In a surprising sequence of events, Premier League side Aston Villa’s yet to be released third kit for the 2024/25 season was leaked online.
When we talk about leaks, it’s usually the twitter channels or concept kit enthusiasts, but not this time around. The leak was caused by the Premier League itself.
The kit was briefly listed under Villa’s section on the Premier League’s official website, where eagle-eyed fans spotted it before it was quickly removed.
This blunder is sure to raise some eyebrows, especially in Aston Villa’s boardroom. These leaks tend to be of the unofficial kind, with many being fan made designs, concept kits or renditions of what may be the final kit released by the club.
Aston Villa as a club is likely to feel some amounts of frustration over the incident, as it prematurely revealed a key part of their new season’s identity, especially given the higher expectations this season that come with their 150th year.
This leak surely cements the design that we’re going to see for the third kit.
The third kit under new manufacturers Adidas features a navy blue base, offering a sharp contrast to their white away kit.
The design is simple yet striking, with Adidas stripes running on the shoulders and sleeves of the kit in light blue, and straight lines across the front of the kit in the same colour. The sponsor and Adidas logo are all in white giving a nice contrast.
🚨 | Aston Villa 2024/25 Third Kit Leaked! pic.twitter.com/Bbo1P9hM46
— Öpaleak (@opaleak) September 11, 2024
Most notably the third kit is also the only kit in Villa’s 24/25 kitbag that rocks a recoloured club crest, aligning with the navy blue kit theme and giving the jersey a unique aesthetic.
Adidas this season have impressed with their efforts on third kits, creating designs for clubs like Newcastle and Leeds that give a retro look. Unfortunately the same hasn’t translated for Aston Villa’s third kit.
In reality, it all has to do with the design timing, Villa signed the deal with Adidas in September/October, giving the German brand only 11 months to design, manufacture and release the kits. This process usually takes over 18 months, and hence the delay in releasing the third kits for Villa.
Fan reviews have been mixed for this new release. On the positive side, supporters seem to agree on an 8/10 as a rating for the kit, praising it’s modern look and design.
However some fans were left disappointed, particularly given the significance of the club’s 150th year anniversary. Fans expected a throwback to the 1874 kit in some shape or form but have seen none.
not getting a special 150 year shirt with that nice gold badge disappointing
— Andrew Connor (@conmeister82) September 11, 2024
Adding fuel to the debate is the fact that the shirt is navy blue—a color some Villa fans aren’t thrilled about, given their fierce rivalry with Birmingham City, whose primary color is also blue.
One fan strongly voiced this concern online, stating, “If fans want to boycott anything, this is the shirt to do it with. Traditional claret and blue home shirt, traditional white away shirt, but if you are a true Villa fan, you will go nowhere near a BLUE shirt.”
This rivalry between the two Midlands clubs has a long history, making the choice of color for the third kit somewhat controversial.
The color scheme bears a striking resemblance to 1999-2000 Manchester United away kits by Umbro, making some people question if Adidas mistakenly raided the wrong wardrobe for inspiration.
Reminds me of United old retro 🤮 pic.twitter.com/dHNf8bpmUY
— Jay Dee (@JayMTDee) September 11, 2024
The third kit is most likely going to be up for sale later this month, priced similarly to the home and away at around £80 ($100) for adults, almost as much as a ticket to their Champions League games.
