Historical Football Kits

 

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Middlesbrough

Formed 1876

Elected to Division Two 1899

Kit History

middlesbrough fc 1877-78

1877-1878 I

middlesborough fc 1879-1881

1878-1885 C

middlesbrough 1885-86

1885-1886 C

1886-1890 m y z C D K

Sept-Dec 1890 m A

Jan 1891-99 b h k w B

Nov 1899 b k m

middlesbrough fc 1905

1901-1907 w x

middlesbrough fc 1908

1908 w

Socks not confirmed
middlesbrough 1909-10

1909-1910 u

middlesbrough 1912-13

1912-1913

1913-1929 w F

middlesbrough fc 1929

1929-1933 w

1933-1934 j

1934-1936 w

1936-1939 r w

middlesbrough fc 1946-47

1946-1947 w

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middlesbrough fc 1947-48

1947-1948 w

1948-1949 l w

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1949-1955 c g l

middlesbrough fc 1955-56

1955-1956 w

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middlesbrough 1956-1-58

1956-1958 c g l w

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middlesbrough 1958-59

1958-1959 w

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middlesbrough 1959-60

1959-Aug 1960 w

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middlesbrough 1960-61

Sept? 1960-1961 b c g

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middlesbrough fc 1962-63

1961-1962 1 w I

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middlesbrough 1961-62 cold weather kit

1961-1962 2 I

Cold weather
middlesbrough 1961-64

1962-1963 1 d g l

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middlesbrough 1962-63 cold weather kit

1962-1963 2 I

Cold weather
middlesbrough fc 1964-65

1963-1964 x I

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middlesbrough 1964-66

1964-April 66 d r I

middlesbrough april 1966

April-May 66 I

middlesbrough 1966-67-1

Aug-Dec 1966 I

Dec 66-1969 c g w I

1969-1971 b o

middlesbrough 1971-72

1971-1972 s

middlesbrough 1971-72

1972-1973 1 b g v

Usual strip
middlesbrough 1972-73 variant 2

1972-1973 2 v

v Brighton & Spurs
middlesbrough 1972-73 variant 3

1972-1973 3 v

Warm weather kit
middlesbrough 1972-73 variant 4

1972-1973 4 v J

v Fulham, Oxford, Cardiff & Plymouth
Bukta
middlesbrough 1973-75

1973-1974 b o

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Bukta
middlesbrough fc 1974-75

1974-1975 1 G

Bukta
middlesbrough fc 1974-75 warm wether kit

1974-1975 2 G

Warm weather kit
Bukta

1975-1976 c s G

Bukta

1976-1977 p s

Adidas

1977-1978 c o

Adidas

1978-1979 c p

Adidas

1979-1980 c p

Adidas

1980-1981 c

Adidas
middlesbrough fc 1981-82

1981-1982 v

Adidas

1982-1983 i

Jack Hatfield

1983-1984 d H

Hummel

1984-1986 i

Hummel

1986-1987 g

Skill

1987-1988 e s

Skill

1988-1990 e s

Skill

1990-1992 e

Admiral

1992-1994 e

Errea

1994-1995 i n

Errea

1995-1996 f n

Errea

1996-1997 f n E

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Errea

1997-1998 f

Errea

1998-1999 f n

Errea

1999-2000 i n

Errea

2000-2001 f n

Errea

2001-2002 e

Errea

2002-2003 e

Errea

2003-2004 i

Errea

2004-2005 c

Errea

2005-2006 c

Errea

2006-2007 c

Errea

2007-2008 c q

Errea
middlesbrough 2008-09 home kit

2008-2009 c t

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Adidas
middlesbrough fc 2009-10

2009-2010 c

Adidas
middlesbrough 2010-11 home kit

2010-2011 c

Adidas
midlesbrough fc 2011-12

2011-2012 c

Adidas
middlesbrough fc 2012-13 home kit

2012-2013 c

Adidas
middlesbrough fc 2013-14 home kit

2013-2014 c

Adidas
middlesbrough 2014-15 1st kit

2014-2015 c

Adidas
middlesbrough 2015-16

2015-2016 c

Adidas
middlesbrough 2016-17 1st kit

2016-2017 c

Adidas
middlesbrough 2017-18 1st kit

2017-2018 c

Hummel
middlesbrough 2018-19

2018-2019 c

Hummel
middlesbrough 2019-20 1st kit

2019-2020 c

Hummel
middlesbrough 2020-21

2020-2021 c

Hummel
middlesbrough 2021-22

2021-2022 c

Errea
middlesbrough 2022-23

2022-2023 c

 

Background

middlesbrough 1884-85Middlesbrough was formed at a meeting in the Albert Park Hotel by members of the town's cricket club. The first recorded game took place in February 1877, a 1-1 draw with Teeside Wanderers. For this game the Middlesbrough players dyed their cricket whites dark blue and they appear to have played in these colours until the 1878-79 season.

Charles Alcock's Football Annual of 1879 records the club colours as blue and black hoops.

In May 2016 Richard Collinson submitted a report from the North-Eastern Daily Gazette (15th May 1886) that states, "the costume of the players shall consist of blue pants and white shirt, with blue trimmings and borough arms" (emphasis added). Charles middlesbrough coat of arms circa 1886Alcock's Football Annuals confirm these were worn until 1889. Although the team photograph above was taken a few years later and the majority of players are wearing conventional white flannel shirts, two have blue collars adorned with white polka-dots and we can assume these are the earlier version. In March 2023 an original shirt featuring the polka dot trim was sold at auction for almost £20,000. The town motto, Erimus (We Shall Be) was embroidered below the crest.

In October 1890 the team wore "new colours of navy jerseys" but reports from January 1891 confirm they were again wearing white shirts.

As professionalism took a grip on the game in the north during the late 1880s, Middlesbrough remained firmly committed to amateurism and as a result, a faction of the club broke away to form Middlesbrough Ironopolis in 1889. The rivalry between the two clubs was intense: Middlesbrough rejected a proposal from Ironopolis to merge the clubs and themselves turned professional. It was obvious that the town could not support two professional sides and in 1892, Middlesbrough reverted to amateurism. Meanwhile, Ironopolis joined the Football League in 1893 only to resign for financial reasons at the end of the season when the club middlesbrough fc crest 1894was wound up.

A metal pin badge found by Jonathon Auty confirms that the club badge was based on the town's coat of arms. The lion represents the Brus family who had substantial holdings after the Norman Conquest in northern England and south-west Scotland and from whom Robert the Bruce (Robert de Brus) was descended. The ships represent the town's association with shipbuilding and maritime trade.

Following the demise of Ironoplis, Middlesbrough became the town's dominant club and they went on to win the Northern League in 1893, 1895 and 1897 as well as the Amateur Cup in 1895 and 1898. The following year, Middlesbrough, now a professional outfit once again, were elected to the Second Division of the Football League. In 1902, "Boro" won promotion to the First Division and a year later moved into Ayrsome Park, which would be the club's home for the next 93 years. In 1905, the club paid out a record £1,000 transfer fee to sign Alf Common. Their best ever League position was achieved in 1914 when the team finished third in Division One.

The club were at best an average First Division side and it was no surprise when they were relegated in 1924. 1927 saw them return as Second Division champions. Relegated again at the end of the season, "Boro" took the Division Two championship again in 1929. They remained in the First Division without ever really threatening to win anything. In 1958 the young Brian Clough made his debut for the club and proved a goal-scoring sensation only to have his playing career middlesbrough fc crest 1957cut short by injury.

The rather crude drawing on the right indicates that the club crest had remained fundamentally unchanged since the Victorian era but this never appeared on the players' shirts.

In 1964 Boro' adopted white yokes on their shirts, a reminder of the distinctive middlesbrough fc crest 1971"epaulettes" worn between the wars.

In 1966, Middlesbrough dropped into the third Division for the first time in their history, winning promotion back to the Second Division at the first attempt.

In 1971 a crest appeared on the players' shirts, consisting of the traditional lion rampant.

middlesbrough fc crest 1973In 1973 England World Cup hero Jack Charlton was appointed manager and at the end of the 1973-74 season, Middlesbrough were promoted back to the top level as Second Division Champions. It was Charlton who introduced the distinctive all red kit with a bold white chest band, a style that has been revived several times and is still favoured by Boro fans. A rather skinny lion middlesbrough fc crest 1976was enhanced with "MFC" and rendered in red. A rather more well-proportioned version appeared a few years later.

The team made little impression and in 1982, they dropped into Division Two and then, four years later, facing mounting debts, Division Three and went into liquidation. On August 23rd the receivers locked the gates of Ayrsome Park and the club faced expulsion from the League if they failed to fulfil their middlesbrough crest 1979fixture against Port Vale. The match was played at Hartlepools United's ground and a consortium led by Steve Gibson stepped in to save the club. To mark the rebirth, a new crest was adopted that included the year that the new limited company was formed.

A year later, Middlesbrough were promoted back to Division Two. Even more remarkably, imiddlesbrough fc crest 1987n 1988 they achieved promotion to Division One through the play-offs. Even though they lasted only one season at the top, it was a truly remarkable recovery.

In the early 1990s Middlesbrough were promoted and relegated with bewildering regularity, unable to consolidate at the highest level. In 1995, however, former England captain Bryan Robson took over as manager and the club returned to the Premier League. Some important international signings were made including Brazilian Footballer of the Year, Juninho and (a year later) Fabrizio Ravanelli. Together with the completion of their brand new, 30,000 seater Riverside Stadium, Boro had found a sense of ambition. In 1997 they were beaten finalists in both the FA and League Cups, appearing in the League Cup final again the following year. In 2004, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, middlesbrough fc crest 2007Middlesbrough beat Bolton 2-1 to win the League Cup, their first major trophy in 128 years of existence.

For the 2007-08 season, the club introduced a new badge to replace the roundel introduced when the club was reformed in 1986. The central lion rampant motif was retained but now appeared out of a shield with a scroll at the bottom. Significantly the year of the formation club's original formation now appeared.

Following a vote of their supporters, the club announced their intention to return to their white chest band for the 2008-09 season but this talisman could not save them from relegation to the Championship. Unable to secure a sponsor in the 2010-11 season, the club arranged a number of short-term deals until Ramsdens stepped in.

After a seven-year spell in the Championship, 'Boro were promoted back to the Premier League in 2016 but lost their place after one season.

The 2021-22 Hummel shirt featured a graphic based on the iconic Tees Transporter Bridge, the town's most famous landmark.

You are welcome to Contact Me with corrections and additions.

Sources

  • (b) Encyclopedia Of Middlesbrough FC
  • (c) Middlesbrough Official Website
  • (d) Classic Kits
  • (e) empics
  • (f) Sporting Heroes
  • (g) Football Focus
  • (h) Nineteen66 Rare Football Memorabilia
  • (i) True Colours (John Devlin 2005)
  • (j) The Football Encyclopaedia (Associated Sporting Press 1934) Information provided by Arthur Fergus
  • (k) Association of Football Statisticians - provided by Pete Wyatt
  • (l) Pete's Picture Palace
  • (m) Raynerseye - a site produced by Richard Pete Rayner with splendid paintings recreating historic matches
  • (n) David King
  • (o) Football League Review provided by Simon Monks
  • (p) Alick Milne
  • (q) Jack Elleker
  • (r) Middlesbrough Football Club by Eric Paylor (Archive Publications ISBN 0 948946 32 6) provided by Liam O'Brien
  • (s) Christopher Worrall
  • (t) Fabrizio Taddei (Errea)
  • (u) London Hearts
  • (v) Tony Sealey
  • (w) Keith Ellis
  • (x) Paul Robinson
  • (y) Darren Foss
  • (z) North-Eastern Daily Gazette (15th May 1886) submitted by Richard Collinson
  • (A) York Herald (15th October 1890) submitted by Brian Webb
  • (B) York Herald (26th January 1891) submitted by Brian Webb
  • (C) Charles Alcock's Football Annuals 1869-1891 researched by Robin Horton
  • (D) Jonathon Auty
  • (E) Tom Connolly
  • (F) Football & the First World War
  • (G) Tony Sealey & Nik Yeomans
  • (H) Andrew Coxon
  • (I) The Threads of History (Anthony Vickers 2022) submitted by Tony Sealey
  • (J) Mark Jones
  • (K) BBC

Crests are the property of Middlesbrough FC.