Premier League 2017/18: Every Away And Third Kit Ranked

Black is the new black.

PL Feature Away Copy
Puma/Umbro/Nike/Macron/New Balance/Adidas/Under Armour/Joma

Recently, we ranked every Premier League home kit, with the very clear criteria being that the further they deviated from tradition, the worse they were. In an ideal world, every team would wear an exact replica of a jersey from 1972. But this clearly isn't one.

For change strips however, this stringent set of rules is flung as far out the window as possible. Unless you're one of the tiny handful of teams who boast a long-established alternative kit, there's absolutely no reason for subtlety or restraint here: the more radical, risky, and downright degenerate the better.

We want colours B&Q only mix up on special order. We want eccentric patterns which would make Jackson Pollock balk. We want all concessions to common sense and good taste firmly ignored - and we want to pay £60 for the privilege.

Still, there IS a line to be drawn, and we reserve the right to hypocrisy. One or two kits this season really test the limits of ludicrousness. Sadly, the majority are disappointingly mundane.

In fact, there's only one truly eye-popping number being displayed on the Premier League's change kit catwalk. Some have described it as a 'disgrace'. We disagree.

If you haven't already skipped ahead to the juicy pictures, what are you waiting for? That hypocrisy we were talking about? It begins at the bottom of the list - with what's sure to be an unpopular choice...

27. Man Utd (Third)

PL Feature Away Copy
Adidas/Manchester United FC

Anyone who went on a cheap family holiday to Spain as a kid will immediately recognise this taccy watermarked mess as a knock-off kit available for 3500 pesetas (negotiable) from a beach-side market stall.

Apparently, Adidas allowed fans to design this third strip (but will still charge them £60), which explains it all, really. Closer inspection reveals a silhouette of the statue outside Old Trafford (blasphemously referred to as the 'Holy Trinity'), clearly inspired by nostalgia for this little beauty. Except there's further sacrilege: it lacks a collar! This is no way to honour King Eric.

It's somewhat surprising to see Man Utd return to a stony grey number after their infamous shellacking at the hands of Southampton in 1996 - the defeat blamed on a wardrobe malfunction. Best have those black away kits on stand-by when visiting St, Mary's, lads...

 
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Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.