I have managed to compile and draw a history of Watford kits from 1881 to the present day using my good old MS Paint. There are a good few gaps to fill (mostly the away kits from the early years up until the late 70s), so hopefully some of you can help on that front... Any mistakes I have made, let me know!
Yep, you got it spot on, it's not very exciting having no net access at work and nowhere to go on your lunch break!
I think calling me a liar is a little harsh. Yes, ok I admit I took the idea from that website, perhaps I should have reworded my original post to say I used the original templates. But most of the kits on there have been completely redrawn by myself - if you compare the original kitclassics.co.uk Watford page to my post, you will see huge differences with regard to detailing (shorts, shadow patterns), improvements, amendments (3rd and alternative kits) and additions with some of the older kits from the early years. I was actually planning to send this to the owner of that website to replace his page with my amended one. (he did with my Celtic one which he has credited me for) The reason as to why I posted it here was to find help in filling any gaps. (I think maybe Stevohorn, Paddy and some of the more experienced fans can help with that, most noteably the away kits from the 60s and early to mid 70s). I can also send the original GIF file to anyone who might want one?
It seems in the 1880-90's we played in pyjamas whilst in the 1980-90's we played in migraines. Progress.
You mean migrane-inducing? Some of them can't be that bad...can they? The 2005/06 Diadora home/away was the best kit Watford had in years IMO. It should have stayed for the Premier season with a 3rd kit (dark blue) coming out in the 2006/07 season? I also feel the all white 2003/04 Kit@ should have lasted another season, that all blue thing the season after was horrible! Trouble with football kits, because the money involved in football nowadays, clubs have to bring out new kits almost every season. Gone are the days when kits lasted 3 or more years with a few design tweaks. Most noteably the 1982 - 85 Umbro home kit. At first the shirt had a much thicker V-Neck band, was slightly more gold in colour and the Iveco sponsor was huge (because of advertising restrictions teams were only allowed to show their sponsored shirts on games that were not televised). The shorts and hose had been kept since 1976. The two seasons after (1983-85) the restrictions were lifted, the Iveco sponsor was slightly smaller, the collar band was slightly narrower, the club badge was tweaked and the shirt was more yellow than previous. The shorts were changed, the Umbro logo had the typeface introduced underneath the double rhombus logo, the colour bands on the sides had become narrower. If you found that interesting, great, if not, tuff!
I think we should go for something like the 1996-98 kit, but with a V collar and Black & Yellow stripes instead. The shorts and socks should either be all black or with some sort of yellow trim?
I'm afraid i'm not so good on away kits that far back. Scalexman might be worth contacting if you have any specific questions..he seems to know more about our kit history than anyone i have come across so far. This poster might be of some help to you. Its not very clear but you can make out a couple of away shirts from that era in the middle of the second row down (even back then they seemed to be either white or red) Also, i guess you might have come across this site before.. http://http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Watford/Watford.htm Home kits only..but the detail in the drawings is very good.
Kitclassics had more gaps so imo it's a good effort. Interesting looking back over them, the 95/96 away kit was horrible wasn't it?! I used to go with a mate who loved it, saying that my first ever tops were the ‘Simon Shepherd multicoloured goal keeping top and the blue/white away (from 93/94) kit so I clearly had no taste either!!
Would that be the Hummel goalie kit by any chance. Peter Schmeichel wore one very similar, if not identical for Denmark during Euro '92 if I remember correct?
Thanks Steve Most of the older kits (prewar) actually came from historicalkits.com as part of my research. I have come across that poster before but it's not very clear as you stated, plus the shorts and socks are missing, presumably they played in all red - all white during that period. Other sources I have used are: www.Historicalkits.com www.classicfootballshirts.co.uk www.kitclassics.co.uk (the core source for my templates) www.ebay.co.uk
