Sheffield Wednesday Shirt History
Sheffield Wednesday is one of the oldest surviving clubs is professional association football. Let’s explore which brands have manufactured and sponsored their famous shirt…
Sheffeild Wednesday Kit History Checklist
Sheffield Wednesday Kit Manufacturing History
2021 – present – Macron
Macron got off to a solid start as the Owls’ manufacturers after impressing supporters with the 2021/22 range. Vertical blue and white stripes combined as usual on the home shirt, with the blue sections catching attention with tonal patterning. The pink away jersey had a base that was filled with black abstract patterning.
Following this, in 2022/23, Wednesday was given another classy home look which this time included black pinstripes between the white and blue. The yellow and blue away top which was used alongside it is believed to be retro inspired. The South Yorkshire club earned promotion to the Championship in this campaign.
A pinstripe theme continued on the lovely 2023/24 home top, but this time it saw a white one running through the middle of each blue stripe. Golden touches were also applied across the shirt. The black and white away top from this season also had its unique touches, with its embossed pattern being inspired by the wing of an owl.
Narrower stripes than usual appear on the 2024/25 home top and they are used alongside an away kit which inspired by a popular orange jersey used between 1996 and 1998.
2017 – 2021 – In-House
The first season of in-house manufacturing came with the responsibility of celebrating the clubs 150th anniversary and you could argue that they smashed it. The vertical stripes were ditched for the 2017/18 campaign, but for good reason, with a solid royal blue base and white sleeves being paired in reference to a top wore between 1965 and 1972. The shirt, which had a traditional three-button polo collar, had Wednesday imprinted on the edge of each of its aforementioned sleeves. A special-edition club crest was used on every jersey from this campaign.
The away top from the landmark year saw Wednesday wear a modern remake of a well-appreciated away top from the 90’s – its most striking feature was its grouped black pinstripes running down its mustard yellow front. The celebratory years third top was actually designed by a Sheffield Wednesday fan.
A pixelated graphic was opted for both on the home and the away jersey used in 2019/20, although neither were that impressive. The home top saw the feature used within its blue stripes, whereas on the green away top pixels were simply dotted around its lower half.
Camouflage-like patterning was incorporated in some aspect on both new strips used in the 2020/21 campaign. Both tops also paraded a grandad style collar.
2014 – 2017 – Sondico
The most striking kit worn by the outfield players in Sondico’s first year was a yellow away look which boasted horizontal blue pinstripes, however, it certainly doesn’t capture attention like its accompanying goalkeeping jerseys did, albeit for the wrong reasons.
In 2015/16, the Owls donned a lovely polo collared home top that paraded the traditional Wednesday stripes, a look that was ditched for pinstripes in the following season. The latter concept is particularly impressive.
Aqua and black combined for the first time in the club’s history on the 2015/16 away top. Orange and black came a year later.
2009 – 2014 – Puma
Puma failed to impress with the home shirts for the majority of this period, although it is a tough choice to crown the winner of the best looking between the 2009 – 2011 version and the one worn in 2011/12.
The former included a stand-out black V-neck neckline, while the latter incorporated a V-neck and polo combined collar in white.
Yellow and black combined twice on the Puma alternate shirts, with the first coming in 2010/11 – a classy pinstripe look that was a nod to a previous Puma period. The second combination of the colours was used in 2013/14.
The 2011/12 season was another eye-catching year for alternate tops, with a huge owl appearing on the away shirts base.
2007 – 2009 – Lotto
Lotto, unfortunately, didn’t have an inspiring time of it as the Owls’ suppliers. The most appreciated shirt was the 2008/09 away jersey, which was white with a number of black and blue applications. It also had Lotto logos on its sleeves.
2001 – 2007 – Diadora
The famous Wednesday stripes were paired with a classy V-neck look for the first two seasons of this partnership and it was arguably the favoured home look of this period. A yellow away jersey, which featured sky-blue within its collar, was used alongside it.
From then, sky-blue became a popular colour throughout Diadora’s era with it appearing on a number of other alternate shirts. It also had its place on the 2004/05 home strip.
Interestingly, the Owls haven’t worn a central crest jersey since the one Diadora provided in 2005/06, albeit its appearance split opinion.
1993 – 2001 – Puma
An eight-season stint with Puma starting in 1993 birthed some brilliant jerseys. The first of which was worn in 1993/94 and it had the word Puma imprinted throughout its thick blue stripes. Its sleeves were particularly unique given that it switched to grouped blue pinstripes rather than continuing the solid ones. It was worn for the 1992/93 League Cup final, which Wednesday lost 2-1 to Arsenal.
The alternate shirts used between 1993 and 1995 were used to promote the ‘Puma King’ range – it did so with the word ‘King’ embossed through each of them.
A modern version of the yellow and black away kit was produced by Puma during their most recent Wednesday deal. You could argue that it is the best alternate shirt of this era, although the 1998 – 2000 away top is also appreciated.
SWFC, the club’s abbreviation, was present multiple times across the home top used between 1995 and 1997 – Puma even relocated their branding to the shirts centre to manoeuvre room for it to be stitched into it in gold. A striking teal green away top was used alongside it.
Alongside a grandad collared orange away shirt in 1997/98, Wednesday wore a home top that incorporated a stylish black, blue and white polo collar, although, the crossover polo collar that followed it in 2000/01 was even more impressive.
1984 – 1991 – Umbro
For the first three seasons supplied by Umbro, Wednesday donned a traditional look with a thick V-neck collar. Following this, between 1987 and 1989, the double diamond brand provided a home jersey with much thinner blue stripes than usual – it also had a crossover collar with classy golden applications.
Two polo collared efforts, which incorporated tonal features within its blue stripes, followed the jerseys mentioned in the paragraph above. The 1991 – 1993 edition was the most interesting, with it quirkily imprinting ‘SWFC’.
This era also provided some sound alternate kits and the 1986 – 1988 away kit was one of them. The shirt was grey and it had several purple and white pinstripe sashes flowing across its front. Another was used between 1988 and 1990 and this one combined blue, green and white hoops in varying sizes.
Umbro departed after leaving a yellow alternate strip which had black stripes and white pinstripes running vertically on its front.
Another favoured yellow jersey was used for two seasons prior to this.
1979 – 1984 – Bukta
The Owls wore traditional looks under Bukta, with all but one of the alternate jerseys seeing Bukta logos flowing consecutively down its sleeves.
1974 – 1979 – Umbro
The first brand to strike partnership with Wednesday was Umbro. Interestingly, a yellow and green away top was used.
Sheffield Wednesday Shirt Sponsorship History
Sheffield Wednesday have a long and confusing shirt sponsorship history, so let’s get right into it…
2024 – present – Chansiri
Currently Dejphon Chansiri is the owner of the EFL club and it is his surname that appears on the front of the home jersey…and not for the first time. Although, as the Guardian explains here, some things are still unclear.
2024 – present – Blu Steel
Blu Steel, an energy drink company, currently sponsors the Owls’ away jersey.
2023 – 2024 – Eyup / Cirata
EyUp describe themselves as a ‘proud Yorkshire venture which is creating software developers, generating jobs and investing in start-ups across the North of England’.
The company is believed to be ran by the owners of WANDisco, one of Wednesdays former partners, however, somewhat controversially, the WANDisco board claimed to have not been informed of the deal.
To add to the confusion, in February 2024, Cirata branding took over the jerseys, which is supposedly the new identity of WANDisco.
2022 – 2023 – Host & Stay
The branding of holiday home letting agency, Host & Stay, looked a little ‘too much’ and therefore tacky.
2021 – 2022 – Chansiri
Chansiri again appeared on the jerseys in 2021/22.
2019 – 2021 – Elev8
More confusion struck when Elev8 appeared on the jerseys between 2019 and 2021, please see the Guardian’s attempt to clear things up below…
“The brand name sponsor on the upper right of the club shirt, Elev8, is a clothing company owned by Chansiri and it does manufacture the kit, the club has said. Elev8 is also planned to be an energy drink and Chansiri has a company, Elev8 Energy Drink Ltd, registered in London’s Mayfair in August 2017, but it is understood to be not yet manufacturing an energy drink for public marketing.”
Update: Elev8 the energy drink is now trading.
2015 – 2019 – Chansiri
The text-based look of Chansiri had a four-year stint from 2015.
2014 – 2015 – Azerbaijan – The Land of Fire
It is believed that the phrase ‘Azerbaijan – The Land of Fire’ featured as a result of the clubs promised, but failed, takeover by Azerbaijani businessman Hafiz Mammadov.
2013 – 2014 – WANDisco / Bartercard
The aforementioned WANDisco sponsored the 2013/14 campaigns home and third jersey, whereas Bartercard, a trading platform for businesses, took the away top. WANDisco’s expertise was data activation.
Neither sponsor looked fantastic.
2011 – 2013 – Gilder Group / Westfield Health
This was a history making two years, with Sheffield United being sponsored by the same two groups. It was the first time in English football history that city rivals wore identical logos.
Cars were the speciality of the Gilder Group, hence Honda and Volkswagen branding making an appearance. Westfield Health is a not-for-profit health and wellbeing group.
2009 – 2011 – Sheffield Children’s Hospital
Sheffield Children's Hospital is one of three stand-alone specialist children's hospitals in the UK
2005 – 2009 – Plusnet
Sheffield-based broadband provider, Plusnet, had branding which was much more appealing on the alternate kits.
2003 – 2005 – Napoleons Casinos
Napoleons Casino has several casinos and restaurants across the UK. Albeit text-based, their feature didn’t have great readability.
2002 – 2003 – Chupa Chups / Diadora
Chupa Chups is a Spanish brand of lollipop and confectionery. They appeared on the home and third kit throughout this campaign.
Diadora, Wednesday’s shirt manufacturing partner at the time, sponsored the away kit.
2000 – 2002 – Chupa Chups
Chupa Chups appeared on all of the shirts for two seasons prior to 2002/03. Unfortunately, their recognisable yellow branding didn’t look the greatest.
1992 – 2000 – Sanderson
Sanderson is a Yorkshire-based software firm. You would be forgiven for mistaking their branding for Pepsi’s on first glance…
1990 – 1992 – Various
The partnerships in place between 1990 – 1992 were a little unclear, with some brands appearing for one-off games or specific periods. Asda were one of the brands to feature.
1989 – 1990 – VT Plastics
The unpretty branding of VT Plastics took a two-season slot.
1984 – 1989 – MHS / Finlux
Either MHS or Finlux would have appeared throughout this period.
Although we unfortunately cannot pinpoint MHS’s expertise, we can say that Finlux is a Finnish brand of consumer electronics.
1983 – 1984 – Crosby Kitchens
Crosby Kitchens became the clubs first ever front of shirt partnership. They opted for a text-based look.
Conclusion
Sheffield Wednesday undoubtedly have one of the most confusing front of shirt sponsorship history’s that we have covered. There has been classy looks on display over the years, but, as of 2024, there isn’t a range that blew us away completely…