The Football Shirt Collective

Some teams change kits midseason. In the early 90s Newcastle changed
sponsors midseason, switching from Newcastle Brown Ale to McEwan’s Lager.

Newcastle, Umbro, 1991

Change was not confined to the boardroom either.  In the tumultuous season of 1991-92 the Magpies went through three different chairmen, finally settling on Sir John Hall.

Hall sacked Ossie Ardiles and brought Kevin Keegan back into football to take the managerial hotseat. But more interestingly, he also restructured the debts of the club.

The King Kev revolution went down in folklore, as the next season Newcastle won what was then branded as the First Division, and were promoted to what is still currently branded as the Premiership.  Even so, the revolution was actually very close to relegation in those early days.

With only two games left in the season, Newcastle needed two wins. The first they got when David Kelly banged one in with only five minutes to go against Portsmouth  – watch (9:05) until after the game if you want to see David Kelly interviewed whilst dressed as a young Steve Claridge).

It went even more down to the wire against Leicester. This was despite the best efforts of Franz Carr, who according to the commentator in this still had something of a point to prove in the Midlands – although not according to Brian Clough who seemed to have the measure of him, saying that Carr was ‘the best corner flag hitter in the country’.

After a Steve Thompson (Leicester) through ball to Gavin Peacock (Newcastle) for the first, Leicester managed to drag it back on their own terms to 1-1. The Magpies were only saved in the 90th minute, when in a seemingly innocuous position 30 yards from his own goal, Steve Walsh (Leicester) was able to power forward into a one-on-one and smartly finish it under his own onrushing goalkeeper. 2-1 Newcastle, cue enormous pitch invasion at cauldron-like Filbert Street.

More misery would come Leicester’s way the next season, as all-conquering United steamrollered them 7-1 during their cruise to the title.

Please note the extra wide band of white on the shirt. The lines seem
to be arranged in a kind of traffic measurement type device for
measuring speed. Talk of speed brings us back to Franz Carr and
perhaps not coincidentally, the end of this article.

Rob Hogg

Newcastle fans - was this your best ever kit?  Let us know @thefootballsc     

We caught up with Pete Donaldson from the Football Ramble to talk; football shirts, Barry Venison’s blow dry and Philippe Albert’s chip.

What was your first ever football shirt?

The Newcastle blue and brushed sky blue away strip. Glorious in every sense of the word.  Like a cloud-flecked sky on a sunny day, it complimented Barry Venison’s blow-dry perfectly, and a strip that a guilty mother bought me after telling me to ‘sleep off’ a broken elbow. 

What is your favourite ever football shirt?

I was terrifically fond of the Thistle Hotels, Asics, Tony Yeboah kit, back when I was young enough not to be pilloried for purchasing non-toon leisurewear.

Leeds, Asics, 1995/6

What is your favourite ever goal?

Albert. The 5-0 er versus Manchester United. It had everything.  A marauding Belgian, a moustache, a centre back attempting a 30 yard chip.  It still gives me shivers. Yeesh!