Sky Bet League Two 2014 - 2015
In recent years former Football League clubs that have dropped into the Conference have struggled to regain their status. This season Luton Town have made a long overdue return after running away with the Conference title. Cambridge United, who have been in the fifth tier in 2005 are also back thanks to the play-offs.
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Designer: Mitre
Sponsor: Storefirst.com
Stanley have retained the Mitre strips introduced part way through last season (but now with red shorts) and launched a new yellow/blue change strip in July.
(Arthur Cowburn, David Rafelle, Travis Hogarth-Colby)
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Designer: Tag
Sponsor: Anvil Hire Ltd
Burton reached the play-off finals but were beaten by Fleetwood Town. Their first choice strip is unchanged and a stunning new change kit is introduced.
(Daniel Bower)
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Designer: Surridge
Sponsor: King of Trainers (1st, 2nd) Bury Council (3rd)
Matching templates make a smart suite of kits for the Shakers. This is the first time in their long history that all white has been first choice. Last season's change strip was worn at Southend in October. The special edition gold/black strip celebrates the club's 130th anniversary and incorporates the names of fans who purchased a club bond.
(Joe Earp, Ben Gershaw, Tony Barras)
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Designer: Puma
Sponsor: Mick George (1st) ERMS (UK) Ltd (2nd, 3rd)
After an absence of nine years, Cambridge are back in the Football League. Stripes return for the new home strip while light blue is used for the change kit, a nod towards the university colours perhaps.
(James Dupere)
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Designer: Sondico
Sponsor: Virgin Trains
After a record 19 seasons the Stobart Group has ended its shirt sponsorship deal with Carlisle United. No explanation has been given although the company have stated that they will continue to support the club in other ways. The new first kit is another example of retro design and is modelled on the kit worn when the team played in the First Division (then the top tier) in 1974-75.
(Dan MacLennan)
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Designer: Errea
Sponsor: Mira Showers
After consultations with supporters, Cheltenham, have dropped the ruby colour worn in recent years for a more contemporary look. The second strip is unchanged.
(Alec Hitchman)
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Designer: Sondico
Sponsor: West & Coe
Because of a problem at Sondico's Polish factory delivery of the new change strip was delayed and its launch had to be postponed.
(John Lovett)
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Designer: Joma
Sponsor: Flybe
Exeter's latest first kit has much narrower stripes on the shirt than we are used to and solid red sleeves. The reserve kit has pale orange trim on a black shirt. Last season's third kit was worn at Plymouth.
(David Rafelle)
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Designer: Nike (Special shirt by Avec)
Sponsor: Dove Energy (1st), Bartercard (2nd)
The first choice kit may be a standard template but it is a smart interpretation of a theme that goes back a long way. The change strip is more adventurous. As usual, the team wore a commemorative shirt in their November FA Cup match which was then auctioned off for charity. This season's version is almost identical to last year's but is made by Avec rather than Nike. The legend above the poppy reads "Every Man Remembered."
(Alec Hitchman, David Rafelle, Ben Gershaw)
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Designer: Fila
Sponsor: Easyjet
Of all the clubs to have dropped into the Conference, Luton have the best credentials for membership of the Football League, including a first-class stadium and a long tradition so it is very pleasing that they are back as Conference champions. After consultations with supporters, the orange, navy and white colours are retained and the three strips are variations on this theme with fully interchangeable elements. The first choice shirt has "Football Conference Champions 2013/14" embroidered below the Fila logo.
(David Dobberson)
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Designer: Surridge
Sponsor: One Call Insurance
The Stag's new change strip is an intriguing combination of charcoal and light grey and resembles Nike's Striker design. The first strip is unchanged but now worn with amber shorts rather than blue. The red and white third kit was unveiled for the first time in the FA Cup match at Cambridge in December.
(Will Hopewell, Mike Cheque, Ben Gershaw)
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Designer: Fila
Sponsor: Carbrini @ JD
Morecambe's first shirt is a template that has also turned up under the Diadora and Carbrini brands and is complemented by a change shirt in two shades of violet.
(James Main)
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Designer: Macron
Sponsor: Mr. Tom
The Exiles have returned to black shorts with a red/white alternative in the same Macron template. The third kit was introduced ahead of the FA Cup tie at Luton Town in November.
(Alexander Leiberich, Alec Hitchman, Ben Gershaw, David King)
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Designer: Errea
Sponsor: University of Northampton
Errea can be relied upon to produce elegant designs and even if they do come from their catalogue, they are worn by only a few team so repetition is rarely an issue. Cobblers' supporters prefer to see their team in white shorts but to my mind this strip has enough contrast in the shirt and socks to make the combination work.
(Travis Hogarth-Colby)
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Designer: Avec
Sponsor: Black 'n' Rounds (1st), Isinglass Consulting (2nd)
Oxford are now equipped by Avec and have a properly yellow first choice shirt after the deeper gold colour worn last season. The same template is used for both main and alternative strips, which always looks smart. Purple, worn in the change strip last term, seems to have been a popular choice and is retained, although now as a secondary colour on a predominantly white second choice kit.
(Graham Barr)
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Designer: Puma
Sponsor: LTC Powered Access
Fans were invited to vote on three plain green Puma shirts none of which attracted convincing support so an additional design (Puma's Touchline striped template) was submitted and received 76% of the vote. Argyle first wore green and white striped shirts in 1975. HFK would like to see a campaign to restore the wonderful white strips with green/black bands worn in the Sixties (hint, hint).
Supporters were also offered a vote on whether the shirt sponsor should appear
in corporate or club colours with predictable results.
(Craig Morris, Ian Newell)
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Designer: Sondico
Sponsor: Jobsite
Portsmouth have a new change strip that has a passing resemblance to an old favourite from the 1970s. The first kit was launched on the 4 August, the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War, at the unveiling of a monument at Fratton Park to the "Pompey Pals," two battalions of the Hampshire Regiment recruited in the town. The names of 1400 soldiers who lost their lives are printed into the fabric and the shirt is finished with a period crest.
Supporters were canvassed on the choice of a third strip to be launched in September, with a majority choosing an all-yellow design.
(Andy McCallum, Matthew Forster)
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Designer: Surridge
Sponsor: Greenhous
The Shrews are back in the fourth tier, relegated last season. The change strip is new while the others are retained from last season.
(Alec Hitchman)
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Designer: Nike
Sponsor: Martin Dawn PLC
Southend's shirts now carry the logo of their chairman's company. For the first time since they reverted to navy and white in 2001, their "home" shirt is predominantly white, a reminder of their early 1980s look.
(Oliver Graystone, Alec Hitchman)
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Designer: Fila
Sponsor: Tyre Pros
Striped shirts with black edging and white sleeves have been introduced on the team's first choice strip and very smart they look. The change kit is in claret with pale gold piping. As both sets clashed with Northampton's home kit, last season's black tops were worn at Sixfields.
(Tom Dudley, Bill Craven)
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Designer: Carbrini/Fila
Sponsor: Home Bargains
White sleeves are restored to Rovers' new "home" shirt this season while the light blue alternative is retained. Although the sets carry different branding, both are owned by JD Sports.
(Matthew Sudlow, Mike Hollis)
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Designer: Admiral
Sponsor: SI Games
The Dons have signed up with Admiral Sportswear after an association with Tempest Sports that lasted 12 years. Their new first strip has a nice 1980s look about it and it hard to believe that the original Wimbledon FC never wore pinstripes. The white change strip is a nod to the 1977-78 outfit worn when Wimbledon first played in the Football League.
(Mark Randall, Andrew Mihaleff)
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Designer: Kukri Sports
Sponsor: Beechdean Ice Cream
The traditional quartered motif of Wycombe's first choice shirt is repeated with the use of two shades of pale blue to create a very unusual effect. The withdrawal of Samsung/EA Sports from shirt sponsorship meant that the club had to find a new shirt sponsor this season.
(Dave Peatey)
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Designer: Nike
Sponsor: Berenden Health
Nike's Revolution II template is the basis of York's latest fisrt kit. Traditionalists will be pleased that the mid blue shorts have been dropped but I'm sure they would prefer them to have been replaced by navy rather than white. The light blue change strip is the new Victory II design.
(Matt Simpson)