Arsenal Football Club today reveals its new away kit with a design that celebrates the pioneering spirit of legendary Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman. Available for pre-order from today and on sale from Thursday 5th July 2007 in club shops and via home shopping, the new kit embraces design features that highlight Chapman’s influence over the game to this day, and sees a return to the white away shirts worn throughout the Club’s history.
The shirt incorporates a tonal print in a horizontal stripe, detailing many of Chapman’s groundbreaking innovations which among others include the introduction of the white ball, rubber studs and numbered shirts. The Gunners legend also campaigned for Gillespie Road tube station to be changed to Arsenal tube station - the setting for the print adverts - to further promote the Club’s name, and was successful with its renaming in 1932. The kit also features redcurrant shorts and white and redcurrant socks — the hooped design another of the ideas that Chapman introduced to the Club along with his inspiration for Arsenal’s famous red and white shirt.
The kit, in conjunction with the Club’s kit manufacturer Nike, has been made using Nike Dri-FIT fabric which transports moisture away from the skin to the fabric’s surface for rapid evaporation, keeping the player comfortable for longer. Moisture management is achieved through several mechanical fabric construction methods, with excess moisture being spread out over the large surface area of the fabric face so that it can quickly evaporate.
Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said of his predecessor: “Herbert Chapman changed and shaped the future of the Club. He had a big influence on the future of Arsenal and that’s something I am aiming for. I think you must try and take the Club to a new level and leave behind a legacy.”
Club Captain Thierry Henry commented: “I like the new away kit. I understand that it’s a bit of history for the Club because we used to wear white and I always like it when there is a bit of history. It’s always good, something fresh something new. You know when you have something behind the shirt - you know why we’re playing in white. It’s not just something out of the blue; I can’t wait to wear it.””
Theo Walcott added: “White is my colour. I always wear white boots and they go together nicely. It’s not always about the kit, but I do like this one. It’s a really nice style and feels really good on — that’s what all the players want to look forward to with a new kit really. It’s a brilliant thing to have your name on the back of an Arsenal shirt at such a young age like mine, and it’ll be brilliant walking into the dressing room seeing the new shirts hung up.”
Jim Allaker, General Manager, Nike UK & Ireland commented “The history of Arsenal Football Club is one of the driving factors behind the Club’s success. The pioneering spirit of Herbert Chapman lives on today through the current side and we wanted to create a kit that would help pay tribute to Chapman’s innovations, his influence on football and on Arsenal FC”
Adrian Ford, Arsenal’s Commercial Director: “The Club are delighted with the new Arsenal away strip for season 2007/08. Herbert Chapman was someone who was always looking to take the Club forward to new levels and this is something that also rings true with Arsène Wenger. This kit highlights and honours one of Arsenal’s most important figures”
The new Arsenal away kit can be pre-ordered now through Arsenal Home Shopping on 020 8 342 5858 or online at www.arsenal.com for delivery from 5th July. Any supporter that pre-orders or purchases the shirt from club shops or via home shopping will receive a free exclusive Herbert Chapman football, while stocks last. The Armoury at Emirates Stadium will be open 8.30am — 8pm on July 5th, the All Arsenal Store on Drayton Park 8.30am — 5pm and the World of Sport at Finsbury Park 8.30am — 5pm.
