A limited edition purple coloured Everton football shirt has become the club’s fastest selling shirt.

Everton football club with a new Purple shirt have reached their target to raise in excess of £100,000 for the charity, Liverpool Unites, which campaigns to improve the lives of young people on Merseyside by inspiring them to break the cycle of crime and poverty.

The new limited edition football shirt sees an Everton crest on a purple shirt for the very first time in the club’s 131 year history and represents the adopted colour of the unique charity.

Club officials hope that the kit will be worn for at least one first team game this season, but nothing has yet been confirmed.

Each shirt will be individually boxed, numbered and presented with a certificate of authenticity.  The first release of this limited edition shirt will be on Friday 30 October.
On hand to launch the new limited edition shirt were Melanie and Stephen Jones, parents of eleven year old Evertonian Rhys Jones, and Everton Manager David Moyes together with Russian midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov who donned the new shirt at Finch Farm.

The shirt will be officially launched at a special black tie dinner to be held at Club Everton at Goodison Park on Thursday 29 October 2009. Members of the Everton first team squad and Blues heroes from days gone by will join over 200 special guests to celebrate the event and there will be plenty of surprises for those lucky enough to attend.

FootballShirtCulture.com remains your ultimate source for shirt news.

By James Bailey

Newcastle United and Ipswich Town will wear special commemorative shirts in memory of the clubs’ former manager Sir Bobby Robson when they meet at Portman Road next week.

Sir Bobby, who served both The Magpies and The Tractor Boys with great distinction during a decorated managerial career which spanned 40 years, passed away in July at the age of 76 after a long battle with cancer.

In the aftermath of his passing, both St. James’ Park and Portman Road were visited by thousands of fans from around the world wishing to pay their respects to the former England boss.

And The Football League has now granted special dispensation for the two sides to alter their playing kit for the game on 26th September.

The shirts bear the name of Robson’s charity, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, the names of the two teams and the date of the match.

After the game, the shirts are to be auctioned off in aid of Robson’s cancer research cause.

Real Madrid have unveiled their new 09/10 Champions League away kit made by Adidas.

The main difference compared to their league away kit is the appearance of a Spanish flag above the Santiago Bernabeu crest, the golden Adidas stripes and logo and a round collar. The symbol, which represents the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, is a tribute to Real Madrid and its football sanctuary.

It is a stage that has witnessed Real Madrid’s glorious accomplishments in sports and it reflects the essence and grandeur of the club. It will also host the final of this year’s Champions League final.

Also on the Champions League shirts are the traditional tributes to the European Cup and the nine titles won by Real Madrid and golden stripes and Adidas logo representing the golden days of Real Madrid and a retro-style round collar as a tribute to the shirt worn by Don Alfredo di Stefano, considered to be the best Real Madrid player of all time. These design details indicate the Club’s desire to recollect its glorious past with the goal of recovering the essence of the club to confront the future with the highest assurance of success.

The new Real Madrid away shirt has been designed to win. To gain in speed, in perspiration and in comfort. The secret lies in the incorporation of innovative textile technologies by adidas: Flow Mapping (new generation ClimaCool) and ForMotion that provide increased lightness, mobility and perspirability (new word there from adidas!).

Flow mapping technology increases air flow to provide more ventilation, thus guaranteeing maximum absorption and moisture transfer.  After studying the “body map,” mesh inserts were added to increase ventilation in the areas of the body that produce the most heat. The new radical cuts and three-dimensional design optimize fit and player comfort, providing for total freedom of movement.

For more shirt news, head over to FootballShirtCulture.com.

By James Bailey

Details are already leaking about the New England Away Shirt 2010, set to be a big seller ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

According to a report in the Daily Mirror, the new England away shirt 2010 will look very similar to the World Cup winning shirt of 1966.

Due for launch next spring, the new England away shirt is said to be all red featuring a small V Neck with all white shorts.

Umbro have recently been very successful with the England home kit which was traditional and promoted as tailored.

The new England shirt, soon to be paired with an all red new England away shirt.

The sales potential of the new England away shirt will be vast in the run up to the World Cup, so Umbro will be keen to ensure they get the new design right.

It is thought that the new England away shirt will cost around £40-£45 and the shorts £20-£25.

West Ham United announce the signing of new long-term agreements with SBOBET and Macron. 

Italian kitwear manufacturers Macron will be the club’s official technical partner for three years from the start of the 2010/11 season. Having recently joined forces with Serie A side SSC Napoli and working already with Portuguese league leaders SC Braga, Macron were keen to make West Ham United a major part of their growing portfolio of top-flight elite European clubs.

Principal partners SBOBET, the Isle of Man-licensed and regulated online sportsbook and casino operators, have extended their agreement with the club until the summer of 2013. The SBOBET brand will appear on all official replica kit and training wear used by Gianfranco Zola’s squad, as well as being represented on all club media platforms.

West Ham United CEO Scott Duxbury said both deals, the terms of which are undisclosed, would be of huge benefit to the club.

  In these challenging times, I am pleased we have secured our principal and technical partners on long-term contracts. These contracts ensure over the coming years that the club has secured significant revenue to assist in the continued improvement of Gianfranco’s playing squad.

Commercially the club is going from strength to strength and these partnerships provide a strong foundation for the club to continue to grow and achieve success. SBOBET and Macron are dynamic companies and they are very much part of our vision for the future.

SBOBET originally joined forces with West Ham United in December 2008, impressing the club with its understanding of the long-standing commitment to the Bobby Moore Fund, which reached a new level with the signing of a formal three-year partnership.

The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK logo will continue to be carried on all kits worn by the club’s Academy sides as well as on child replica strips.

Founded in 1971, Macron is based in Crespellano, near the Italian city of Bologna. In recent years, the company has rapidly expanded its portfolio of high-profile clients, and as well as Napoli also provides kit for Serie A clubs Bologna FC 1909 and Cagliari Calcio 1920.

Macron also manufactures high-quality playing and training wear for basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby. It has links throughout Europe and operates under the message - work hard, play harder.

And in other news from the Premiership, the new Manchester City 09/10 third kit has been officially unveiled. Many City fans have been waiting for the full unveiling of the kit and they won’t be disappointed. The kit goes back to the Seventies and is probably best described as a ‘classic remastered’. The kit designer, David Blanch, definitely thinks so:

  The third kit is something that I believe is very special. It’s a modern interpretation Of City’s original sash design. However, we have moved the sash design to the other side. One of the reasons for doing this is that we wanted to draw attention to the crest, and this was done with the full support of the club and the club’s sponsor, Ethiad.

It was important that the sash did not distract from the crest but instead created a frame for the crest. If we did it the other way the diamond would dominate and this wasn’t something we wanted to do. Sure, we could have moved the crest over to its original position but we felt it was important to keep the crest where it belongs - above the heart. With the sponsor, we wanted to make sure that it wouldn’t interfere with the sash. For the last decade, or so, any shirt with a design across the front is compromised with a space where the sponsor sits. Well this is a pure football kit and the sponsor - whether it is a brand or a manufacturer - should look to compliment the kit. By placing the sponsor under the crest and not breaking the sash, we’ve blended contemporary with traditional design. This goes to show that innovation isn’t always about technology.

When I look at the final product, I’m really pleased because it makes such a statement. It stands out from the crowd - globally as well as domestically - in a way we haven’t seen for years. I’d like to think that this kit demonstrates that a sponsor can enhance a design rather than compromise it.”

For all other shirt stories click on over to footballshirtculture.com

By James Bailey

Borussia Dortmund unveil their 100th Anniversary football shirt made by Kappa.

In the presence of numerous BVB Stars the extraordinary outfit was presented in Borusseum. Following the “Golden Decade” of BVB, Kappa and Borussia have decided to develop a special jersey which shows their achievements.

The classic design of the anniversary shirt is inspired by the legendary floodlight shirts used in 1963, in which BVB, defeated Benfica 5-0. “With this special design, we would like to congratulate BVB with their anniversary and relive the amazing history of Borussia Dortmund,” said Cornelia Schmidt, managing director of Kappa GmbH Germany.

Meanwhile in Spain, Gibraltar based gaming company William Hill and Malaga CF have signed a sponsorship contract for the next three years, where the William Hill brand will be displayed on the front of the Malaga CF shirts. The new sponsors will also have major brand presence at Malaga’s home ground, La Rosaleda.

The prestigious gambling company has 75 years of history. It has over 15,000 employees and serves customers from 175 countries across the world.

The agreement strengthens Malaga CF’s relationship with the British and Irish communities on the Costa del Sol, whilst William Hill associates itself with a La Liga Club which shares the same goals: to keep on improving every day and to be the best.

The Andalusian club start their La Liga season with a home match against Atlėtico Madrid on Sunday.

Henry Birch, CEO of William Hill said: “We are delighted to have come to this agreement with Malaga FC.  Malaga is the closest La Liga club to our business base in Gibraltar and we really wanted to be involved with a club that we could support both from a business perspective and in person to share the passion that La Liga generates.
As well as the huge Spanish fan base on the coast, we know that Malaga also has a huge ex-patriot following in this part of the country, a legion of supporters who already know the William Hill name and we hope that this sponsorship will bring the brand to the fore with the legions of football fans from all the clubs across Spain.

When the ‘Anchovies’ play Barca or Real, we won’t be the underdog, we’ll be here to watch them surprise the big guns!”

Fernando Sanz, President of Málaga Club de Futbol said: “For our Club, this is a great honour to have been selected by such a well-known and respected company as William Hill. Especially, when this is the company´s first sponsorship with a such high-level competition such as Primera División.

Malaga CF has been related for a long time with the British and Irish communities. A month ago, our team played against Everton at Goodison Park and we have also held an Under 21 England National Team match in La Rosaleda. With this agreement, we go up one step again in our relationship with the British community in Costa del Sol”.

For all the other main stories about football shirts visit FootballShirtCulture.com

By James Bailey

1949 saw the formation of the Adidas company by Adolf (Adi) Dassler, after a falling out with his brother. Adidas is celebrating its 60 year anniversary.

The global football brand began back in 1949 when Adi Dassler registered his company “Adi Dassler adidas Schuhfabrik”, though little did he know that, 60 years later, the brand with the 3-Stripes would achieve the success and worldwide recognition it holds today.

This year, Adidas celebrates its 60th anniversary with a look back at the greatest moments in its history.

It still seems an unlikely story: a modest shoemaker from a small rural town in Germany develops a range of sports products so original and so perfect that they are sought by athletes from all over the world. As he indulges his passion for sport and for innovation, he creates a brand as great as any in the world. An unlikely story, but not impossible. To Adidas, Impossible is Nothing.

May it be Nadia Comaneci’s perfect 10, Bob Beamon’s jump into the history books, the Miracle of Bern or Stefanie Graf’s Golden Slam – Adidas was always a part of the greatest moments achieved on the pitch, the court and the fields around the world, displaying the same passion and innovative spirit Adi Dassler started the company with all those years ago. And it is these stories that still inspire Adidas 60 years later - and will continue to do so for the decades to come.

“Adi Dassler’s interest and passion for sport were the focal point of his life. He regarded it as his task to help all athletes perform better by providing them with the best possible product. Adidas has remained true to this mission for six decades and has thus become one of the best known and most popular brands in the world. The motivation of our company founder and his close association with sport will continue to shape our path in future on our way to becoming the world’s leading sports brand,” says Erich Stamminger, President of the Adidas brand.

Adi Dassler died in 1978, at the age of 78, but his ideas, his efforts and passion still live on today. With new innovations, new divisions and new developments, Adidas still relies on its founder’s motto which is now represented by the brand’s attitude: Impossible is Nothing.

Displaying Adidas’s command in the world of football today, the company has just announced a 5-year, £5million per annum kit deal with the Scotland national football team.

Scotland’s six-year, £1million per year relationship with Diadora was terminated last month, after the Italian kit suppliers went bust and although Scotland will continue to wear Diadora shirts for the two remaining World Cup qualifiers, the deal with Adidas, which will be the biggest in the Scottish national team’s history, will come into effect after the 2010 qualifying campaign.

For more news about Adidas and all other kit manufacturers visit FootballShirtCulture.com

By James Bailey

Notts County may have caused mass media interest recently due to the appointment of former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson as Director of Football, yet it is their new football shirt sponsorship deal we are focusing on. County announced that it has signed an agreement with Nike to be the club’s kit supplier after ending their deal with Vandanel last week.

Medoc, the Nottingham-based technology solutions company has also been confirmed as the home shirt sponsor. Medoc sponsored the Notts County FC Centre of Excellence last year, and was shirt sponsor to the Club between 2006 and 2008.

The new Notts County FC 09/10 strip was worn for the first time by the team in their season opener against Bradford City at Meadow Lane over the weekend, in which the team demonstrated why they are tipped for promotion.

The official launch of the kit will be on Friday 21 August, when the replica kits go on sale in the Club Shop and Online.

Commenting on the agreement, Peter Trembling, Executive Chairman of Notts County FC, said: “We are delighted to announce this agreement with a manufacturer of the calibre of Nike.This underlines further our ambitions to develop Notts County and its brand internationally, by signing with a global manufacturer who works with the footballing elite day-to-day.”

Local rivals Derby County have unveiled the Rams new 09/10 away kit made by Adidas.

Hundreds gathered at the Westfield Centre to see Rams goalkeeper Stephen Bywater, defender Miles Addison and midfielder Robbie Savage model the new kit which is available to buy now. Last month the Rams unveiled their new home kit for the 2009-10 campaign but they will keep their third strip, featuring blue and white stripes, which was used last season in their first full season under the guidance of Nigel Clough.

Elsewhere in the Football League, Charlton Athletic have revealed their new blue and black striped away kit for the 2009/10 campaign, which went on sale for the first time before the start of the season last Saturday.

And with stocks of the new red home kit again running low following a high number of sales, supporters were be able to purchase the new away jerseys for the first time last weekend.

Charlton retail manager Michael Rea said: “Given how late in the summer we finalised the new sponsorship deal with Kent Reliance Building Society, we’re really pleased to be able to have launched both new kits before the start of the season.

“Despite the delivery problems, sales have been really good for the red home shirts, and we’re expecting the away kit to be just as popular.”

The away kit, which features black shorts and black socks with a blue band around the top, is reminiscent of the seahawk and blue denim away kit that the Addicks wore two seasons ago.

“The seahawk and denim kit was one of the most sought after kits in recent years, so we’re urging supporters who want to get their hands on the away kit to purchase it as early as possible,” added Rea.

For all news with regards to football shirts visit FootballShirtCulture.com

By James Bailey

With clubs around the globe releasing their new shirts left, right and centre here’s a round-up of news from Italy, Turkey and England.

The new set of shirts for Fiorentina.

Beginning in Italy, Fiorentina have unveiled their new 09/10 kits made by Lotto. With the home shirt maintaining its purple tradition, it is surprising to know that, when the club was founded in 1926, the players wore red and white halved shirts derived from the colour of the city emblem. The more well-known and highly distinctive purple kit that remains to this day was adopted in 1928, giving rise to the nickname La Viola (”The Purple (team)”). Legend has it that Fiorentina got their purple kit by mistake after an accident washing the old red and white coloured kits in the river.

The away kit in contrast has always been predominantly white, sometimes with purple and red elements, which do indeed feature in the new design. Whilst Fiorentina’s third kit has altered in shade and design, the red shirt which reappears this coming season has been the most worn third shirt by Fiorentina, interrupted by yellow shirts (’97-’98 and ‘99-’00) and a sterling version, mostly during the Coppa Italia, in 2000-01.

Bari’s home and away shirts for the new campaign.

Remaining in the European nation, AS Bari have unveiled their new 09/10 home and away football shirts made by Errea. Following the foundation of the club in 1908 the players wore red shirts with white shorts when they would play against English sailors at the San Lorenzo field in the San Pasquale area of Bari, however 101 years on the home shirt is now coloured white, with red being used for the away shirt.

Galatasaray’s newly launched 09/10 kits made by Adidas.

Meanwhile in Turkey both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce released their new shirts. Speaking at the launch of the new Adidas kits, Galatasaray Technical Director Frank Rijkaard said: “I’m very happy with Galatasaray. We’re starting a new season with a new uniform and with very good form, so I think we will be very successful”.

The Fenerbahce football shirts.

Whilst the new Adidas Fenerbahce kits, unveiled at the Fenerbahce Sükrü Saracoglu Stadium, comprise of a new yellow-white striped away shirt and a catchy navy shirt to add to the new striped home design, the legendary shirt synonymous with Fenerbahce.

In England, shirt releases have been non-stop with Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea leading the way. Whilst Wigan Athletic have followed in suit by unveiling their very own 09/10 away kit, made by Vandanel and if the club’s future is as bright as the garment itself, supporters will have no complaints this season! The kit is modelled on one of the best teams ever to grace a football pitch, the 1978 Dutch side who took the world by storm with their total football. 1978 is of course the year that the Latics claimed their place in the Football League and following a meteoric rise, look forward to a bright future in the Club’s forthcoming Barclays Premier League season. The retro kit manufactured by technical kit partner Vandanel, features Club Principal Sponsor 188BET and a unique sleeve design.

Mario Melchiot, Club Captain and Dutch international, welcomes the new kit as homage to the two great events in 1978, “It’s a nice design and obviously players like Daniel (de Ridder) and myself will appreciate the reference it also holds to such a great team. The new manager we have certainly values the importance of keeping possession and working our way around teams so hopefully it’ll have a positive influence on us.”

Paul Hunt Commercial Director comments, “It was an unenviable task to follow the new home kit but Vandanel have delivered the Club another quality kit. I am sure it will be a favourite with the fans and will certainly brighten up the new Club Shop!”

For all the latest shirt news, visit FootballShirtCulture.com

By James Bailey

There’s never a dull moment at Eastlands these days. New players seem to arrive every 5 minutes and the moment they do so, they are fitted up with the latest City gear.

Today is no exception as the City away kit for 2009 / 2010 goes on pre order ahead of the launch on 15th August.

Manchester City away shirt 2009 / 2010

Speaking about the new kit, designer David Blanch said:

All of the kits have a resonance in some way with both the club and the city. The away kit was partly inspired by the Manchester’ Bee’s (a symbol of hard work and used in the city’s coat of arms) industrious connotations and colour symbolism; which for me was power, strength and confidence.

As with the home kit, colour balance is a really important factor. That said the away kit needed to look both bold and imposing. We chose to use the gold from the crest and use it at the shoulders to focus the upper body to open up the chest and define the upper torso.

The rest of it is completely black. In relation to the black, this creates a completely different personality to the home shirt but both speak about the club’s heritage.

As with the new home shirt, the away version features the brand new club crest which has been re-mastered by the Umbro team. Explaining the process, Blanch said:

Every stitch on the crest has been specifically drawn. From the beginning, we knew we wanted to create the best looking City crest ever. The aim was to make the crest look so technically crafted, using the most technical machines available to us but combine that with the sensibility that is associated with craftsmanship.

What we wanted to move away from was making the crest too flat; we needed to breathe life back into the crest and make it really stand out from the shirt.

With the crest, we have embedded it onto the shirt. Each stitch has been carefully considered.

Two shirts down, one to go. Chelsea have already revealed details of two shirts for the new campaign - the home version (so-so) and the away (top effort).

Now it’s the turn of the third kit which is available to pre-order now ahead of it’s launch on 27th August.

Chelsea Third Shirt 2009 / 10

The new adidas third kit is white with silver pinstripe hoops and has incorporated the highest sporting technology and design standards into the shirt.

Engineered mesh in the fabric on the front of the shirt, coupled with the 3D Formotion cut allows complete freedom of movement. Waffled Climacool fabric and mesh panelling across major sweat zones will increase comfort and ensure players remain cool and dry.

The 3-stripes, neckline and sleeves are popped with dark navy which ties in the shorts and socks to give a very classic and stylish finish to the shirt. The crest is executed in the tonal colours of the shirt to give a great look to the kit as a whole.

Get your hands on the new Chelsea third shirt, Order Here

We do like a good list at Footy Boots. And what better way to celebrate the release of the Manchester United away kit for the new season than by putting together the 1 to 10 most popular shirts of the summer.

We’ve trawled through the records at the Footy Boots Shop and can now reveal which shirts have made it to our exclusive countdown.

Manchester United Home Shirt 2009/10

The release of this shirt was a cloak and dagger affair masterfully handled by the club and Nike.

The shirt takes it’s inspiration from the teams that first played at Old Trafford as the ground celebrates its centenary.

Some have argued that it resembles a previous Mexico World Cup shirt - but you can’t dispute the figures. It’s the number one best seller - FACT.

Order the Manchester United Shirt - Here - U.S.

Liverpool Away Shirt 2009/10

Hot on the heels of Manchester United come Liverpool and  their away shirt in black and gold, or to use the official description, phantom and gold trim.

Most Liverpool fans agreed that its a vast improvement on the kit used in season 2008 / 2009, hence its massive popularity.

Order the Liverpool Away Shirt 2009/10 - Here - U.S.

Real Madrid Home Shirt 2008/09 with Ronaldo 9 printing

You just can’t keep keep Cristiano Ronaldo out of the news.

He goes to Madrid for £80 million, and then 80,000 fans turn up at the Bernabeu to see him paraded by the club.

And amazingly, its an individual players shirt that takes the number 3 spot.

Order Real Madrid Home Shirt 2009/10 - Here - U.S.

Real Madrid Home Shirt 2009/10

So with CR selling shirts like hot cakes, or should that now be hot tapas, it only seemed fair to make the number 3 spot a shared position with the Real Madrid club.

Mind you, they’ll need to shift a few more of these to claw back the millions they’ve spent on the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema.

Order Real Madrid Home Shirt 2009/10 - Here - U.S.

Chelsea Away Shirt 2009/10

Chelsea’s home shirt for the coming campaign got something of a mixed reaction but fans have gone potty for the away version.

No wonder really as it’s got all the makings of a classic.

The dark navy and neon yellow affair doesn’t feature the home shirts chest panelling and is miles better for it.

Order the Chelsea Away Shirt 2009/10 - Here - U.S.

Italy Confederations Cup Shirt

Not only did PUMA do a great job with this shirt, but also with the entire King XL Italia range.

A shame then that Italy were about as useful at the Confederations Cup as Kate Moss at an ‘eat all you can buffet’.

Still, you can’t argue with style and this shirt has bags of it.

Order the Italy Confederations Cup Shirt 2009/10 - Here - U.S.

Barcelona Home Shirt 2009/10

Perhaps a surprisingly lowly position for a club that won a unique treble last year.

Mind you, nothing much changes with the Barca home shirt and why should it, being an iconic look in the world of football.

The shirt sports the unicef charity logo again but with all the superstars now gathered in Madrid, will it be Barca who need a helping hand?

Order the Barcelona Home Shirt 2009/10 - Here - U.S.

England Home Shirt 2009/11

Fair play to Umbro. Their marketing campaign ahead of this shirt’s release was spot on and that’s refelcted in a top 10 position.

A world away from some of the more recent (and some might say tacky) England shirts, this design exudes thought, skill and tons of traditional tailoring ability.

Each England player has his own fitted version, but the design even lends itself favourably to Joe Public.
Order the England Home Shirt 2009/11 - Here - U.S.

Arsenal Away Shirt 2009/10

Not the first time that the Gunners have chosen blue for an away kit. They first time they did so was in 1918 since when, it’s featured a total of 8 times.

Preferred by many Arsenal fans to next season’s home kit.

It even got a few votes of support from Man Utd supporters which is really saying something.

Just shows you that pinstripes don’t have to be confined to the boardroom.

Order the England Home Shirt 2009/11 - Here - U.S.

Aston Villa Home Shirts 2009/10

Do what, we here you cry. Aston Villa? What about Everton, Spurs or Man City? Well, what about them?

The figures don’t lie and Villa are worthy of their number 9 slot.

They’ve got a top manager in Martin O’Neill, they’ve done the business on the pitch and even their most ardent critics agree that this is their best shirt for years.

Order the Aston Villa Home Shirts 2009/10 - Here - U.S.

Celtic Away Shirt 09 -11

A cracking shirt but will it be seen beyond the confines of the Scottish border after the club’s defeat by Dynamo Moscow in Champions League qualifying? The smart money says not.

It’s certainly striking, ironic really given the chances they missed last night.

Already affectionately known in the trade as the ‘bumble-bee!

Order the Celtic Away Shirt 2009/11 - Here - U.S.

So there you have it. The best top 10 list we’ve come up with on Footy Boots since…..well, since the last one we did.

By the way, which shirt do you prefer from these recent releases? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Following on from the successful launch of the Manchester United home kit last month, the club and Nike have now released details of the away strip for the 2009 / 10 season.

On pre-order today ahead of the full launch on August 13th, the strip follows the inspiration of the home kit which itself drew on a number of design features that pay homage to the side that first played at the Theatre of Dreams in this, the Old Trafford ground’s centenary year.

The new shirt features a large chevron across the chest, which echoes the same pattern United wore on their shirts during the 1909-10 season when Old Trafford first opened.

The distinctive angle of the chevron also directly replicates the one found at the bottom of the club crest containing United’s red devil.

The chevron augments the upper chest area of the shirt and Nike maintain that it gives United’s players an even bigger and more intimidating appearance.

The shirt also includes a number of other new elements. The entire back of the shirt has an engineered mesh, which is a series of small chevrons, a performance feature to offer players even greater ventilation during games.

The shirt is made from Nike Dri-Fit fabric, which keeps players drier, cooler and lighter by drawing sweat from the body to the fabric’s surface, while its three-dimensional construction gives more air space around the skin to reduce clinging.

To pre-order your Manchester United away kit for 2009 / 2010, click here.

Having spent more than 200 million Euros in the last month on global stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Raul Albiol and Karim Benzema, Real Madrid are now looking to finalise another lucrative deal.

According to the Spanish newspaper El Pais, Real Madrid have asked sponsors adidas to double the amount the company pays the club annually to 60 million Euros.

It is believed Real’s new president Florentino Perez is seeking the renegotiation of the contract with the German sporting goods manufacturer, which runs until 2012 and according to sources close to the club a refusal by adidas to comply could push Real to take their business to the company’s US rival Nike.

Besides adidas, Real have several other sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Audi, Bwin and Telefonica, which combined pay them some 130 millions Euros a year, around one third of the club’s revenues of 400 million. It is likely the club will need to bring in as much money as possible after such a costly summer transfer spree.

Hannover 96 have gone public with their kits for 2009 / 2010 and while kit launches are ten-a-penny at this time of year, this was of particular significance as the kit has been made by Under Armour.

The American ‘Base Layer’ manufacturers are some way through a concerted effort to make a splash in Europe, not just by designing kits, but also through their new football boot range made up of the Create Pro and Dominate Pro.

Indeed, there’s a nice little tie up at the German club as international striker Mike Hanke wears the Create Pro.

So while the snappers were getting busy, Footy Boots reporter Mark Terry-Lush asked him a few key questions with regards to his boots and next season.

FB: Mike, you’re wearing the new UA Create boots. What do you like about them?

MH: They are very light, comfortable and give me a great touch on the ball. Not only do they look cool, they perform fantastic.

FB: What are your feelings and hopes for the new season?

MH: I am hoping to play better than last season and for the team to come together and perform as we would like. I’m confident that we can do better this season, perhaps the new boots will bring me luck.

FB: Do you fancy your chances getting a place in Europe?

MH:  [laughs] We have to play well here [Bundesliga] first and that’s what I am focused on.  All I can do is play well and aim for a place in the starting 11 each week.

FB: You played for Germany in 2006, do you have hopes that you will be selected for World Cup 2010 in South Africa?

MH: Of course I would like to play for my country, but it’s not important to me right now, my focus is on Hannover96 and doing the best I can for the new season.  Of course if I play well anything can happen, there is plenty of time.  Next year is next year, we’ll see what happens.

Back in Spain, Real’s local rivals meanwhile have unveiled their brand new shirts, which coincidentally are sponsored by Nike. Atletico Madrid’s distinctive and emblematic ‘rojiblanco’ jersey has been modified in several aspects.

To begin with, the number of stripes has been increased and they are therefore thinner, with the central part of the front of the jersey being red. This change is to get closer to the beginnings of the Atleti vest. Another notable difference is the recovery of the polo-type collar, which will be red, after several years without one. The Spanish flag will remain on the rear part of the collar.

Made with breathable fabric for greater comfort, the name and number printing on the striped jersey will be the same as that from last season, blue with platinum borders. What has changed is the inscription on the inside of the collar, which will be changed from ‘Bendita afición’ (‘Blessed fans’) to ‘Espíritu de superación’ (‘Overcoming spirit’). Furthermore a small label appears on the shirt, with ‘Atlético de Madrid’ on one side and ‘1903’, the year in which the Club was founded, on the other.

And finally, the shorts will remain the traditional blue colour, with a red stripe down the sides, while the socks will be red with a blue stripe.

The second kit to be worn by all of the teams which form the ‘rojiblanco’ organization is undoubtedly very novel and attractive. Black is the colour chosen for the 2009/2010 campaign, both for the jersey and the shorts.

Fellow Spanish side Valencia have unveiled their new 09/10 kits made by Kappa. A specially designed kit includes the names of former players written in the shape of a bat and commemorates the 90th birthday of the club by paying tribute to all the men who have defended the team on the pitch.

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By James Bailey