Twice as nice, no. 1 – PSV, 1982

• Thanks, as ever, to our Dutch correspondent Dirk Maas

What could be better than a series on shirts worn only once? How about one focusing on shirts worn 100 percent more often?!

Don’t worry, we’ll still cover great one-offs but, just in case we hit impenetrable bedrock, this will be a handy way to shine a light on the rarities. We begin with one from 1982, as PSV began to explore how best to promote its brand – literally.

The Eindhoven club are of course owned by Philips – in the 1992-93 Champions League, they would play on that to try to circumvent the rules prohibiting sponsors’ logos – and 1982-83 was the first season in which sponsors were allowed in the Eredivisie.

Traditionally, the club played in red and white stripes but there was uncertainty as to how best to incorporate the logo. Later in the 1980s, a horizontal white band would be worked into the design, but until then, primarily red shirts would be favoured.

However, they actually began the 1982-83 season at home to Willem II, wearing white shirts with red pinstripes, red shorts and white socks.

PSV won that game 2-0, but the white shirts wouldn’t be seen in a domestic game again, with a reversal favoured, paired with black shorts and red socks.

The white wasn’t even retained as second-choice – instead they had green shirts with white pinstripes as their alternative, but the club’s only European outing that season, a defeat to Dundee United in the first round of the Uefa Cup, provided yet more kit oddities.

In each leg, the home side changed kit – Uefa never seemed to provide clarity on this custom – and in the first match, a 1-1 draw at Tannadice, PSV were in the home kit from the previous season, featuring three adidas logos but no crest or sponsor.

Perhaps there was uncertainty over whether sponsors were allowed in Europe – in another Dutch-Scottish clash that season, Ajax had TDK at home to Celtic, but not away. Then, rather than wearing green against United’s tangerine in Eindhoven, the white shirts were called upon, but the 2-0 defeat proved to be their last outing.