The clubs themselves, rather than individual players, were now responsible for purchasing kit and financial concerns, along with the need for the growing numbers of spectators to easily identify the players, led to the lurid colours of earlier years being abandoned in favour of simple combinations of primary colours. [16] The captain of each team is usually required to wear an elasticated armband around the left sleeve to identify them as the captain to the referee and supporters. In the twentieth century, boots became lighter and softer, shorts were worn at a shorter length, and advances in clothing manufacture and printing allowed shirts to be made in lighter synthetic fibres with increasingly colourful and complex designs. [26] Other items that may be dangerous to other players, such as jewellery, however, are not allowed. [59], In the 1970s clubs began to create strongly individual strips, and in 1975 Leeds United, who had changed their traditional blue and gold colours to all white in the 1960s to mimic Real Madrid,[60] became the first club to design shirts which could be sold to fans in the form of replicas. [89], Uniform in association football; standard equipment and attire worn by players, "Interpretation of the laws of the game and guidelines for referees: Law 4 – The Players' Equipment", "A Brief History of Football Kit Design in England and Scotland", "Regulations Relating to Advertising on the Clothing of Players, Club Officials and match Officials", "Dutch women ditch shorts to play soccer in skirts", "Goggles are Davids' most glaring feature", "Cech's rugby-style headgear passes the FA's safety test", "Andre Marriner debacle highlights Fifa aversion to video technology", "Who's the fat bloke in the number eight shirt?

The clubs themselves, rather than individual players, were now responsible for purchasing kit and financial concerns, along with the need for the growing numbers of spectators to easily identify the players, led to the lurid colours of earlier years being abandoned in favour of simple combinations of primary colours. [16] The captain of each team is usually required to wear an elasticated armband around the left sleeve to identify them as the captain to the referee and supporters. In the twentieth century, boots became lighter and softer, shorts were worn at a shorter length, and advances in clothing manufacture and printing allowed shirts to be made in lighter synthetic fibres with increasingly colourful and complex designs. [26] Other items that may be dangerous to other players, such as jewellery, however, are not allowed. [59], In the 1970s clubs began to create strongly individual strips, and in 1975 Leeds United, who had changed their traditional blue and gold colours to all white in the 1960s to mimic Real Madrid,[60] became the first club to design shirts which could be sold to fans in the form of replicas. [89], Uniform in association football; standard equipment and attire worn by players, "Interpretation of the laws of the game and guidelines for referees: Law 4 – The Players' Equipment", "A Brief History of Football Kit Design in England and Scotland", "Regulations Relating to Advertising on the Clothing of Players, Club Officials and match Officials", "Dutch women ditch shorts to play soccer in skirts", "Goggles are Davids' most glaring feature", "Cech's rugby-style headgear passes the FA's safety test", "Andre Marriner debacle highlights Fifa aversion to video technology", "Who's the fat bloke in the number eight shirt?

The clubs themselves, rather than individual players, were now responsible for purchasing kit and financial concerns, along with the need for the growing numbers of spectators to easily identify the players, led to the lurid colours of earlier years being abandoned in favour of simple combinations of primary colours. [16] The captain of each team is usually required to wear an elasticated armband around the left sleeve to identify them as the captain to the referee and supporters. In the twentieth century, boots became lighter and softer, shorts were worn at a shorter length, and advances in clothing manufacture and printing allowed shirts to be made in lighter synthetic fibres with increasingly colourful and complex designs. [26] Other items that may be dangerous to other players, such as jewellery, however, are not allowed. [59], In the 1970s clubs began to create strongly individual strips, and in 1975 Leeds United, who had changed their traditional blue and gold colours to all white in the 1960s to mimic Real Madrid,[60] became the first club to design shirts which could be sold to fans in the form of replicas. [89], Uniform in association football; standard equipment and attire worn by players, "Interpretation of the laws of the game and guidelines for referees: Law 4 – The Players' Equipment", "A Brief History of Football Kit Design in England and Scotland", "Regulations Relating to Advertising on the Clothing of Players, Club Officials and match Officials", "Dutch women ditch shorts to play soccer in skirts", "Goggles are Davids' most glaring feature", "Cech's rugby-style headgear passes the FA's safety test", "Andre Marriner debacle highlights Fifa aversion to video technology", "Who's the fat bloke in the number eight shirt?

The clubs themselves, rather than individual players, were now responsible for purchasing kit and financial concerns, along with the need for the growing numbers of spectators to easily identify the players, led to the lurid colours of earlier years being abandoned in favour of simple combinations of primary colours. [16] The captain of each team is usually required to wear an elasticated armband around the left sleeve to identify them as the captain to the referee and supporters. In the twentieth century, boots became lighter and softer, shorts were worn at a shorter length, and advances in clothing manufacture and printing allowed shirts to be made in lighter synthetic fibres with increasingly colourful and complex designs. [26] Other items that may be dangerous to other players, such as jewellery, however, are not allowed. [59], In the 1970s clubs began to create strongly individual strips, and in 1975 Leeds United, who had changed their traditional blue and gold colours to all white in the 1960s to mimic Real Madrid,[60] became the first club to design shirts which could be sold to fans in the form of replicas. [89], Uniform in association football; standard equipment and attire worn by players, "Interpretation of the laws of the game and guidelines for referees: Law 4 – The Players' Equipment", "A Brief History of Football Kit Design in England and Scotland", "Regulations Relating to Advertising on the Clothing of Players, Club Officials and match Officials", "Dutch women ditch shorts to play soccer in skirts", "Goggles are Davids' most glaring feature", "Cech's rugby-style headgear passes the FA's safety test", "Andre Marriner debacle highlights Fifa aversion to video technology", "Who's the fat bloke in the number eight shirt?