As if the bright lights of the newly formed Premier League wasn’t enough to grab the attention of the average football fan, the 90’s was a golden age of of truly unusual, sometimes unsettling, goalkeeper kit design.
Seemingly frustrated with the more often than not standard green fare throughout the 70’s and 80’s, the loneliest position on the pitch would now stick out like a bucket of paella left in the Spanish sun. Whilst its absolutely possibly to recreate these efforts via custom football shirts services, most designs have been left in the past, merely existing in the nostalgia filled minds of terraces up and down the land.
Without wanting to forget the likely lads of horrendous keeper kit design, ie the shirts worn by Mexico’s Jorge Campos and Liverpool’s David James, here are some kits from the 90’s that verged on eye abuse for any oncoming strikers unlucky enough to be put through on goal.
1. Huddersfield Town 1993-1994
Kevin Blackwell, was the poor sod instructed to wear this abomination. Whilst the abuse of colour is bad enough, the fact that its composition sends your Iris’s into such a tiz must have annoyed the clubs sponsor intensely.
The shirt didn’t seem to hinder the side too much however as Huddersfield finished in 11th place, with a good run in the Autoglass Trophy resulting in Wembley final for the first time since the 1938 FA Cup Final.
2. Southend 95/96
A Christmas jumper from someone who hates you? No this was genuinely the kit given to the Seasiders’ no.1 Simon Royce.
An array of fused together drawn patterns accompanied with olive sleeves and matching shorts/socks.
Come the end of the season the shirt had so much kinetic energy it would become the standout performer from an otherwise unremarkable eventual 12th placed finish in Division 2.
3. Japan 1998
As exhibited by the countries then no.1 Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, this entry is purely here because it reminds us of the classic ‘flame shirts’ that were around at the time.
Making their first ever Word Cup in 1998, The design failed to ‘ignite’ the Japanese, with the side limping out at the group stage after three defeats to Argentina, Croatia and Jamaica.
4. Liberia 1996
They may have had World Footballer of the Year George Weah up front, Liberia still however had no chance of World Cup Qualification with this messy effort.
5. Sunderland 1994/1995
All before joining fierce rivals Newcastle, a wet behind the ears Shay Given began his footballing career with this monstrosity whilst on loan at Sunderland.
The only consolation presumably being that he could cover it up on the bench whilst then number one Alec Chamberlain had to suffer.