Ranking Ipswich Town's adidas kits from worst to first

Ipswich Town's relationship with adidas has come to an end, giving me another excuse to rank some football kits.

The first kits of the new Umbro era look set to be launched on Thursday.

But, before then, let's crack on with the Ipswich Town shirts from the adidas era, ranked from worst to first.

Luke Woolfenden, pictured in Town's 2020/21 away kit (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

18: 2020/21 away kit – aqua

Full disclosure, I don’t hugely dislike any of the kits in this edition of the rankings. I think Ipswich have been served pretty well by adidas over the last eight seasons, even if they were a little 'templatey' at times. Certainly a step-up from the Mitre era.

But something had to come bottom – and it’s this away shirt from the 2020/21 season.

I like the fact it’s made using material recycled from the sea but I don’t like the pattern on it or the blocky grey shoulders. What I did like, though, was the unique blue printing which accompanied it.

I don’t remember seeing any ranking of Dinamo Zagreb’s kits from 2020/21, or any from across Croatian football from that season, but it would be interesting to see where their away kit came.

It’s exactly the same as this Ipswich one.

Tom Lawrence scored some cracking goals on loan at Ipswich. (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

17: 2016/17 home kit

If it wasn’t for Emyr Huws scoring such an iconic goal, wearing this shirt against Newcastle in 2017, it would probably have been bringing up the rear here.

In terms of home shirts, it’s certainly my least favourite of the adidas era. The different coloured blues in the chevrons doesn’t work for me and looks like a slight reworking of the Polyfilla logo. Or a toothpaste brand.

Wearing it with blue shorts didn’t help, either.

Howzat! Martyn Waghorn celebrates his second half goal at Hillsborough with a cricketing theme Picture Pagepix (Image: Pagepix Ltd.07976 935738)

16: 2017/18 away kit – red

Pros: It’s an exact copy of the corresponding home kit, only in red. I like that approach.

Cons: It’s just a little dull for an away kit. Red shirts look better with black trim, in my opinion. Town have done those well in the past. It had black shorts, which were nice, but the shirt just wasn’t for me.

James Norwood celebrates scoring at Wycombe Wanderers Picture Pagepix (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

15: 2019/20 away kit – maroon and blue

This colour combination proved popular with Ipswich a few seasons prior, so you can see why it was given a second shot.

But this one didn’t hit the heights of the past. Not enough navy, perhaps?

This kit also served as the third version the following season, using a slightly different pair of shorts. They were great.

You may also remember this kit being worn with a pair of yellow socks one night at Wimbledon. What a night that was, sock fans.

Let me know if you want an article ranking Town socks from the last 30 years.

Jon Nolan models Town's orange away kit in 2018/19 (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

14: 2018/19 away kit – orange

This kit is seriously orange. You have to see it in real life to appreciate just how orange it was.

Looking around Portman Road, you can spot people wearing this shirt a mile off. Or are they stewards? Or construction workers attending the games mid-shift?

This is another shirt which has grown on me a little over time, but it’s just too bright.

Cole Skuse, pictured wearing Ipswich Town's 'Barcelona' away kit on a rare outing, away at Blackburn. Picture by Warren Page (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976 935738)

13: 2015/16 away kit – burgundy and blue

The original Barcelona kit. Well, not the original. Barcelona would probably claim that.

But Town’s first attempt at this colour scheme was a popular one and it sold well. For good reason – it's a nice kit with bold colours and nice yellow detailing.

But they just didn’t wear it enough, which is why it ranks quite lowly. These away kits need to be wearable.

Luke Chambers, pictured wearing Town's white away kit from 2016/17 (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 93573 8)

12: 2016/17 away kit – white

Previous readers of my kit rankings (and goodness knows I’ve done a lot of them) will know I generally like white kits.

But for some reason this one just doesn’t do it for me. I think I prefer them with black detailing, rather than the blue.

Emyr Huws in Town's 2017/18 home kit (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

11: 2017/18 home kit

The definition of solid, this one.

It’s blue, it’s white and it does the job. Pretty apt that it was worn by a Mick McCarthy team.

Luke Chambers shows off Town's 2015/16 home shirt (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

10: 2015/16 home kit

This one seems to split opinion, largely down to the collar.

But I like it. There aren’t enough collars in football these days.

The rest of the shirt isn’t thrilling but it’s good enough for a solid spot in midtable.

Flynn Downes, Luke Woolfenden, Andre Dozzell and Tristan Nydam all started when Ipswich Town hosted West Ham in a 2018 friendly. (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

9: 2018/19 home kit

This shirt has really grown on me over time.

Clearly, it brings with it bad memories. Ipswich were woeful and were relegated in it. But, taking a step back, I actually now quite like it.

I wasn’t a fan of the red at the time but, four years on, I’m ok with it.

Clearly the Magical Vegas logo is an abomination. No shirt could handle that mix of colours and retain any kind of class.

Town's 2021/22 away kit (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

8: 2021/22 away kit – white

I like white kits. Did I mention that already?

And this one ticks more of my boxes than 2016/17, with the black detailing.

I’ve recently been reminded that I wasn’t a huge fan of this kit when slapping my opinion around willy nilly, on the day it was launched. That was because I thought it was a little naked in the shoulder area.

I stand by that, but once I saw it with the black printing on the back and with patches on sleeves, it was elevated significantly.

David McGoldrick shows off Town's orange third kit in 2015/16 (Image: Pagepix)

7: 2015/16 third kit – orange

The Barcelona kit proved unwearable, so in comes this gift of an orange third kit.

A much more sensible shade of orange than the road worker one and a thrilling black triangle coming over one of the shoulders.

I like it.

Wes Burns in Ipswich's 2021/22 home shirt (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

6: 2021/22 home kit

The best sponsor logo of any of these kits, hands down. It makes this kit.

Look, it’s not the most thrilling of kits aside from the sponsor but it’s solid. The pin-stripes work well and it’s nice and clean.

Despite it being a strip worn during an 11th-place finish, it holds some good memories given it was the first used under the new ownership.

That’s more than can be said for most of these kits.

Daryl Murphy had three different spells on loan at Town (Image: Pagepix Ltd.07976 935738)

5: 2014/15 home kit

The og. The original. Numero Uno. El Primero.

The first kit of the adidas era is a good one. It’s smart, was worn during a good season and is distinctive, given the amount of black involved.

But is it ever so slightly over-rated, given the passing of time?

Possibly.

Fun fact: Bosnia wore the exact same shirt that season.

4: 2020/21 home kit

I wrestled with this one. I love shirts which are genuine tributes to past stunners, as this one is.

The return of the yellow badge was great for a season and having a famous Sir Bobby Robson quote inside the collar was a nice touch. It’s not surprising it was such a good seller.

It is a plain shirt, but it had to be, didn’t it?

I wasn’t a huge fan of the blue shorts. That’s the only real drawback.

Andy Warren and Stuart Watson after the adidas kit launch match Picture: ROSS HALLS (Image: Archant)

Kane Vincent-Young has suffered another injury set-back. Picture: ROSS HALLS (Image: Archant)

3: 2019/20 home kit

Right, I don’t think most people will rank this shirt as highly as I have.

But I really like it. The blue’s nice, there’s a good gloss to it and the darker chevrons add to the way the kit glistens. It looked particularly good under the lights.

I promise the fact I was invited to take part in a kit launch game wearing this kit on the Portman Road pitch in 2019 has nothing to do with the ranking of this kit.

I’m a lucky boy. I also abuse the powers I've been given.

It's a bronze medal.

Macauley Bonne gives goalscorer James Norwood a hug after the final whistle at Wigan (Image: PHILL HEYWOOD TEL 07806 775649)

2: 2021/22 third kit – black

I’m easily pleased, alright. The mystique around this third kit, not available for sale and worn just three times, was enough to win me over.

Sure, it’s an adidas template kit with Town’s badge and sponsor applied to it. But I really like it.

But it’s the aura around it which has seen it sit so highly on the ranking list.

I won’t apologise for being sucked in by that.

Ipswich Town players Christophe Berra, Dean Gerken, Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith model the new orange away kit for 2014/15 (Image: Archant)

1: 2014/15 away kit – orange

It always takes me a few drafts to get my order right with these kits rankings.

But there was always a clear winner.

I loved this shirt and still do. The orange is the perfect nod to the past, the black is striking and the style is on-point.

It’s the top dog of the adidas era.

Sears' first Ipswich goal came at Brighton in just his second game (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976 935738)

The adidas goalkeeping rankings

Initially I wanted to include goalkeeper kits in one big adidas ranking, but it proved unworkable.

Including them would have been unfair on the outfield kits, especially the home ones, given they operate with different rules in terms of design.

Also, these goalkeeping kits would all probably have made the top five.

So, here goes with my top five Ipswich Town goalkeeping kits of the adidas era.

Now that’s niche.

Bartosz Bialkowski applauds the Town fans after the Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest (Championship) match at Portman Road, Ipswich, on 05 March 2016. Picture: Steve Waller www.stephenwaller.com (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

5: 2015/16 - home – green

While the upcoming rankings may suggest otherwise, I’m a traditionalist at heart and love green goalkeeper kits.

I liked this one, with two shades of green and the orange trim.

Lovely stuff.

Vaclav Hladky has been linked with a move to Aberdeen (Image: PAGEPIX LTD 07976935738)

4: 2021/22 - third kit – pink/purple

Purple is my favourite colour. My daughter loves pink.

So I love this shirt.

It’s not perfect – the sponsor logo could be a bit brighter. It looks like what happens when my previously-mentioned daughter mixes too many different coloured paints together. But it’s a start.

Vaclav Hladky pulled this one off nicely.

Tomas Holy in action at Wimbledon (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

3: 2020/21 - away – black/blue

Town’s recycled away kit finished bottom of my kit rankings, but the goalkeeping version was an absolute banger.

Black with a nice blue pattern on the trim and that wonderful aqua printing, too.

Stunning.

2: 2017/18 - home – sky blue

This one surprised me when I was putting these together.

But simplicity is sometimes a winner. I love the colour and the trim on this kit.

It remains me of a stunning Bartosz Bialkowski season which ended with him winning a place at the World Cup.

Dean Gerken models Town's clash keeper shirt in 2018 (Image: Pagepix Ltd 07976 935738)

1: 2018/19 - third kit – mint

This one’s a beauty.

Very rarely worn but always a treat when it was.

The mint green body is great, as is the more traditional green on the sleeves.

My champion.