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Kit archive
All-red Liverpool is one of the most recognisable silhouettes in football. But the club did not always play in red or wear the Liverbird. This archive traces seven defining eras rather than claiming a season-by-season catalogue.
Club season 2026-27
Filter by league, maker and official status, then compare buying advice before opening a retailer.
Founded
1892
FKB archive pick
1983-84 European Cup-winning Umbro Crown Paints home
Current manufacturer
Adidas
Source review
Reviewed 2026-07-13
FKB checked the broad chronology against the sources below. The archive deliberately groups notable periods; it does not claim to catalogue every season, variant or match-worn detail. Source links are editorial references, not buying routes.
Historical Football Kits · specialist secondary · checked 2026-07-13
Liverpool FC · primary · checked 2026-07-13
Liverpool FC · primary · checked 2026-07-13
Liverpool FC · primary · checked 2026-07-13
Liverpool FC · primary · checked 2026-07-13
Liverpool FC · primary · checked 2026-07-13
Archive → current season
Move from the historical overview into the current Adidas release evidence, fit guidance, comparison tools and trusted buying routes.
Open current Liverpool kit guide →A source-linked, decade-by-decade guide to Liverpool’s shirt evolution, manufacturers, sponsors and notable designs.
1890s–1900s
Blue and white quarters in the very first season, switched to red shirts with white shorts by 1896.
Liverpool were formed in 1892 after a split with Everton. The first kit was blue-and-white quartered — a pattern similar to the Everton shirts at the time. Within four seasons they'd adopted red shirts, but white shorts and black socks remained until 1964.
Era sources
1910s–1960s
Red shirt, white shorts, white socks with red trim. Collar varied by era.
For over 50 years Liverpool wore the classic red-over-white combination. The Liverbird emblem was added in 1950. Bill Shankly arrived in 1959 and began transforming the club — but the kit stayed traditional until his now-famous experiment in 1964.
Era sources
1960s–1970s
All-red Shankly revolution. Umbro badge appeared on shirts from 1973.
In 1964 Shankly asked Ian St John to try the all-red kit in the dressing room before a European tie against Anderlecht. Seeing the reaction, Shankly declared the all-red had given the team 'a psychological effect'. Liverpool won that match 3-0. The all-red has been the Liverpool home kit ever since.
Era sources
1980s
The golden Hitachi + Crown Paints + Candy eras. Chevrons, pinstripes, bold typography.
Liverpool's most dominant decade coincided with three strongly remembered shirt sponsors: Hitachi (1979-82), Crown Paints (1982-88), and Candy (1988-92). The 1983-84 Crown Paints home is tied to the league, League Cup and European Cup treble season.
Era sources
1990s
Carlsberg sponsorship era begins (1992). Gradient greens, diamond patterns, the infamous 1995-96 white-collared home.
Liverpool's 1990s wobbled between the classic and the experimental. The 1991-92 away kit (silver with green trim) is a cult classic. The Carlsberg sponsorship, which ran for 18 years, started in 1992 and became inseparable from the kit's identity. Reebok took over from Adidas in 1996 for a six-year run.
Era sources
2000s
The Istanbul 2005 Reebok shirt. Carlsberg on the front until 2010. Warrior debut 2012.
The 2004-05 Reebok home is forever associated with the Istanbul Champions League final comeback. Adidas returned in 2006 with a cleaner, more minimalist approach through Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard's peak years. Warrior took over in 2012 — a much-maligned three-year run featuring some of the club's least-loved kits.
Era sources
2010s–2020s
New Balance produced the famous 2018-19 Champions League-winning home. Nike took over with Standard Chartered remaining as sponsor.
The 2018-19 New Balance home is tied to Liverpool's Champions League-winning season. Nike supplied the club from 2020-25 before Adidas returned in 2025, reconnecting Liverpool with an earlier kit partnership.
Era sources
Adidas returned as Liverpool's kit manufacturer for 2025-26 after Nike's 2020-25 run. The 2026-27 home shirt continues that renewed Adidas era.
Bill Shankly switched Liverpool to all-red (red shorts, red socks) in 1964 — previously they wore white shorts. Shankly believed the all-red kit would make the team look more intimidating. Within five years of the change, Liverpool had won the league and the Cup.
Hitachi became Liverpool's first shirt sponsor in 1979, making it one of the earliest shirt sponsorships in English football history.
FKB’s archive pick is the 1983-84 European Cup-winning Umbro home with the Crown Paints sponsor. Other defining identities include the 2004-05 Istanbul Reebok home and the 1988-89 Candy home.
Collector decision
A search result can mix period originals, later official reissues, unlicensed remakes and counterfeit listings. Match the exact season, variant, maker label and sponsor treatment; then check condition, measurements, seller evidence and the returns policy before paying. Vintage sizing can differ from today’s chart, and old namesets or patches need their own provenance check.
These are listing searches built from a source-checked season, variant and maker. They are not authenticated product matches and do not prove originality, stock, price, condition, size or seller quality. Amazon links are paid; the CFS club search is not currently commissioned.
1983-84 · home · Umbro
The home shirt tied to the league, League Cup and European Cup treble season.
1989-90 · home · Adidas
The title-winning design officially referenced by the 2026-27 Liverpool home shirt.
2004-05 · home · Reebok
The home identity attached to the 2005 Champions League-winning season.
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