Bristol City have launched their first home shirt from new partners hummel for the 20/21 season, and it features a special design that pays tribute to the Ashton Gate Eight, without whom the club would not be in existence today.
A lot of shirt design these days will hark back to a past success, taking inspiration from a moment of glory from a club’s history. But Bristol City and hummel have gone a slightly different route for the design of the club’s new home shirt for the 20/21 season. Back in 1982, the club were on the verge of financial ruin. Their only hope of survival lay with eight men; Jimmy Mann, Trevor Tainton, Geoff Merrick, David Rodgers, Gerry Sweeney, Peter Aitken, Chris Garland and Julian Marshall selflessly tore up their contracts, effectively saving the club, and it was an act which will never be forgotten by anyone associated with the Robins. And it is this act that has inspired the design of the new shirt, as the club pays tribute to these men.
As a mark of gratitude and to celebrate their actions, each of those eight club legends have their names printed on the inner back hem, while being listed within a printed stand-out Ashton Gate Eight logo on the reverse. In addition, a monotone graphic of each player is pictured on the inside of the neck, giving those individuals a more direct visual nod.
The striped design is a take on the old ’82 kit the Ashton Gate Eight would have worn had they not ripped up their contracts. This design has been modernised and includes hummel’s iconic chevrons across the shoulders and sleeves – which are also featured on the white shorts and red socks. To add to the detail, jacquard robins run vertically down the front and back panels of the traditional red shirt. This is the first shirt produced under the partnership between the Robins and Hummel, but it comes on the back of the quite exquisite 20/21 limited collection that launched earlier this year.
City Chairman Jon Lansdown, who was involved in the kit designs, said: “It is fitting that we pay tribute to the selfless acts of the Ashton Gate Eight in something as significant as the shirt. We are embarking on a new chapter for the club with the new kit partner, club sponsor and head coach, but the club would not look like it does today without the actions of these eight men.
“This is the most technically detailed kit that we have produced and has a number of references to the Eight. It is also poignant that the design is inspired by the shirt that they never got to wear. To all of the Ashton Gate Eight and their families, Bristol City salutes you. Thank you.”
The Bristol City 20/21 home shirt is available from the club's online store, here.
