While they were only with adidas for eight years compared to the 20-year tenure Nike had, for kit-nerds of a certain age, Arsenal and the Germany company still belong together. I’m one of those people and so is Kevin Fingleton, who requested today’s offering.
It was in the spring of 1994 that those of us who loved Arsenal and the three stripes (perhaps not in that order) were coming to terms with the news that the club had switched to Nike.
As a fourth-class student in 1994-95, I spent a lot of my time imagining that the Arsenal kit would have looked like if they had stayed with adidas – usually something along the lines of the Rangers kit of that era – but Kevin has opted to merge his two loves by asking for the kits in the style of the Ireland strips worn at the World Cup in the USA.
Obviously, the Ireland home featured large crest elements in a darker green so Kevin suggested tailoring it to Arsenal by including the ‘AFC’ monogram which had appeared on the 1990-92 home neck and a large cannon and crest. What was notable about the Ireland kits was that the three stripes – apart from the fabric shadow – only appeared on the socks.
The away style is a design which was sadly under-used by adidas, one that previously featured in a Hull City FKF.
Arsenal’s actual away in 1994-95 was navy and teal but presumably that was a Nike initiative as adidas had rigidly stuck to the yellow and navy with red trim format.
Both kits featured here have a proper timeless look to them, the home kit especially.