Picked up these volumes one and two of 'True Colours', which contain photos of all the current and former Premiership teams (and Home Nations) kits from 1980 to mid 2000s. A cracking read, especially seeing the horrid kits some teams have worn - Man United's 'invisible' grey kit from 1995, Arsenal's 'bruised banana' kit from 1992 and Chelsea's grey/tangerine away shirt from 1996 to name but a few. Just a shame these books haven't gone as far the football league, as Hartlepool could give them a run for their money.
Not exactly a fan of replica shirts, have always preferred spending 50 sheets on a Lacoste polo instead of a cheaply made polyester top with sponsor plastered all over it. However replica shirts define our memories of seasons in terms of success or failure - poorly designed shirts can be fondly remember if the club won promotion for example. Anyway, I've been inspired to share a few of the appalling Hartlepool shirts since I've followed the Pools...
Home 1991/92 - The Chessboard
This checkerboard design in several shades of blue was a bit of a change from the clean design of the all white promotion shirt from the season before. Made to look even more daft by the Heritage homes sponsor with a large butterfly motif. Watford used the same template at the same time as an away kit, so it wasn't just us who suffered.
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| Brian Honour |
1992-1993 Home - Hartlepool Heritage
A truly unique design by umbro and also a unique to Hartlepool United, although quite similar to Celtic's vulgar 'People's' kit. This was one of a batch of outlandish Umbro designs that graced 1992's 'reinvention' of Football, which apparently reached the kits of Division Two. Again the butterfly logo of Heritage homes didn't help, but this kit is fondly remembered as the one that Pools wore as they killed the giant, namely Crystal Palace, in the FA Cup 3rd round.
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| Andy Saville |
The home version of this shirt design was (obviously) blue and was bad. But the away green was appalling. Maybe the club was hoping that the players couldn't be seen by the opposition when they took to the field. Saw two years worth of action and a change of badge, from the HUFC deer to the ships wheel.
1995-97 Away - Mix Match
This away shirt is the daddy of poorly designed mid 90s shirts. Pools took to the field looking like a playgroups art wall in this red, white and blue effort. So poorly thought of I even managed to pick a match worn version of this rare shirt off eBay for the princely sum of £4.20. A classic. Made even worse by the fact that the home shirt during this peroid was a beauty - a white and light blue striped Argentina style loose fit with big collar.
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| Gareth McAuley |
Pools had a major problem with getting a decent custodian during this time period. Think we used almost ten keepers in a period of 800 odd days. Maybe it had something to do with the shocking keepers kit. Again with it being the mid 90s clubs keepers shirts were amongst the most outlandish, but nowt compared to this beauty. The makers '1908 Gold' obviously decided that gold was certainly a winner, especially when combined with a green hue. It wasn't. And neither was the away keepers shirt in same design but bright/dark pink.
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| Steve Jones |
1997-99 Away - Grey Day
Two years after Manchester United made it fashionable and with all the hype surrounding players 'disappearing' on the pitch if they wore grey, Pools decided to bring out this cheeky little number. Not the worst granted but you have to wonder why given all the fuss with grey kits, why Pools chose it. Also incredibly cheaply made - my step brother owned this one and it fell apart in the wash. Probably the best thing for it.
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