Historical Football Kits

Irn Bru Scottish First Division 2009 - 2010

The second tier of Scottish senior football is the highest level of the Scottish Football League, which was formed in 1890. This competition now consists of thirty teams in three divisions who play each other four times. Only one team, the First Division champions, is promoted to the SPL each season. The team that finishes in tenth place is automatically relegated while the side finishing ninth takes part in end-of-season play-offs with the second, third and fourth placed teams from the Second Division.

In 2007 an internal review found the league's management structure was outdated and three times more expensive to run than equivalent leagues in England. The report found that the Football Conference has four employees looking after 68 clubs, while the SFL has 14 people running leagues with just 30 clubs. The debacle over Livingston FC has led to considerable criticism of the SFL's management of the competition and renewed calls for the SPL to be expanded to absorb the second tier.

SFL teams are permitted to use registered third kits in up to four home and four away games provided there is no colour clash. This is a purely commercial arrangement that allows the clubs to market replica kits.

Airdrie United

Designer: Surridge

Sponsor: St Andrew's Hospice

Airdrie dropped into the Second Division last season after being beaten in the play-offs by Ayr United, who took their place but were handed a reprieve when the SFL demoted Livingston to the Third Division for breaching insolvency rules. Red shorts return as first choice for the home kit but a white set is also available for some away games. The new away kit will is shown as it was worn against Dunfermline but is more likely to include navy shorts - we await confirmation.

Ayr United

Designer: Surridge

Sponsor: Paligap

Ayr came up through the play-offs last season, knocking out First Division Airdrie United on the way. To celebrate their centenary in 2010, the team are wearing hooped home shirts, their regular colours between the wars. The away kit in crimson, gold and navy blue is derived from the colours Ayr United wore when they were first formed in 1910, although the original shirts were hooped.

(Martin Le Roy, Russell Campbell)

Dundee

Designer: Bukta

Sponsor: Viga Athletic Clothing (H), Bukta Sportswear.com (A)

Dundee's shirt sponsorship deal fell through at the last moment, which led to a delay in replica shirts being delivered. For the second year in succession Bukta Sportswear stepped in to exercise their option to have their own logo on the shirts. In fact, Bukta appears only on the away top while their sister company, Viga, appear on the home set.

(Donald Gellatly)

Dunfermline Athletic

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: The Purvis Group

Puma's new kit revives the distinctive candy-stripes that have been Dunfermline's signature outfit on and off since 1958. The sleeves and shoulders are solid black and a curved panel, edged in red, extends down the sides of the body and inner sleeve. A new all-red change kit replaces last season's gold version.

Greenock Morton

Designer: Bukta

Sponsor: Millions Chews (Home & Third), Buchanon's Sweets (Away)

The new Morton home kit is not very different from last season's. The hoops are arranged slightly differently and gold piping now appears on the shirt and socks. An all-red away kit was introduced but later withdrawn after the colours ran in the wash and orders for replicas were cancelled. The white third strip has been used instead along with last season's yellow outfit, which is sometimes worn with blue shorts and
socks from the home kit.

(Ian Raffell, Dominic Jack, David Watson)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Designer: Errea

Sponsor: Flybe.com

Caley Thistles' five year stay in the SPL ended on the final day of last season when they lost to their fellow relegation candidates, Falkirk in the last match of the campaign. The all-blue home strip from last season is retained and a new away kit is introduced. Based on a template that is also used for Northampton Town's new kit, the shirt trimmings incorporate the colours of the former Caledonian and Inverness Thistle clubs.

(Ian Raffel)

Partick Thistle

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: Ignis Asset Management

The Jags have retained their home kit for a second season and introduced a spectacular new away kit. The club have deliberately set out to trump the pink and grey strip that appeared last year and broke all records for replica sales, with an audacious "camouflage" effect in pink, grey and black.

To celebrate 100 years at Firhill, a special edition kit was introduced for the match with Dunfermline on September 19. Based on the colours worn in 1909-10, the strip is actually almost identical to the change kit the team wore in the late 1950s and early 60s.

(Duncan Harman, Alexander Perkin and many others spotted the away kit, Brian McCoo contributed the centenary kit.)

Queen of the South

Designer: Surridge

Sponsor: Peter C Haining Kitchens & Bathrooms

Queen of the South stick with Surridge who have supplied a pair of straightforward strips from their catalogue. Despite the reservations of some supporters, the club are once again wearing a red change kit.

(Ian Raffel, Russel Campbell)

Raith Rovers

Designer: Puma

Sponsor: O'Connel's Bar & Diner

Raith's 125th anniversary season ended with them crowned as Second Division champions in May. For the new season they turn out in Puma's latest template in all-navy. The red change kit is designed using the Puma King template.

(Ian Raffel, John Knight)

Ross County

Designer: Adidas

Sponsor: Highnet

County are once again wearing all-navy but have updated their home kit to the latest Adidas template. Their away kit is unchanged.

(David Redshaw)