Parma will celebrate 106 years of footballing history on Sunday as they take on Brescia in a kit inspired by a key episode in the club’s highly eventful past.
Parma Calcio 1913, known to their friends simply as Parma, have been through a number of guises since their foundation in, you guessed it, 1913.
For Sunday’s Serie A encounter with struggling Brescia at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, the Gialloblu will pay tribute to the moment fifty-years ago when football in the city survived a court order to close the club.
Back in 1968, and not for the final time in their history; financial issues led to the Parma’s liquidation and despite reforming as Parma Football Club in 1969; the promotion to Serie D of local boys Associazione Calcio Parmense presented a clear opportunity for professional football to continue in the city.
And so in January 1970, Parma’s title, sporting license, Crociata club colours and badge were formally adopted by AC Parmense . . . and the rest as they say . . . is football history.
The name of Parma would be famed throughout the world in the 1990s as a stupendously talented side, fuelled by the fortune of the Parmalat group, punched it out with European football’s elite before the boom years would again turn to bust.
After a series of 21st century bankruptcies, Parma have rebuilt the club from the floorboards up and have returned to the top table of Italian football.
It’s understandable therefore that Parma should wish to celebrate their birthdays and this year, Erreà remember the history of AC Parmense with a reproduction of the old club’s most famous kit.
First off, Parma’s badge is replaced by that of AC Parmense as the white top is embellished by a yellow and blue band that circles around the chest.
Coupled with the band of colour, the number of sponsors on display brings a vintage Giro d’Italia cycling shirt look to the design.
Only 400 replica shirts will be produced with the players’ matchworn kits to be auctioned off with funds raised going to the new oncology centre at the city’s Maggiore hospital.
We’ve seen a string of special edition anniversary kits in recent weeks with manufacturers bringing a range of invention and influence to their designs.
We love Erreà’s nod to Parma’s past and all the details from the historic badge to those hoops make this a very worthy winner of our latest Kit of the Week gong!
Sartorial Soccer 