BLOG | The Eagles Are Landing

Posted on 10/03/17

They do things a little bit different at Selhurst Park..

For all the rushing around from all big sides desperate to achieve their expectations, Crystal Palace in that respect are the same in terms of Premier League survival.

                                

But life for Palace has been a lot more than dropping in and out of the top flight; with their traditions running all the way back to their initial shirts that look so different to today.

In 1905 they began with designs that wouldn’t look to dissimilar to the one’s we see at the Olympic Stadium and worn by those plying their trade for West Ham United. The claret and blue style was worn for over two decades before 1938’s switch to black and white.

With the Second World War came a break in football, but the Eagles returned to the game with an odd mixture of the two, but the new found colours synonymous with side such as Newcastle remained, only this time with claret and blue hooped socks.

The experimental side returned to its original strip for six years as the 50’s rolled in but we’d have to wait another twenty years before the Palace strips we know and love today first reared its head.

In-between that time they converted to all white as well as yellow for the 1963/64 season, the thinking behind this was due to it being their ‘lucky’ away kit and the powers that be opted to see if it would rub off on their home form. It seemed to work having finished second in the third division and gaining promotion, although the next year the yellow was ditched.

A decade later blue and red was adopted, and within three years they had their first kit supplier from Umbro. Their first season didn’t have quite the same luck as ten years previous with yellow, as they were relegated from Division Two having been relegated the year before from the top flight.

As football began to change the Eagles went with the times and experimented, in the late seventies a stipe from the left shoulder consisting of the club colours on a white base was sported, the last Umbro design before Admiral arrived at Selhust Park.

In Admiral’s first season, the previous year’s design was taken up and their own design was printed down the arms, it seemed to do the trick was Palace stormed to the Division Two league title.

By now we’d arrived at the 1980’s and sponsorship was in full-flow, Palace had by now taken up the design of adidas and their first shirt sponsor in ‘Red Rose’. They’d partner together for just the one season before a brief stint with Top Score, AVR and Andrew Copeland.

Palace’s most successful stint came in the early 1990’s where they would go on to reach the FA Cup Final in 1990. The most iconic of their shirts was designed by Bukta and sponsored by Virgin. The definition of Crystal Palace, the blue sleeved shirt was just one of two shirts ever designed for them by Bukta but is the most fondly remembered by those at Selhurst Park. They would go on to reach the final at Wembley but lose out to Everton.

Throughout the decade they would experiment with a red base and several suppliers such as Nike, Nutmeg, TFG Sports, La Coq Sportif, and Diadora.

It was under the latter in 2005 that they would go back to their roots with a centenary strip replicating that of their colours during the 1970’s. It was worn during three of their matches during the 2005/2006 season.

Since then changes have been a little more subtle, with yellow trim added between 2012 and 2014. This season their blue base and red to compliment it on both sides has seen them fight for the right to play in the Premier League next season. Under Sam Allardyce they will be looking to avoid relegation with a tough run of games against the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

In what will be a big ask of Palace, who currently sit three points clear, what better way to show your colours than in this seasons home shirt. The stylish Macron design sponsored by Mansion.com and is both smart and comfortable. From the manufacturers, the Italians truly are the master of style and it’s no different for the Eagles who signed a new four year deal with the sportswear giants in 2014.

You can grab your own 2016/2017 Crystal Palace shirt here at Vintage Football Shirts, be it the ‘traditional’ home shirt or the lucky yellow away shirt – both just £19.99 each reduced from £49.99. For other shirts from throughout the ages in Crystal Palace history, click here.

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