With the Premier League season on the horizon, it is time to put every new home kit in order of merit.
There have been a few things to keep in mind when ranking this term's kits.
Many of this campaign’s kits are notable for lack of sponsors, with Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United all revealing their new wares without a key brand partner on the front.
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Meanwhile, another trend has been luminous emblems, with badges on some kits essentially invisible from some angles.
Several teams have also persisted with gambling sponsors, though it will be another three years before they are banned from the front of a shirt.
With that in mind, here is a list of this term’s kits ranked from best to worst.
1.Wolves
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They may be set for a season of defeats, but they will look good while losing. Wolves have cleaned up the sponsor logo and added a lovely pattern to the V-neck and sleeve cuffs.
2. Sheffield United
It looks like Sheffield United’s Le Coq Sportif kit of 1997-99 which is a good thing. The black lining on the red and white stripes packs a punch while, so far, it has not been defaced by a sponsor.
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3. Manchester United
A lovely geometric pattern within the red while the lengthy Team Viewer sponsor actually fits onto the kit. This is Manchester United’s best home kit in years.
4. Chelsea
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There isn’t a sponsor just yet, which elevates Chelsea’s Nike attempt, while the iridescent crest and Swoosh are a touch of class.
5. Bournemouth
The Milan-esque stripes have reverted to type after last season’s zig-zag horror show. It’s a simple, sophisticated kit bound to please Cherries fans.
6. Everton
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The collar is very large - the kind you would see in a sepia-toned photograph of an old relative's school photo. Yet it’s a strong effort with a ‘story’. Indeed, its patterning is a nod to stadium architect Archibald Leitch.
7. Manchester City
Manchester City’s latest effort takes things back to the early Noughties. The lightly-striped sky blue and white collar is an ode to their Reebok kit from 2003/04, marking 20 years of the Etihad Stadium.
8. Fulham
A nice shirt with a touch of innovation on the sleeves. One of them has red stripes, the other white, which to a degree, works.
9. Newcastle United
No more garish sponsors. Thinner stripes. Much improved on last year’s ghastly effort.
10. Tottenham Hotspur
It’s like any other Tottenham kit, other than a subtle, on-trend pattern on its body and a return of white shorts for the first time in a decade. It’s all a bit meh.
11. Nottingham Forest
It is a crisp and simple design, but the lack of a sponsor does a lot of heavy lifting. It’s inoffensive, sure, but dull.
12. Arsenal
The jagged lines are jarring, while the gold might have packed more punch had they actually won the title last season. Points for effort, however.
13. Burnley
Not too bad at first glance though ironically it looks like a Villa kit. Moreover, its sponsor is a gambling operation.
14. Luton
It’s orange which feels novel. However, unfortunately, the white line fades, rather than stops. Umbro was perhaps doing a little too much with this attempt.
15. Liverpool
This is perhaps controversially low, but Liverpool’s Nike kit is just so safe, featuring a block red body and a clear white collar. It’s not ugly. Just forgettable.
16. Crystal Palace
The kit is a celebration of 10 unbroken years of Premier League football, with a return to the halves they wore a decade ago under Ian Holloway and Tony Pulis - that Avec attempt was one of the club’s worst-ever kits. This isn't much better.
Palace should always be in stripes. I don’t make the rules.
17. Brentford
Minus points for the faded black and the fact it has an enormous gambling sponsor plastered on the front. Ivan Toney, at some point, be wearing this kit. It all seems a bit tone-deaf.
18. Brighton and Hove Albion
When your kit is compared to a Tesco plastic bag season upon season you’d think it would be time for a change. Also, why does American Express get an expanse of blank space around its name, season upon season? But yes Brighton are admittedly good at football.
19. Aston Villa
A bookmaker plastered on the front, another ugly logo on the sleeve, while it’s always an issue when a Villa kit looks like a Burnley one. The pattern etched into the claret is also straight-up grim. Not good.
20. West Ham
There are bubbles on this kit. Bubbles the song is acceptable. Bubbles on a kit will leave the world of haute couture (and this humble SPORTbible writer) shocked, appalled and nauseous.
Topics: Sheffield United, Premier League, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Burnley, Brighton And Hove Albion, Aston Villa
Chris Byfield