Classic shirts # 2 - Aston Villa 1985


This shirt is probably not a classic to anybody else and was probably Villa's biggest break with tradition since in 1969-70 when Tommy Docherty introduced a shirt without blue sleeves. This shirt went even further in that not only didn't it have blue sleeves it also didn't have a lion badge, instead it just had AVFC written on it. Mind you, it prepared Villa fans for the pyjamah kit by Hummel that followed.

At least this one was unique. It was made by Icelandic firm Henson, who still make sporting equipment, but whose biggest news of recent years was a Man United shirt commemorating the Munich air disaster anniversary last year that was available in Iceland and Denmark.

It was a special shirt for me, as although it was worn in the era of under achiever Graham Turner and manager of disaster, Billy Mc.Neill, it was during the period when I started going regularly and I even had a subbuteo team in the kit. It was also a unique design that will always be a classic to me.

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