Here at SoccerBible, we've opened our Kit Vault doors once more to bring you a true icon of the football shirt world! Worn by Arsenal FC between 1978-81, the long-sleeve red & white classic is widely regarded by Arsenal fans as the best looking Arsenal shirt ever made. Beauty in simplicity has rarely applied more to a football shirt!
There's nothing like an old-school football shirt to bring back memories of footballs staggeringly different past! This Arsenal shirt was worn during the blood and thunder of 70s/80s football where players didn't give a second thought about the colour of their boots!
The Arsenal No.11 was made famous by Graham Rix who was part of the famous 1979 FA Cup winning Arsenal side. Rix, who went on to make 464 appearances for Arsenal, played along side club legends such as Liam Brady, Pat Rice and Alan Sunderland who beat Manchester United 3-2 in the memorable '79 FA Cup Final. This was the clubs only success during this period.
The 1978-79 season was Arsenal's first in partnership with Umbro. For the first time, the Umbro logo appeared on the right side of the shirt. Umbro went on to be the kit manufacturer for the London club until 1986, eventually making way for adidas and Nike in 1994.
The 78-81 Arsenal home jersey was the last Arsenal shirt to be worn without a sponsor. In 1981, 'JVC' became the club's first shirt sponsor, eventually being replace by 'Dreamcast' in 2000.
With a simple design, the 78-81 home shirt stayed true to the Arsenal tradition. The stitched AFC letters alongside the famous Arsenal cannonball added a unique subtle touch to a great looking shirt. The club initials were the only change made to the white cannon since its introduction in 1967. The badge became known as the A-F-C 'cannonballs'.
Arsenal shirts have generally followed a simple and clean design, keeping to the iconic red and white colour combination of their home shirts. This Arsenal home shirt typifies the classic comfortable feel of 70s football shirts!
The traditional importance of this particular Arsenal shirt is evident in Arsenals current home strip today. The London club have played their 2010-11 season in a shirt that is a direct throwback to this original design of the 70s and 80s. For Arsenal fans, a simple red shirt with all white sleeves and red sleeve cuffs is the ultimate classic!
Stay tuned to the SoccerBible as we reveal even more retro soccer shirts from the Kit Vault, showcasing the best retro amd classic kits and bringing them back to life!