Football kits are becoming somewhat of a fashion item nowadays. Fans eagerly await the release of their club's new strip but also many on the continent, as the shirt collectors community continues to grow.
Retro jerseys are some of the most sought-after items in football, and Aston Villa have certainly been a part of the craze. The West Midlanders have had their fair share of quirky kits in years gone by and today at Football FanCast, we've decided to rank some of their best efforts.
Rank
Kit
Manufacturer
1
95-97 Home
Reebok
2
05/06 Away
Hummel
3
22/23 Third
Castore
4
00/01 Home
Diadora
5
20/21 Away
Kappa
6
10/11 Away
Nike
7
92/93 Home
Umbro
8
93-95 Home
Asics
9
18/19 Home
Luke 1977
10
97/98 Home
Reebok
11
98/99 Away
Reebok
12
08/09 Home
Nike
12 2008/09 Home Nike
This Nike-made classic was donned during Villa's 2008/09 sixth-placed finish. The jersey just screams Ashley Young and the flying winger enjoyed a fantastic campaign wearing it, scoring nine goals whilst laying on 11 assists.
It's quite a simplistic design, but that makes for a clean look, and even right down to the sponsor, it's pleasing to the eye. The iconic Barclays Premier League badge on the sleeve is worth noting, too.
The blue crew-neck collar breaks up the claret pleasantly and it's certainly deserving of a place in our rankings.
11 1998/99 Away Reebok
Reebok designed a beauty with this one. The collar is a lovely feature and adds a touch of class to the strip, which was sported during John Gregory's four-year stint in charge.
He guided his side to a sixth-placed finish and took them to the second round of the UEFA Cup before suffering a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Spanish outfit Celta Vigo.
Julian Joachim ended the campaign as the club's top scorer with 15 in all competitions following his move from Leicester City two years prior.
Stan Collymore, pictured above, was shipped out on loan to Fulham at the end of the season after managing just one league goal.
10 1997/98 Home Reebok
Another super strip designed by Reebok enters our rankings. This number was sported during a rocky season for the Lions. When Brian Little resigned as boss in February 1998, the club were sat in 15th before John Gregory influenced a late run which saw his side eventually finish in seventh.
There are a couple of quirks about this kit that make it stand out – the bolder blue on the sleeves and the bordering on the crest handing this effort a cool, unique look.
9 2018/19 Home Luke 1977
This Luke 1977-made home number has a really sophisticated look about it. The subtle V-neck collar paired with the blue trim on the sleeves makes for a clean and solid home kit.
It was donned during Aston Villa's last season in the Championship, as they gained promotion by defeating Derby County 2-1 in the play-off final to end a three-year absence from the top flight.
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A super effort by Asics, here.
The blue pinstripes are a distinctive quirk, and it pairs well with the claret panels. Meanwhile, the Muller sponsor, although prominent, actually fits the strip well.
Dwight Yorke, pictured above, sported this fashionable retro design under the management of Ron Atkinson and Brian Little. He scored eight league goals across two seasons sporting the kit, which included their League Cup final victory in 1994 over Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United at Wembley.
7 1992/93 Home Umbro
Now this one is a proper 90s kit… the lacing that replaced the collar was a very popular feature on football shirts during this period. They were initially used during the early 1900s to eradicate buttons as designers felt the lacing would be more comfortable for the players, and Umbro decided to bring back the design in the early 90s.
Aston Villa were one of those sides that had laced jerseys, and the manufacturers created this classic using the unique feature. Dean Saunders, pictured above, enjoyed a prolific season sporting this masterpiece.
The first Premier League campaign saw the Villans dominant for much of it and well in the race to win the title. They sat at the summit of the table with six games remaining of the season but ultimately fell short to Manchester United.
6 2010/11 Away Nike
The claret and blue checkered pattern on the side of the strip is a fantastic addition to what is a stunning away jersey, donned by former attacking midfielder Barry Bannan, who now plies his trade at Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.
Even the sponsor, which can often be a hindrance to the aesthetic of football jerseys, is a nice touch, with the red pairing beautifully with the solid black throughout. A fantastic effort from Nike, here.
That season, Martin O'Neill resigned as manager five days before the start of the season due to a broken relationship with the chairman and frustrations over transfer funds. Villa would have a testing campaign and finished in the bottom half, but at least they looked good doing it.
5 2020/21 Away Kappa
Former Villa skipper Jack Grealish, pictured above, sports this classy away strip. The Kappa-made kit displays a lovely contrast of black and blue, and the subtle claret detailing on the collar is another fantastic feature.
Having only just survived relegation on the final day of the previous campaign, the Villans enjoyed a solid year under Dean Smith as they finished 11th on 55 points – their best tally in the Premier League since 2010.
4 2000/01 Home Diadora
Diadora designed a fabulous home strip here, sported by former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur winger David Ginola in the image above.
The blue V-neck collar breaks up the claret pleasantly, whilst the sponsor is quite a nice splash of colours on this trendy retro number.
That year, Villa were looking like a true force up until the end of October, when they totally fell away, winning one of the following 11 games.
3 Third kit 2022/23
This third kit is quite a beauty. The pops of electrifying yellow paired with the black base create a dynamic look, and one that just had to make our list. It's very rare a modern-day kit can compete with retro classics of the past, but Castore did just that.
Not to mention, Villa enjoyed a terrific campaign sporting it. Unai Emery, after replacing Steven Gerrard as gaffer, steered his side away from relegation danger to a seventh-placed finish, just one point adrift of sixth-placed Brighton and Hove Albion, who occupied the final Europa League spot.
Emery turned a relegation-threatened side into one of the form teams in the country.
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