North Ferriby away shirt now on display at the National Football Museum

Friday 2nd of October 2020

Curators at the NationalFootball Museum in Manchester have run the rule over this season’s new football shirts and selected the country’s very best. The museum’s expert team pored over hundreds of shirts from Premier League, WSL, Women’s Championship and non-league and finally settled on a Top 25.

Many of the shirts in the Top 25 list will now enter the museum collection one of which is from Northern Counties East League Division One side North Ferriby. It is the best shirt in non league football, the top 25 in English Football and included in the top 20 in the world.

The Ferriby shirt has been manufactured by Hope and Glory who have packed a high level of attention into one shirt. Green and gold is a winning colour combination and the shirt has environmentally friendly credentials too as it’s made from recycled plastic bottles. 

From seafoam green to light-flash orange, from the zebras and dazzle ships to progressive pirates, bright football shirts are putting a zest into the game. Shirts inspired by city steelwork and those made from recycled plastic bottles, there has never been a more creative time for football shirt designers.

After weeks of scrutinising home, away and third shirts, museum curators have judged Bristol City’s away offering – a purple and lime creation designed by Hummel – as the most striking of the 20/21 campaign.

The Championship side fended off stiff opposition from Manchester City away (2nd), Everton third (3rd) and Arsenal home (4th), who all boast smart shirts this season. Two shirts from the Women’s game make the list: Bristol Rovers Women’s away (9th) and Lewes Women’s away (11th).

Four non-league clubs make the Top 25: North Ferriby away (6th), 1874 Northwich home (10th), Bury AFC away (19th), Halifax Town third (21st). Manchester United’s third strip – the ‘zebra’ was described by judges as ‘undeniably striking’ and finished 13th.

Jon Sutton, Head of Exhibitions at the museum said of the winning Bristol City shirt: “Purple and lime wouldn’t normally be considered a desirable combination, but this is an absolute banger.

“For Robins fans these colours also evoke memories of a famous night at Anfield in 1994 when they knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup. The pattern has a strong resemblance to the classic Netherlands shirt from 1988 which can’t be a bad thing. The goalkeeper shirts are quite something too!”

This is the very first time the museum has scrutinised football strips. Curators assessed look and style while also considering identity, historical stories behind shirts, revolutionary design features and green credentials.

The museum’s Top 25 comes at a time it has extended its Strip! How Football Got Shirty exhibition until Spring 2021 and the exhibition has more than 200 shirts on display. The museum also launches a new six-series podcast which delves further into the history and evolution of football shirts.

Sutton added: “We are witnessing something of a revolution in football shirt design – certainly in colour range and combinations.

“Many of these current shirts hark back to the 90s era. Clubs are getting bolder and more adventurous with their creations. It’s also fantastic to see non-league clubs making our Top 25 with some stunning efforts in the lower leagues.”

The team at the museum will be discussing everything to do with football shirts during a new podcast. The Strip! podcast is recorded live with new episodes released each Friday. The podcast is supported by The Space through funding from Arts Council England and the National Lottery.

The exhibition Strip! How Football Got Shirty is on at the National Football Museum until Spring 2021. The museum is currently open Thursday to Sunday. More information and tickets go to www.nationalfootballmuseum.com

All enquiries regarding the purchase of the North Ferriby away shirt at just £27.50 should be directed to Clubshop@northferribyfc.co.uk