With a bevy of iconic designs from over the years, we take a look at the best Newcastle United kits of all time.
Following their controversial Saudi Arabia-backed takeover and Champions League qualification success, Newcastle United returned to adidas, the kit supplier that the club is perhaps most synonymous with. The announcement that the two would partner again for the first time since the 2009-10 season was music to fans’ ears, with the majority rejoicing at the fact that the “good days” are back.
After one season under the Three Stripes imprint, Newcastle has become one of the brand’s “Elite” teams, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Arsenal.
So what does “Elite” mean, aside from a badge of prestige? In addition to receiving top-level tech in their kits, each adidas “Elite” team receives more attention when it comes to kit design, and often more lifestyle collections and special edition releases. More recently, adidas has given its top-tier clubs bespoke third kits with the iconic retro Trefoil logo, which has been a resounding success.
Newcastle’s kits this year massively lean into their storied history, reissuing two famous designs from the ’90s. The away shirt is a remake of the 1995-96 away shirt once made famous by the likes of David Ginola, and their third kit is a remake of their white 1999-00 away shirt, with Newcastle’s old ’80s crest instead of their current one.
So, in celebration of Newcastle’s promotion to an adidas “Elite” team and in the excitement of what is to come from a partnership that feels right, I’ve picked out my favorite Newcastle and adidas kits. Disclaimer: I am a Newcastle fan, so a lot of these will be tied to nostalgia.
5. 2004-05 Third
This one won’t be at the top of many people’s lists when you ask Newcastle fans for their favorite Newcastle kits. For me, though, it’s a shirt that is ingrained in my memories of a time growing up and falling more and more in love with the club. I had this kit as a kid, and I used to rush home after school to watch them play in the UEFA Cup. Alan Shearer, Patrick Kluivert, and company looking good in gold? Yes.
4. 1996-97 Away
Now we’re onto the ’90s kits, the ones donned by the iconic Newcastle Brown Ale sponsor. But this isn’t the red and maroon one, it’s the blue shirt with the V-shaped collar and black and white hoop across the middle. It’s iconic and is worthy of all the plaudits it gets. I once had this shirt stolen from me by a passing guy on a quad bike on holiday who took it from around my shoulders. I’ve never recovered.
3. 1997-99 Home
One requirement of this shirt: it has to be in long sleeve. Think Tino Asprilla versus Barcelona. It’s an iconic kit, which was worn during some of Newcastle’s best times. The simple stripes, the cuffs, the Brown Ale sponsor and the shield on the back. It’s a beautiful shirt.
2. 1999-00 Home
This kit has two versions, one with the Brown Ale sponsorship and one with the NTL sponsor, worn in 2001-02 following the end of the famous brewery sponsorship. I am picking the Brown Ale version, of course, because the sponsor is better and it was my first ever football shirt so it has a place in my heart for life. The collar is wonderful and the blue trim finishes the shirt nicely.
1. 1995-96 Home
I imagine this shirt will top many people’s lists. It’s the grandad collar shirt worn by Kevin Keegan’s entertainers at a time when the club challenged Manchester United for the title. “I’d love it if we beat them,” Keegan screamed at the cameras. Unfortunately, Newcastle did not. But the kit lives on as one of the best in history. I have it in my wardrobe and the only time I’ve worn it was watching Newcastle’s Carabao Cup final, also against Man United, in 2023. We lost, but at least my shirt looked good.
Honorable Mentions: Goalkeeper Shirts
I couldn’t end this piece without shouting out our long history of spectacular goalkeeper shirts, especially with adidas. The kits from the ’90s are beautiful, with some wild patterns and even one that has the outline of the city. But away from the ’90s, we’ve had some other greats. 2001-02, 2003-04, 2006-07, 2007-08 — they’re all top shirts.
