On the week that the 2019/20 Premier League season kicks off we're taking a look back at every home kit from the inaugural Premier League season of 1992/93. A time when oversized shirts, oversized patterns and bespoke beauty reigned supreme.
Throwback replica royalty with local sponsors and absolutely no restrictions on design. The chains were well and truly off and kits were either exquisitely delicious or disgustingly beautiful. Admiral and Umbro in prime time positions as 22 clubs suited up for their first season in the Premier League. Rate and slate below.
Arsenal | The 1992/93 Arsenal home shirt remains as one of the greatest Gunners shirts to date. Clean base, stylish oversized V-neck collar and classic 90s graphic sleeves. If you've still got one of these hold on to it forever. It's priceless. Shoutout to that Arsenal crest too, Merlin sticker-album vibes; if you've got that in a shiny you can get a decent return down your local pawnbrokers.
Aston Villa | Any football shirt with a drawstring collar is right up there for us. Pair it up with that blue ring around the neck and you've got a sumptuously perfect 90s jersey. We recently ranked Mita Copiers as Villa's greatest ever sponsor, and we have no regrets about it whatsoever after seeing it again. Those shorts couldn't handle Villa's deep pockets this summer.
Blackburn Rovers | Just Alan Shearer wearing a XXL Asics shirt sponsored by McEwan's Lager. You'd have a can of that at half time back in these days, full of iron. That spilt coloured collar too, you love to see it.
Chelsea | Big collar, retro crest. The debut Premier League season marked Chelsea's first big shirt sponsor deal with US-based home computer and electronics manufacturer Commodore. Manager Ian Porterfield can claim to be the first manager sacked in the Premier League. The only manager to lose his job during that season.
Coventry City | A young Peter Ndlovu modelling one of the Premier League's greatest ever football kits. Depending entirely on your taste anyway. Perhaps greatest should be more 'shirt that best sums up 90s kits'. Either way, those matching shorts are something else. Twenty five years on and Coventry begin their season in English football's fourth division. Call it a jumpsuit, stick it on Topshop, and watch 30,000 teenage girls wear it to Glastonbury.
Crystal Palace | The Eagles switched kit manufacturers in their first Premier League season. Manufactured by Bukta up until December, and Ribero for the second half of the season. Typically shiny in 90s style it's actually a shirt that, if streamlined, wouldn't look out of place this season..
Everton | There are many photos of Peter Beardsley looking confused on the internet, but we plumped for this one of him modelling the 1992/93 Everton Umbro home shirt. Big collar and graphic printed body. A theme is emerging already.
Ipswich Town | Local sponsor, massive club crest, drawstring collar. Shorts that your uncle still disturbingly wears to play squash in. The Ipswich Umbro home kit didn't leave many 90s football shirt boxes unticked.
Leeds United | Relatively plain considering the era. The Leeds United home shirt by Admiral wasn't minimal though, the designers couldn't resist a ringed graphic on the sleeves to link the jersey to the away shirt from the same season. Is that a short long sleeve or a long short sleeve? Don't know.
Liverpool | One of the greatest Premier League shirts of all time. Those three stripes coming over the shoulders were iconic, they even crept up from the shorts too. That crest? A commemorative 100 year celebration, worn for one season only.
Manchester City | Another iconic shirt in a club's history. An era where Oasis were on top of the world, Manchester was buzzing and Manchester City were in the big time at Maine Road. More big collars, more graphic prints. Beautiful stuff. Bonus points for the proper 90s haircut too.
Manchester United | More drawstring magic for the shirt Manchester United wore to win the very first Premier League title. Going unbeaten for 11 consecutive games with a collared-up Cantona joining the party late.
Middlesbrough | Another Admiral effort found its way onto the Middlesbrough home shirt in 1992. More cuff patterns on extra long short sleeves. If you could fit your entire thigh in the sleeve it was declared 90s match fit.
Norwich City | The Norwich home shirt gave the Coventry design a run for its money. Hectic graphics and a local sponsor ensured its place in football replica museums. Norwich paid tribute to the 1992 home shirt in the 16/17 season with the design of their third shirt. And rightly so, The Canaries finished third in their debut Premier League appearance. Let's be 'avin you.
Nottingham Forest | Another strong contender for shirt of the 92/93 season. A beautifully executed pinstripe design that Forest have revisited. The players were less impressive by becoming the first team to be relegated from the Premier League.
Oldham Athletic | Sponsored by local firm J.D. Sports and wearing another one of the busier Umbro kits, Oldham defied the odds to survive their first Premier League season before being relegated a season later.
Queens Park Rangers | Sponsored by Classic FM and wearing a kit manufactured by Brooks Running. Sleeves like wings and shorts like hot pants. QPR finished fifth as London's most successful club in the 1992/93 season.
Sheffield United | Sponsored by a local timber merchant and equipped with more drawstring collared crispness. Sheffield United scored the first goal in Premier League era but were relegated just one season later. Anyway, here is Chris Kamara aged anywhere between 19 and 45.
Sheffield Wednesday | Long before Drake nabbed their club crest, Sheffield Wednesday were founding members of the Premier League. Fold over collar and classic blue and white stripes. There wasn't a lot wrong with Wednesday's debut Premier League home kit. A seventh place finish wasn't too shabby either.
Southampton | Nothing is more manly than being sponsored by your local tool shop. For that reason only, the Southampton home shirt deserves nothing less that your full respect. It's also more confirmation that we miss Admiral kits.
Tottenham Hotspur | Another Umbro shirt to feature a clean look, big collar and graphic faded print in the body. Sometimes a stylish sponsor typeface is all that's needed to create a smart kit, and that was certainly the case with Spurs and Holsten.
Wimbledon | Founding members that have since started back from the bottom. It's good to see the reformed club back mixing it in the Football League, it'll be even better to see them reach the Premier League in that distinctive deep blue and yellow strip. The 1992/93 shirt was ahead of its time with a minimal aesthetic.
That's your lot. All 22 home shirts from the first ever Premier League season. Belters.
