It’s a conversation that often occupies us at Cult Kits HQ: which season produced the best ever football shirts – and which brand ruled supreme that year?
The answer can change from one week to the next but right now we reckon it might just be 1992/93 and Umbro.
1992-93 Sky Sports promotional team shot launching the specialist coverage of the new Premier League.
That season marked the start of the Premier League and no fewer than 11 of the clubs who competed in the inaugural campaign wore the double diamond.
And every one of them looked magnificent.
There were the famous drawstrings that adorned the jerseys of Man Utd, Ipswich, Villa and Sheffield United.
Manchester United's home and special 'Newton Heath' away shirt produced especially that season to celebrate the history of the club by using their original colours.
Ipswich Town's home shirt has proven a collector's item not only for Tractor Boy fans, but shirt collector's far and wide.
The yellow Umbro mark to match the 'Laver' sponsor was a lovely touch for the Sheffield United home shirt. The club also opted for the baseball style round-open neck jersey that season.
Then there was the trademark button-down collars worn by Wednesday, Spurs, Man City, Chelsea, Oldham and Everton. And finally, Forest’s gorgeous pinstripe shirt that deserved so much better than a team that would be relegated come May.
Sheffield Wednesday kits are not normally famed for their shirts...apart from this absolute beauty. Made that bit more stylish by Waddle's un-tucked, night-gown style way of wearing it.
Tottenham had a hat-trick of belters this season. Here's two from their wardrobe. Just look at that yellow away... it's a work of art and belong's in the Tate.
Manchester City's home shirt might just be one of the most beautiful shirts of all time. The repeat pattern, the colourway of sky blue ... all brought together nicely by 'that' sponsor.
Oldham FC wore this stunner, with an all-over-repeat that will make you want this shirt apart of your collection immediately.
Everton got it right with their home and away choices. If you don't have one of their shirts from this season, then you shouldn't be calling yourself a collector, in our book.
And Umbro’s sartorial majesty extended well beyond the Cheadle brand’s home nation.
In Italy, Inter Milan were treated to a trilogy of stone-cold classics. Napoli also looked resplendent at home and away. Meanwhile, Gazza’s Lazio boasted a pair of jaw-dropping beauties, as did Parma. Magnifico.
Possibly the greatest trio of kits, football has ever seen? We think it might just be. Inter Milan fans were spoilt for choice that year!
Parma – cool and understated. Let the flashes of colour do the heavy lifting and the sponsor's do the rest. A masterstroke by Umbro.
Ajax were another side kitted out in textbook Umbro garbs, their yellow and deep green away shirt being one of the club’s best ever change strips.
Ajax's away with yellow pinstripe's has become the stuff of legend. The colourway for this kit was the first of it's kind, as it was based on their shirt sponsor's logo.
In Spain, Deportivo de La Coruña’s stripes and hoops combo home jersey was a classic of the era.
And there were plenty more clubs, many from the smaller footballing nations, which enjoyed the Umbro treatment that season.
So, there you have it. Umbro and 1992/93. It doesn’t get any better.
Agree with us?
Words by Josh Warwick
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