Image from footyheadlines.com

Sound the Hummel horn.

First appearances can be deceiving. With a quick glance this looks like a smart red shirt with some white trim, and that is the case, but there is absolutely loads more going on that just that.

This shirt is all about the club and the city, with a range of well-thought-out touches, but it’s well designed so will likely resonate with shirtheads wherever they’re Bristolian or not.

The shirt itself is a tribute to the ‘Ashton Gate 8’, a group of 8 players that tore-up their own contracts to save the club from financial ruin in 1982, now Robins heroes all of them. Look closely at the red and there are the stripes the 8 would’ve worn if they hadn’t fallen on their swords. Look even closer and there are Robins in the stripes. Look inside the back hem and their names are printed, look inside the neck and there’s a graphic of each of them, and look at the back of the neck and there’s a graphic including their names.

There’s more! Look inside the neck and a collection of seemingly random flags actually spell out ‘Bristol City Football Club’ in the maritime flag alphabet, referencing Bristol’s nautical heritage. But you knew that, of course…

Added to all the sentimentality is the design fluff – smart white trim on the cuffs and neck, a dash at the foot of the flanks, and those classic Hummel chevrons.

My only grumble is the big betting company logo slapped across the middle, but I imagine there’s plenty not bothered about that.

If you’re a youth, it seems like you’ve got a couple of options in the absence of you having legal gambling credentials – a massive heart-shaped yoghurt logo (as also worn by Bristol City Women FC), or no sponsor at all. The latter is very Denmark-ish, but is probably my favourite option even though I feel kid’s normally get short changed by no sponsor.

Maybe I can convince them I’m just a giant kid?

8.7/10

Author: Greg Sykes @SykesGreg