We still get misty-eyed and sentimental about the 1990s here at Sartorial Soccer.
A time when football kit manufacturers had their felt-tips out and were not afraid to use them.
A time when bold colours and unique designs ruled the day.
A time when some clubs even had a stab at making their own kits!
Then we think about some of the underdog stories from the 90s and teams we still have a soft-spot for today, clubs like Tranmere Rovers.
Every supporter has their own association with clubs other than their own.
Those emotions may be triggered by an admired rival player (or a particularly filthy player for that matter!), a long held sense of injustice at a penalty decision or other such wrong-doing in the dim and distant past; and sometimes particular kits can stir wistful feelings in us.
Rovers’ Friday night matches, fixtures designed so as not to clash with Merseyside neighbours Everton and Liverpool, meant they were a “second club” for lots of supporters and reports from Prenton Park were a regular feature on Saint & Greavsie in the 80s and early 90s.
When manager John King brought former Liverpool striker and local-hero John Aldridge back home from Real Sociedad for a bargain £250k in 1991, the Republic of Ireland striker rewarded Rovers with a glut of goals in the autumn of his career.
Aldo was joined by Pat Nevin and bona-fide club legends like Ian Muir and John Morrissey in a team that flirted with promotion to the Premier League whilst pushing for silverware in the form of the League Cup.
Sadly, glory alluded them on both fronts.
In 1993, the Prenton Park outfit took on design responsibilities for their own kit under the Rover Sport brand, providing that team with an iconic look to be remembered by.
Worn for two highly eventful seasons in the life of the Birkenhead based club, the kit was ever-so-slightly reminiscent of Adidas’ designs of the era.
All the classic elements of a Tranmere kit were present, including sponsorship by Wirral Council, but the Superwhites added big green and blue panels to the shoulders and shorts to produce a truly memorable kit.
Tranmere Rovers fans have been blessed with some fantastic kits down the years, with efforts from EN-S and Mizuno also highly regarded on the Wirral.
For our money, this home kit with centrally placed badge and those bold, colourful shoulder panels is up there with the very best designs in Tranmere’s history and wholly deserves its status as a club classic.
Sartorial Soccer 