Hull City Shirt History
Hull City’s amber and black primary colouring is what inspired their nickname of ‘The Tigers’. Let’s see how the colours have combined throughout the Yorkshire clubs kit manufacturing and sponsorship history…
A4 Hull City Shirt History Checklist
Hull City Kit Manufacturing History
2023 – present – Kappa
A nice little feature on all of the shirts within Kappa’s first collection is that they each had a barcode on their base which enabled people to find out detailed information about it. The jersey included within that collection which was the most eye-capturing is their amber away strip which incorporated vertical tonal stripes which were subtly made up of the phrase ‘Up the Tigers’. The home top successfully combined black sleeves with amber and black base striping, while blue was donned through the third shirt for the first time since 2017/18.
The 2024/25 campaign is the celebratory year of Hull City’s 120th anniversary and each of the regular season tops commemorates that with printing on the back of the neck. The range includes a fantastic away strip which is a modern remake of a look which the club repped during their first ever competitive season in 1905/06. Two other previous campaigns,1992/93 and 2003/04, are referred to through the third strip and its showpiece feature is its tonal tiger patterning.
A lovely black and gold special-edition strip was also released to celebrate the club’s 120th birthday and initially it was highly sought-after with only 1,904, in reference to the club’s founding year, being released. However, due to exceptional demand the Tigers ended up accepting more orders.
2014 – 2023 – Umbro
Two out of three jerseys worn in 2015/16 were quite the success, with the home top in particular being in demand with it smartly parading black pinstripes for the first time since 2009/10. The other appreciated jersey was the white away top which coolly combined amber and black within its collar. It is quite fitting that the Tigers achieved promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs while they were in place.
The highs of 2015/16 were met by lows in 2016/17 with the club being relegated from the Premier League while having a strangely coloured purple third top, which came under much scrutiny from Hull supporters, as part of that season’s shirt range.
The double diamond brand found their groove again for 2017/18 with another fantastic home and away jersey being produced. Umbro’s decision to add their logo looping around the sleeve cuffs of each shirt turned out to be a positive move with it giving each of them a classical look.
A 90’s inspired home top came in 2018/19 with Umbro parking the stripe look for a tiger print pattern which ran on its chest. The past was also referred to through the third jersey, with its colouring inspired by the dugout and seats of Boothferry Park, their old home.
While a decent black away shirt came in 2020/21, it had nothing on the one produced for 2021/22 with it combining tonal black stripes with a ‘black out’ club crest – it was hugely popular amongst supporters and it sold out multiple times. The 2021/22 campaign also produced a stylish home top which featured a modern black broken sash concept and a maroon third look referring to a jersey worn between 1995 and 1997.
Another strong set of jerseys ended this partnership, with the home top boasting white pinstripes between its black and amber stripes – the amber was also filled with tiger printing. The white away top also utilised pinstripes, but this time in light grey – the look, which combined red, black and amber in varying quantities as well, was an 80’s throwback.
2010 – 2014 – Adidas
The lack of bespoke features within this Adidas period was quite disappointing, however like Umbro, Adidas too have a collection caped in on the pitch success with the club again going from the Championship to the Premier League in 2012/13. Coincidentally, this is the only campaign in which Adidas didn’t opt for a striped home strip.
More on the pitch success led to another historic range in 2013/14, with the club reaching their first ever FA Cup final. Although the Tigers lost out at Wembley to Arsenal.
None of the shirts from this period were necessarily bad looking, there just wasn’t a whole lot of creativity on show barring a few interesting colour combinations within a couple of the necklines. The 2010/11 home top provided the most flare.
2007 – 2010 – Umbro
The concept Umbro opted for during the first season of this period has also been used by other teams, however, for some reason, the look just seemed to compliment the Tigers really well. They were strip-less jerseys with patterned side panelling and they are now arguably the most iconic looks in Hull City history with the Tigers achieving Premier League promotion for the first time in 104 years while they were active.
The historic 2008/09 Premier League campaign saw a traditional home top in place alongside a steady, mostly grey, away top which utilised a centralised club crest.
Umbro ended with a fantastically classy pinstriped home top in 2009/10.
2004 – 2007 – Diadora
The first year of this partnership saw the Tigers achieve promotion to the Championship and it was like it was meant to be with the jerseys that year featuring a special-edition club crest to commemorate the Yorkshire club’s 100th anniversary.
Diadora trialled a number of white touches across the 2005/06 home top, however the idea was ditched in 2006/07 with black coming to the forefront quite predominantly. The latter look was especially appreciated.
A fine away strip, which was black with white and amber applications within its neckline and sides, was used in both 2005/06 and 2006/07.
2001 – 2004 – Patrick
Interestingly, Patrick didn’t manufacture one single striped home jersey within their time with the Tigers. It made for three pleasant predominantly amber jerseys with the final two having the added edge of an eye-catching polo neckline.
Patrick didn’t have the strongest of starts on the alternate designs with a questionable silver top coming in 2001/02, but amends were certainly made in 2002/03 with a brilliant white, navy and amber look.
1999 – 2001 – Avec
Avec too ventured away from the amber and black stripes in 2000/01 through a shirt which had a particularly striking V-neck and polo combined collar.
None of the of Avec away tops were hugely exciting, although the 2000/01 season did see an edition which matched a navy base with sides and sleeves which incorporated maroon – it wasn’t without the odd amber touch either.
1998 – 1999 – Olympic
Olympic were only around for a single campaign but they definitely left their mark through an intriguing home top. It saw black sleeves and black pinstripes matched with solid amber stripes and also amber stripes which gradually faded into white.
The away top wasn’t bad looking either – it was white and it featured a classical crossover polo collar which contained black and amber.
1995 – 1998 – Super League
Super League provided the aforementioned maroon and amber alternate strip which has since inspired the 2021/22 third kit. It included tonal pinstripes and it was in place for two seasons.
In the two years that it was around the home top followed the same concept in amber and black, but the traditional stripes returned for 1997/98.
1993 – 1995 – Pelada
The best word to describe the home top wore throughout these two Pelada seasons would be outrageous with it containing a funky tiger inspired print all-over. It is definitely a ‘love it or hate it’ jersey with no in-between.
The away top was fairly well-liked with it pairing thin white stripes with a teal base.
1988 – 1993 – Matchwinner
The home and away jersey used for the first two seasons featured tonal chequers, a centralised club crest and shoulder colour blocks, but, although it sounds interesting, it was pretty uninspiring in truth.
Much more interestingly, small green and white chequers were plastered all over the away strip used between 1990 and 1992.
Matchwinner had their own marmite tiger print inspired jersey and this was used in 1992/93.
1982 – 1988 – Admiral
Admiral provided two similar, but fantastic, white away tops which both made use of black pinstripes. Albeit similar, they did entail differences within their sleeve cuffs and collar. The 1985 – 1988 version also incorporated an Admiral logo print on its shoulders.
A different tone of amber was in place on the home jersey used between 1986 and 1988, but it wasn’t well-loved and it had nothing on Admiral’s first home strip which classily incorporated tonal amber pinstripes.
1980 – 1982 – Adidas
The Adidas shirts used within this period utilised Adidas Originals branding. Two thick black stripes ran down the base of the amber home strip.
1975 – 1980 – Europa
Albeit murky, most sources suggest that Europa were the first brand to supply for the Tigers. The home top in place paired a traditional base with a white neckline and sleeve cuffs.
Hull City Shirt Sponsorship History
Let’s find out which brands have appeared on the front of the Tigers’ shirt...
2022 – present – Corendon Airlines
Coincidentally, just five months after their Turkish owner Acun Ilical secured the club a Turkish brand sponsored them for the first time.
That brand was Corendon Airlines and they were also their first-ever travel partner.
2020 – 2022 – Giacom
Giacom, cloud service marketplace specialists, held a text-based look.
2016 – 2020 – SportPesa
SportPesa is a gambling firm. They utilised their logo in 2016/17 but didn’t thereafter, thankfully – it was much better without it.
2015 – 2016 – Flamingo Land
Flamingo Land is a Yorkshire-based theme park attraction. Their had a cool all-text feature.
2014 – 2015 – 12Bet
12Bet, an Asian betting brand, ran their branding in two languages.
2011 – 2014 – Cash Converters
Cash Converters buy and sell second hand goods but also run pawnbroking and buyback services.
Their branding was bearable in most campaigns, but it wasn’t in 2011/12 due to the large black background.
2009 – 2011 – Totesport
Totesport, a gambling company, promoted their URL.
2007 – 2009 – Kingston Communications (KCOM)
Communications and IT services provider, best known as KCOM, held their logo and full name on the alternate jerseys, but just the word ‘Karoo’ on the home top.
Karoo was the name of one of their services prior to when the entire group became known as ‘KCOM’ in 2016.
2002 – 2007 – Bonus Electrical
Hull-based independent electrical business, Bonus Electrical, opted for an all-text look.
The firm recently partnered with the Tigers again in 2022 to celebrate 20 years at the MKM Stadium.
2001 – 2002 – Sportscard
Sportscard is a rewards-based credit card company. Their plan was to develop a loyalty card for supporters.
1999 – 2001 – IBC
IBC was a local haulage firm.
1997 – 1999 – University of Hull
The University of Hull was promoted between 1997 and 1999.
1995 – 1997 – IBC
The Tigers’ relationship with IBC begun in 1995. Their text-based features regularly changed colour to best match the shirt.
1994 – 1995 – Needler’s
Needler’s was a Hull-based sweet manufacturer. Although they had the handicap of a crazily designed jersey, their feature was overpowering.
1993 – 1994 – Pepi’s
Pepi’s was a formerly popular restaurant based on Hull Marina.
1990 – 1993 – Bonus Electrical
Bonus Electrical first paired with the Tigers in 1990.
1988 – 1989 – Dale Farm
Dale Farm held a text-based feature with an interesting font.
1987 – 1988 – Mansfield Brewery
Mansfield Brewery promoted two of their beverages – Mansfield Beers and Riding Bitter.
1985 – 1987 – Twydale Turkeys
Twydale Turkeys had a simple all-text feature.
1984 – 1986 – Arrow Air
Arrow Air was a passenger and cargo airline based at Miami International Airport.
1983 – 1984 – Hygena
Kitchen and furniture brand, Hygena, were the first firm to take the slot.
Conclusion
If you embrace the tiger theme appropriately then Hull City is a club that has the potential to provide some classic jerseys and that is what has been provided on many occasions throughout the years. However, some brands did embrace it a little too much at times resulting in some not-so-good-looking jerseys. The Yorkshire club has their fair share of iconic strips due to on the pitch achievements.