5 Best Kits in English Premier League History
When a new kit is introduced in the English Premier League, it has to look good so that more fans will want to buy the tops to match their favorite players. Even the most hardcore fans of teams around the league could end up not buying a kit just because it doesn’t look good, though. Thankfully, most of the English Premier League kits have been great designs by athletic apparel companies with some really standing out.
Which EPL kits are among the best, though? Out of the many that have been created by the likes of Nike, Adidas, Puma, and more, these five stand out as the best. There’s a nice blend of old and new on the list, too, showing off each era of the EPL.
Manchester City 1992-93
For the 1992-93 English Premier League season, Man City went with a light blue uniform that had a unique pattern that has aged very well. The Brother advertisement on the front of the jersey didn’t look out of touch compared to some of the kit advertisements we see today, and it all blended together well. In fact, Man City fans still purchase these kits to wear to matches since it’s a timeless look.
While times in the future would be great for Manchester City, they were only mediocre during the early 1990s. Man City finished the EPL season with 57 points, good enough for ninth in the standings. The club reached the sixth round of the FA Cup that season, as well, and the season ended on a cold streak. However, they looked good doing it.
Manchester United 1995-96
On the front of the Man U jerseys was the word “Sharp” for the company that was advertising on the kits, but it could also be used to describe the look that the Red Devils were rocking. While the alternate kits at the time were lacking in good design, the home reds were amazing to look at. Throwback kits from this year now sell online for more than $120 because of their popularity.
Part of what made the kits so memorable is the success that Manchester United had when wearing them in 1995-96. The club won the Premier League with 82 points, finishing four points ahead of Newcastle United. They also won the FA Cup under manager Alex Ferguson.
Chelsea 2012-13
Chelsea has had a great history with their kits, and it was hard to pick just one from the club’s collection. The best one, though, has to be their home kits from the 2012-13 season when they adorned the familiar jerseys with gold trim instead of white. The familiar Samsung logo was on the front, as well as the Adidas logo and club crest, but there was something about seeing it all in gold that stood out.
When wearing these kits, Chelsea was able to make it to the Champions League group stage thanks to their third-place finish in the EPL. They wrapped up with 75 points, just three points out of second place. Chelsea reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and won the UEFA Europa League.
West Ham 2021-22
West Ham might not have the most storied EPL history, but they’ve had some great kits throughout the years. Instead of simply picking either home or away for West Ham’s get-up in 2021-22, it’s easier to just say that both belong on the list. The home kits show that unique blend of dark red with light blue while the road kits show the white and light blue stripes with the red trim. Either way, it’s a win.
The season ended up being a solid one for West Ham as they finished seventh in the EPL and qualified for the Europa Conference League playoff round. In the Europa League, West Ham reached the semi-finals in one of the club’s better campaigns.
Newcastle United 1996-97
There are some sponsorships that are so good that fans don’t even consider them to be “selling out.” One of those occasions came during the 1990s when Newcastle Brown Ale was the primary sponsor of Newcastle United. The logo was on the Newcastle United uniforms throughout this time, with the top kit coming in the 1996-97 season. The star logo was a perfect fit for the blue uniform in the best case of a corporate logo blending it with athletics.
The uniforms were on full display as Newcastle United had one of their best seasons. With 68 points, the club finished second behind Manchester United in the English Premier League table and advanced to the Champions League second qualifying round. They also reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup.
