal and that qualification for the Chumps has increased our leverage.
Wonder how many they'd sell in "plain".
Have they had the shirts manufactured and shipped to the UK, ready to be overprinted with the sponsor in the UK?
Can't imagine they're all still at some Chinese/Vietnamese sweatshop ready to be finished off, given the shipping time - 5 weeks on a boat, plus customs and haulage over here = you're looking at a 7 week stretch.
That would take us to early August. Far too late.
The Prem season kicks off on 22 Aug and we'll have friendlies beforehand.
Just read the launch blurb on the club website - on sale from Thursday?
So no sponsor?
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Fully get that people don't like it, however loads of people wear the Asics 1993, Hummel 1987, Reebok 1999 & Luke shirts, so the club obviously think there's a market for non traditional shirts every few years.
They weren't shirts we were utterly shit while wearing though.
It would be like in 2040 the club do a shirt inspired by the 2015-16 kit.
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Maybe were massive like chelsea and dont need no sponsor.
I quite liked the release video
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Looks fine to me.
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Wrong uns, bounders and ne'er-do-wells, 2026 edition
chrisw1
Demitri_C
Des Little
Percy McCarthy
VancouverLion
darren woolley
nigel
Clampy
Stu
LeeS
Skipper_The_Eyechild
eamonn
ADVILLAFAN
VILLA MOLE
andyh
KingstandingVilla
Tuscans
RamboandBruno
Sdwbf
Ads
Jacob Tanswell
Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle
Dave
Virgil Caine
SamTheMouse
john2710
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Not on sale on the website yet, waiting for the sponsor?
I imagine we're trying to negotiate a good deal and that qualification for the Chumps has increased our leverage.
Wonder how many they'd sell in "plain".
Have they had the shirts manufactured and shipped to the UK, ready to be overprinted with the sponsor in the UK?
Can't imagine they're all still at some Chinese/Vietnamese sweatshop ready to be finished off, given the shipping time - 5 weeks on a boat, plus customs and haulage over here = you're looking at a 7 week stretch.
That would take us to early August. Far too late.
The Prem season kicks off on 22 Aug and we'll have friendlies beforehand.
Just read the launch blurb on the club website - on sale from Thursday?
So no sponsor?
They can print a sponsor on the shirt at the shop, it's the same procedure. Go on sale in 2 days so I reckon they'll either announce in sponsor within 48 hours or give you an option to have it printed on in the future if they sell them without a sponsor.
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Yes I expected Harry Enfield and baggy-shorted players to follow him around the field in formation while the keeper had a crafty fag, leaning against the post.
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Both Burnley and West Ham ditched the sky blue sleeves this past season.
No good can come of this.
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A lot of pressure on the sponsor making or breaking it....
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Maybe Adidas have just told us who the front of shirt is....
(https://img.gc.avfcservices.co.uk/fit-in/1400x1400/10f27600-58e0-11f1-b4c5-eb010330d951.jpg)
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Its frustrating that we’ve the (potential) option for a sponsor-free shirt, but once again it’s a shit non-traditional one.
Looks like it’s another year at least for the black anniversary shirt for me (which at least commemorates us inventing badges for football clubs, and before we’d settled on claret & blue … still rather have a traditional shirt mind)
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Having the same traditional kit is boring. If you're bleeding parents dry for these, then mixing it up is good.
Wow, a traditional villa kit is boring?
That's what the away and third kits are for. What other big club messes with its traditional kit? Leave this nonsense to southampton and the like.
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And light blue shorts? Surely not.
I'd imagine the blue shorts are to make the kit more claret and blue. I prefer us wearing white shorts though.
I think the long-sleeved version is the better of the two. The thick (glow) blue stripes provide a bit more balance to the claret.
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It screams: "Provincial bowling team", and it's more about Adidas than Aston Villa. Utterly shite, and I really don't usually give much a toss about the kit.
(https://the-limpets.de/other_stuff/Hippo_26.png)
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A missed opportunity to reinforce our distinctive identity, especially at the time when we have the most exposure.
Utter garbage.
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Absolutely rank. Down there with the 99/00 shirt.
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The new shirt will be our most popular to buy, also we cannot afford to have a shirt with no sponsor- so it will be into see who it is?
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I like it. Will probably buy one eventually.
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Enshittification of the kit
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It screams: "Provincial bowling team", and it's more about Adidas than Aston Villa. Utterly shite, and I really don't usually give much a toss about the kit.
(https://the-limpets.de/other_stuff/Hippo_26.png)
This
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It screams: "Provincial bowling team", and it's more about Adidas than Aston Villa. Utterly shite, and I really don't usually give much a toss about the kit.
(https://the-limpets.de/other_stuff/Hippo_26.png)
Preorders going in tomorrow so I'll put you down for 2.
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The last 2 home shirts have been almost identical, so no issue with a change tbh.
In the long sleeve with the arm badges I think it will be really good.
My lad is not keen though.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HJPYoY7XEAA75u3?format=jpg&name=large)
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Aye, it's shite. But it's not enough to kill my current all things Villa buzz.
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not sure on the badge neither , just the lion I would have preferred.
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FML. The shirt design is bad enough but the blue shorts thing is taking the piss (even though I can understand why with the colours on such a poor shirt design).
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Some people* will buy a sponsor-less version AND and a sponsored shirt. Twice the bounty for the club and adidas. Potentially more if you include away tops etc. Annoyingly smart by the club.
*anyone prepared to own up?
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I didn't like last seasons kit, as it was too similar to the previous one. This one won't get that label, it's different, it will look better in real life with a sponsor etc. I think we'll all love it eventually.
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Why would you buy a sponsor-less one and a sponsored one?
I can imagine people going out their way for a plain one, and some weirdos waiting for a sponsored one. But doing both is surely grounds for a good sectioning?
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Or maybe people can do what the fuck they want with their money and the rest of us should just shut the fuck up.
That said anyone buying a sponsored and unsponsored shirt is a fucking weirdo.
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Some people will collect all official variants of shirts.
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I absolutely loved the launch video, very funny. Brilliant bit of marketing.
The kit itself, not so much. That said, I also didn't particularly like the Luke shirt when was when it was released, and that grew on me over the course of the season. So although I won't be rushing to buy it, I'll reserve judgement until I've seen us play in it a few times.
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Why would you buy a sponsor-less one and a sponsored one?
I can imagine people going out their way for a plain one, and some weirdos waiting for a sponsored one. But doing both is surely grounds for a good sectioning?
I would imagine if you buy a sponsorless one, the club will add the sponsor for free, when it's announced (and if you want the sponsor on it). They'll just be heat-pressed patches anyway, and I'm sure the sponsor will cover the cost, as they'd want them on the front anyway.
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Our Villa could play in carrier bags and i would not mind at the moment.
I am just grateful it will be available before the season starts so significantly better chance to sell more on this wave of feelgood
I like it and although it is a change from tradition i am sure it will look fantastic with a decent sponsor and the CL badges on it ;D
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I don’t mind it, but I don’t like front bit of the collar.
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I don't mind the shirt but as a Villa kit there isn't enough blue - we should have blue sleeves!
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When was the last time we had a kit go on sale in May?
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The other thing I do like is actually having the kit ready to go right at the start of the summer. I appreciate the sponsor still needs to land, but that’s much better than we’ve managed previously.
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The 1994 stripey shirt had no sponsor - going to cause some headaches if they need to be added.
Also, why couldnt we have the same template as arsenal with the contrasting sleeves, rather than the man utd version.
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A missed opportunity to reinforce our distinctive identity, especially at the time when we have the most exposure.
Utter garbage.
It's proved disastrous for Bayern. https://fcbayern.com/en/photos/2019/05/gallery-fc-bayerns-home-shirts-since-1965
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I didn't like the shirt at all but tried to remain positive about it but then I saw the shorts, absolutely horrible for me, hideous in fact.
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A lot of claret yah, Burnley etc but I think it'll grow on people - it has on me already! You can see the quality and detail is way beyond that of the previous decade of budget kit manufacturers and the promo video is brilliant - the players look great in the kit.
After 40 years following the villa, with so many variations on the home shirt design during that time, it's funny seeing the reaction each year - so many people angry on here and the 'socials'. Imagine the past 40 years with pretty much the same traditional design, it'd be boring (and my fave shirt is the super trad 89/90 Hummel one worn by Dalian, Deano, God etc). The different shirts, the players and memories attached to them are all part of the ride.
I loike it. Lets win another cup in it?
UTV
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I can't believe I'm seeing people WANT the sponsor on it.
Crazy.
Overall the shirt is a 7/10 for me.
This season's grew on me and is a 9.
The third seems to be sold out everywhere in XXL. Anyone reckon there'll be more in stock at any point or have I missed the boat on this?
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I've suddenly developed the urge to gouge my own eyes out! But for now, at least...
Here's the elephant....
As one who's old enough to remember when a strip would do for several seasons (without any complaint from the fans), it's obvious to me that this atrocity is a direct result of changing it every year, simply for profit. The similarity between the two previous strips is a case in point (common sense suggesting that there was no need to change at all). This has obviously driven the designers to this significant departure.
Fans....'But it's hardly any different to last year!'....
Adidas...'Right, we'll bloody well show you!...You wanted change?....Well here it is, bitches!'
In biology (bear with me) there's a limit to how much a species can change over time, before it bears little or no resemblance to its ancestors. The same "evolution" appears to have occurred here. This piss-poor effort's only similarities with a Villa shirt, are the holes at the neck, waist and sleeves!
I may be projecting, but the "style conscious" Mr Onana's expression seems to indicate what he thinks of it, too! >:(
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https://youtube.com/shorts/Lp4lZUcdQ_w?si=rfYI2LTXnxEwltTu
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I've suddenly developed the urge to gouge my own eyes out! But for now, at least...
Here's the elephant....
As one who's old enough to remember when a strip would do for several seasons (without any complaint from the fans), it's obvious to me that this atrocity is a direct result of changing it every year, simply for profit. The similarity between the two previous strips is a case in point (common sense suggesting that there was no need to change at all). This has obviously driven the designers to this significant departure.
Fans....'But it's hardly any different to last year!'....
Adidas...'Right, we'll bloody well show you!...You wanted change?....Well here it is, bitches!'
In biology (bear with me) there's a limit to how much a species can change over time, before it bears little or no resemblance to its ancestors. The same "evolution" appears to have occurred here. This piss-poor effort's only similarities with a Villa shirt, are the holes at the neck, waist and sleeves!
I may be projecting, but the "style conscious" Mr Onana's expression seems to indicate what he thinks of it, too! >:(
Mueller kits of 93/94, 94/95 would like a word. Yes changes are made every season rather then every two seasons but we still ended up with disliked tops. The difference now is the moaners only have a year to froth over it before it gets changed rather then two.
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I don't want a shirt sponsor exactly, but given the club's financial situation it would be pretty negligent not to get one.
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I don't want a shirt sponsor exactly, but given the club's financial situation it would be pretty negligent not to get one.
We will have one 100%.
I'm talking about people not wanting to buy a shirt with one on. That's weird to me. They are better without sponsors on them.
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I've suddenly developed the urge to gouge my own eyes out! But for now, at least...
Here's the elephant....
As one who's old enough to remember when a strip would do for several seasons (without any complaint from the fans), it's obvious to me that this atrocity is a direct result of changing it every year, simply for profit. The similarity between the two previous strips is a case in point (common sense suggesting that there was no need to change at all). This has obviously driven the designers to this significant departure.
Fans....'But it's hardly any different to last year!'....
Adidas...'Right, we'll bloody well show you!...You wanted change?....Well here it is, bitches!'
In biology (bear with me) there's a limit to how much a species can change over time, before it bears little or no resemblance to its ancestors. The same "evolution" appears to have occurred here. This piss-poor effort's only similarities with a Villa shirt, are the holes at the neck, waist and sleeves!
I may be projecting, but the "style conscious" Mr Onana's expression seems to indicate what he thinks of it, too! >:(
Mueller kits of 93/94, 94/95 would like a word. Yes changes are made every season rather then every two seasons but we still ended up with disliked tops. The difference now is the moaners only have a year to froth over it before it gets changed rather then two.
I'm harking back to the pre-sponsorship glory days of 76-81. Five seasons with exactly the same kit. "Never did us any harm!" ;)
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I don't want a shirt sponsor exactly, but given the club's financial situation it would be pretty negligent not to get one.
We will have one 100%.
I'm talking about people not wanting to buy a shirt with one on. That's weird to me. They are better without sponsors on them.
True, does seem like a narrow window to get something rare and nicer looking.
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I don't like it.
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Bit underwhelming tbh. I am a traditionalist Claret Body blue sleeves. But win CL with it and I wont care
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A good compromise was when clubs alternated new shirts. So one year it was a new home, following year a new away and so on. Then ManU, shock horror, realised 3 new kits every season was money in the bank and now here we are. Another thing to blame those twats for.
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Claret body, blue sleeves, white shorts, claret socks with a bit of blue. (stand alone lion badge)
Crazy idea, I know, but that's what I'd like to see.
This thing looks like a leisure/golf polo shirt.
I'll just have to get used to it, I suppose.
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I was trying to work out why so many people on here hate it so passionately, because to me it seems fairly conservative.
And then it hit me.
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A good compromise was when clubs alternated new shirts. So one year it was a new home, following year a new away and so on. Then ManU, shock horror, realised 3 new kits every season was money in the bank and now here we are. Another thing to blame those twats for.
Abso-bloody-lutely!
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Why is there 2 Kit threads btw . I like the original Kits 25/26 the new thread is not us !
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I don’t like it, it looks more like a casuals polo shirt than a replica shirt.
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I don't like it.
I fuckin' hate it! After forking out for a TNT subscription, I think I'll go back to listening on WM! ;)
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And, aggressively marketing to villa fans that this is a retro kit when we wore it for a few months at best in a season of utter shite. They can f off.
We get so much right, and adidas have been great, but this for me is a big let down 1/10
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Now we're the only claret and blue team in the league and we do away with the blue!