People are only just realising why England play in white… and it’s all thanks to bitter rivals Scotland
EVERYONE knows England play in a white home kit.
But people are only just beginning to realise why that is the case.
And in actual fact, it is all down to bitter rivals Scotland.
That’s right – England might not be synonymous with wearing white if it was not for the Scots north of the border.
The Three Lions played Scotland all the way back in 1872 in the very first international football match.
And with the Tartan Terriers wearing a full navy kit – the team of 11 Queen’s Park players actually wore their club kit – England had to go for something else to ensure the two teams could be distinguished.
It is suggested by the Daily Star that the FA supplied the white kits – which may have been spare cricket tops.
Either way, there was no kit clash with Scotland for the 0-0 draw at Hamilton Crescent Cricket Ground.
However, even then England did not immediately sick with white and sometimes players simply had the England badge sewn on to their club kits.
This then transformed to white collared shirts – bought by Mr Gann and Mr Root – with players sticking with their club shorts and socks.
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But in the late 1800s, the press pushed for consistency and at long last England stuck with white shirts, navy shorts and white socks – and it remains that way today.
The navy shorts could have been chosen to differentiate from Germany’s white outfit.
Ironically, that clash forced England to wear their red away kit for the victorious 1966 World Cup final.
There have been some variations in recent years – for example, the white shorts of 2009 and the red shorts of 2012.
England fans will get to see their team in action against Scotland in their iconic white kit at Hampden Park in September.
The match is to mark the 150th anniversary of that first meeting in 1872 as part of the Scottish FA’s year-long celebrations.
Scotland will wear a special retro shirt complete with the old-fashioned Lion Rampant.
And the Tartan Army wasted no time snapping up the “work of art” jersey as they sold out rapidly – despite a staggering £90 price tag.