Favourite Leeds United Home Shirts
15 Jun 2019 07:46 am, by YorkshireSquare
Leeds United haven’t always played in the brilliant all white kits they do today. When the club was founded in 1919 by former Huddersfield Town chairman Hilton Crowther the kit looked awfully familiar to our West Yorkshire rivals with light blue and white stripes. In 1934 Leeds switched to play in the colours of the Leeds city crest adopting blue and gold halved shirt with white shorts. Major Frank Buckley later adapted the shirt into all gold with blue arms. Don Revie became in 196 and, under him the club was reinvented with the most obvious aesthetic change being the switching to an all white kit. A kit which we still wear to this day. Revie's decision showed the touch of a man with a dream, an ideal that his debt-ridden, down-at-heel club might one day emulate the feats of one of Europe's richest and most brilliantly successful teams, Real Madrid. Here are our top eleven Leeds United home shirts…
11) Packard Bell (1998-2000)
Manufacturer: Puma | Sponsor: Packard Bell | Badge: Shield | Looked Good On: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
The 1998 season saw the start of the O’Leary revolution. George Graham had lead Leeds to a 5th place finish in 1997-1998 but when he departed for Tottenham Hotspur in October 1998 his assistant David O’Leary took the reigns. The Puma/Packard Bell shirt worn under his first two seasons saw a 4th place finish and qualification for the UEFA Cup in 1998-1999 and a 3rd place finish and qualification for the Champions League in 1999-2000. The 1999-2000 UEFA Cup saw Leeds progress to the semi-finals with victories against Partizan Belgrade, Lokomotiv Moscow, Spartak Moscow, Roma and Slavia Prague sadly coming to an end on that tragic night in Istanbul. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Michael Bridges top scored in the shirt with the likes of Lee Bowyer and Ian Harte also wearing the shirt. The shirt was the first to feature the current ‘Euro Shield’ badge incorporating a Yorkshire rose in its first season and the now current football in a Yorkshire rose in its second season.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
10) Admiral Sportswear (1992-1993)
Manufacturer: Admiral | Sponsor: Admiral | Badge: Yorkshire Rose | Looked Good On: Gary Speed
The 1992-1993 season may not be regarded well by most Leeds fans, after the Lord Mayor's show comes the dust-cart, and after a league winning performance the season before Leeds finished 17th in the first Premier League season. August 1993 did see Leeds list the Charity Shield with a 4-3 victory over Liverpool at Wembley, Eric Cantona with a hat-trick and Tony Dorigo scoring the other. The season may not have been a classic but the Admiral shirt certainly was and it featured the classic football in a Yorkshire rose badge. Lee Chapman top scored whilst Jon Newsome, Chris Fairclough and Steve Hodge also wore the shirt. It was also the first Leeds shirt to appear in the UEFA Champions League, after a 2-1 victory over Stuttgart in a first round replay Leeds were knocked out 2-4 on aggregate by Rangers.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
9) Admiral Smiley (1977-1980)
Manufacturer: Admiral | Sponsor: None | Badge: Smiley | Looked Good On: Eddie Gray
For the first since the all white strip was adopted in the early sixties colour was added to the Leeds home shirt in 1976. With blue trim featuring yellow Admiral logos all down the sleeves it was definitely a child of the 70s. Variations of the kit were worn between 1976 and 1981 with badges ranging from the inverted smiley, smiley with ‘Leeds United AFC’ text and stylised peacock. The variation of the kit above was worn between 1977 and 1980. A difficult period for Leeds United saw the dismantling of the Revie side by Jimmy Armfield, Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan crossed the Pennines to perennial rivals Manchester United. In 1978 Armfield was replaced by Jock stein, for 44 days, before Jimmy Adamson took the reigns and guided Leeds to a 5th place finish in 1979. Leeds finished 11th in 1980, their worst performance since promotion. Players such as Ray Hankin, John Hawley, Carl Harris and Brian Greenhoff wore this 70s classic.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
8) All White, Owl Badge (1964-1971)
Manufacturer: Various | Sponsor: None | Badge: Owl | Looked Good On: Johnny Giles
Leeds United switched to an all white shirt in 1961, replicating the greatest football team in the world, Real Madrid. The first badge to appear on the all white shirts was the owl, despite Don Revie’s superstitions about birds. This stalwart was worn for most of the early Revie era from 1964 until 1971, it is one of the most decorated Leeds shirts in history and was worn as Leeds United won the league in 1970, the League Cup in 1968, Charity Shield in 1969 and Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968 and 1971. Don Revie built his great team during this period featuring the likes of Peter Lorimer and Johnny Giles. Other great players to wear the shirt early on in this period were Jim Storrie, Albert Johanneson and Alan Peacock.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
7) Burton (1986-1988)
Manufacturer: Umbro| Sponsor: Burton | Badge: Yorkshire Rose | Looked Good On: John Sheridan
Leeds United may have been in the second division during the 1986-1988 period but they had a kit with blink of first division proportions. Billy Bremner’s first full season in charge saw the changes rung with the likes of Denis Irwin and Scott Sellars departing and Peter Haddock and Jack Ashurst arriving. Leeds finished 4th in 1986 but sadly lost out on promotion after defeat to Charlton Athletic in a play-off replay at St Andrews. Leeds United were favourites to win the division in 1987 but after a dismal start the ended up a disappointing 7th. Ian Baird and John Sheridan lead the goal scoring tables with players such as Glynn Snodin and John Stiles also featuring in this period. 1987 also saw the emergence of a shining young talent, David Batty.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
6) Top Man (1989-1990)
Manufacturer: Umbro | Sponsor: Top Man | Badge: Yorkshire Rose | Looked Good On: Vinnie Jones
The Top Man and Umbro combination lasted two seasons, first worn in 1989 it was an adaption of the previous seasons Burtons shirt. All white with blue and yellow cuffs it featured the football in a Yorkshire rose badge and saw Leeds rise from the shadow of the Second Division. Howard Wilkinson embarked on a £3 million spending spree at the start of the 1989-1990 season, his Top Man being Vinnie Jones for £600,000 from Wimbledon. Top scorer was Gordon Strachan but the arrival of Lee Chapman and Chris Kamara along with the emergence of Gary Speed from the junior ranks proved to be the final pieces in the promotion jigsaw for United. A win at relegation-threatened Bournemouth brought them promotion and also the Second Division title.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
For the top five Leeds United Shirts click here...
11) Packard Bell (1998-2000)
Manufacturer: Puma | Sponsor: Packard Bell | Badge: Shield | Looked Good On: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
The 1998 season saw the start of the O’Leary revolution. George Graham had lead Leeds to a 5th place finish in 1997-1998 but when he departed for Tottenham Hotspur in October 1998 his assistant David O’Leary took the reigns. The Puma/Packard Bell shirt worn under his first two seasons saw a 4th place finish and qualification for the UEFA Cup in 1998-1999 and a 3rd place finish and qualification for the Champions League in 1999-2000. The 1999-2000 UEFA Cup saw Leeds progress to the semi-finals with victories against Partizan Belgrade, Lokomotiv Moscow, Spartak Moscow, Roma and Slavia Prague sadly coming to an end on that tragic night in Istanbul. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Michael Bridges top scored in the shirt with the likes of Lee Bowyer and Ian Harte also wearing the shirt. The shirt was the first to feature the current ‘Euro Shield’ badge incorporating a Yorkshire rose in its first season and the now current football in a Yorkshire rose in its second season.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
10) Admiral Sportswear (1992-1993)
Manufacturer: Admiral | Sponsor: Admiral | Badge: Yorkshire Rose | Looked Good On: Gary Speed
The 1992-1993 season may not be regarded well by most Leeds fans, after the Lord Mayor's show comes the dust-cart, and after a league winning performance the season before Leeds finished 17th in the first Premier League season. August 1993 did see Leeds list the Charity Shield with a 4-3 victory over Liverpool at Wembley, Eric Cantona with a hat-trick and Tony Dorigo scoring the other. The season may not have been a classic but the Admiral shirt certainly was and it featured the classic football in a Yorkshire rose badge. Lee Chapman top scored whilst Jon Newsome, Chris Fairclough and Steve Hodge also wore the shirt. It was also the first Leeds shirt to appear in the UEFA Champions League, after a 2-1 victory over Stuttgart in a first round replay Leeds were knocked out 2-4 on aggregate by Rangers.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
9) Admiral Smiley (1977-1980)
Manufacturer: Admiral | Sponsor: None | Badge: Smiley | Looked Good On: Eddie Gray
For the first since the all white strip was adopted in the early sixties colour was added to the Leeds home shirt in 1976. With blue trim featuring yellow Admiral logos all down the sleeves it was definitely a child of the 70s. Variations of the kit were worn between 1976 and 1981 with badges ranging from the inverted smiley, smiley with ‘Leeds United AFC’ text and stylised peacock. The variation of the kit above was worn between 1977 and 1980. A difficult period for Leeds United saw the dismantling of the Revie side by Jimmy Armfield, Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan crossed the Pennines to perennial rivals Manchester United. In 1978 Armfield was replaced by Jock stein, for 44 days, before Jimmy Adamson took the reigns and guided Leeds to a 5th place finish in 1979. Leeds finished 11th in 1980, their worst performance since promotion. Players such as Ray Hankin, John Hawley, Carl Harris and Brian Greenhoff wore this 70s classic.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
8) All White, Owl Badge (1964-1971)
Manufacturer: Various | Sponsor: None | Badge: Owl | Looked Good On: Johnny Giles
Leeds United switched to an all white shirt in 1961, replicating the greatest football team in the world, Real Madrid. The first badge to appear on the all white shirts was the owl, despite Don Revie’s superstitions about birds. This stalwart was worn for most of the early Revie era from 1964 until 1971, it is one of the most decorated Leeds shirts in history and was worn as Leeds United won the league in 1970, the League Cup in 1968, Charity Shield in 1969 and Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968 and 1971. Don Revie built his great team during this period featuring the likes of Peter Lorimer and Johnny Giles. Other great players to wear the shirt early on in this period were Jim Storrie, Albert Johanneson and Alan Peacock.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
7) Burton (1986-1988)
Manufacturer: Umbro| Sponsor: Burton | Badge: Yorkshire Rose | Looked Good On: John Sheridan
Leeds United may have been in the second division during the 1986-1988 period but they had a kit with blink of first division proportions. Billy Bremner’s first full season in charge saw the changes rung with the likes of Denis Irwin and Scott Sellars departing and Peter Haddock and Jack Ashurst arriving. Leeds finished 4th in 1986 but sadly lost out on promotion after defeat to Charlton Athletic in a play-off replay at St Andrews. Leeds United were favourites to win the division in 1987 but after a dismal start the ended up a disappointing 7th. Ian Baird and John Sheridan lead the goal scoring tables with players such as Glynn Snodin and John Stiles also featuring in this period. 1987 also saw the emergence of a shining young talent, David Batty.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
6) Top Man (1989-1990)
Manufacturer: Umbro | Sponsor: Top Man | Badge: Yorkshire Rose | Looked Good On: Vinnie Jones
The Top Man and Umbro combination lasted two seasons, first worn in 1989 it was an adaption of the previous seasons Burtons shirt. All white with blue and yellow cuffs it featured the football in a Yorkshire rose badge and saw Leeds rise from the shadow of the Second Division. Howard Wilkinson embarked on a £3 million spending spree at the start of the 1989-1990 season, his Top Man being Vinnie Jones for £600,000 from Wimbledon. Top scorer was Gordon Strachan but the arrival of Lee Chapman and Chris Kamara along with the emergence of Gary Speed from the junior ranks proved to be the final pieces in the promotion jigsaw for United. A win at relegation-threatened Bournemouth brought them promotion and also the Second Division title.
Check out the range of Leeds United Retro Shirts available on Amazon.
For the top five Leeds United Shirts click here...
