The new Newcastle United home kit for the 24/25 season has been released, sparking memories of the club’s glory days, kit leaks and a great fan reaction. The club prematurely ended its five-year deal with Castore, returning to fan-favourites Adidas as one of its “elite teams”, alongside clubs such as Arsenal and Real Madrid.
What has been released?
Only the home kit has been officially released, featuring three large black stripes down the centre of the shirt, the Adidas logo and the club badge on the back of the neck, hailing from 1976 – 1983. Fans queued from midnight in early June to get their hands on the much-anticipated shirt, and the online reaction has been unprecedently positive, with some fans commenting that it is “sensational”. Among the excitement, several fan channels on social media have leaked potential second and third kits, with the away kit rumoured to recall the blue and burgundy 1995 – 1996 kit, one of the most beloved versions of the shirt. The third kit has popularly been suggested to be green and white with black details, evoking memories of the 1999 – 2000 season and inspired by Adidas’ “equipment” style.
The return to Adidas and its ensuing campaign might be viewed as a love letter to the fans, particularly in light of the unhappiness around the Castore kit which precipitated the club’s ending of their partnership. Though supporters will have to wait until later summer for the official kit drops, they are sure to be pleased and relieved by what Adidas has to offer.
What does this mean for the club and fans?
Adidas is not new to NUFC supporters – in fact, the club supplied kit between 1995 and 2010. That period and its shirts are still fondly remembered by fans, associated with players such as Alan Shearer, title hopes and Champions League nights. The recent home kit reveal sought to play into that pride. Besides the iconic collaboration between the club and Adidas, the reveal video posted to platforms such as Instagram and Youtube tapped into the core part NUFC kit plays in being a fan. Filmed in black and white around the Tyneside region and featuring players and fans, the video campaign summarises the North Eastern pride, of which Newcastle United is inextricably a part.
The shirt is not just for matches, it is a badge of honour for fans, regarding both club and city. As Alan Shearer states in the video, “It’s a second skin. A citizenship”. It is impossible to ignore the correlation of the return to Adidas with the club’s return to top football following the Saudi takeover and new era of Eddie Howe. The two have been linked by fans and it is easy to see why: fans have a newfound hope following the club’s recent lease of life, with many feeling that NUFC has returned to where it belongs in both Premier League and European football. It is only fitting that they and the fans should have top kit to match.
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