As we enter the final month of the League One season, Andy Warren ranks all 24 clubs' home kits from worst to first.
24: Burton Albion – TAG Sportswear
I’m sorry, Brewers. I really want to like your offering but I just don’t.
I like the fact it’s made by a local company and I like the fact you’re trying something different, away from the usual manufacturers, but it’s just too plain.
It looks like a kit made for a school football team and used over a couple of decades, getting more and more worn out as it goes along.
Sorry, I really am.
23: Portsmouth – Nike
This attempt at a Portsmouth kit has all the ingredients to be decent but they’ve made a mess of it.
Blue, red and white is a combo which some teams (notably the French national team) have pulled off superbly, but the shades of blue and red are too garish and the white collar is bizarre.
No thanks.
22: Shrewsbury – Admiral
Full disclosure, I’ve not been a huge fan of Shrewsbury’s kits over the years. Sadly this one falls into a similar territory.
It’s just too busy, with the big blue block needed to break the stripes and house the sponsor doing it no favours at all.
It’s an improvement on recent years but not enough. Let’s see how they do next season.
21: Wigan Athletic – Puma
This shirt is fine.
The thick stripes are fine. The blue sleeves are fine and the charity sponsor is a nice touch, even if it does look a little ‘slapped on’.
But the major issue here is the fact it’s striped on the back, too, and worn with black numbers. You simply can’t read them.
20: Sunderland – Nike
I can’t see a Sunderland shirt without imaging it being used as the material on a deckchair at a British seaside resort.
It’s better than previous years but still not inspiring. The black shorts are great, though.
19: Charlton Athletic – Hummel
Here begins a run of red shirts which all largely look the same.
The Addicks are partnered with the hipsters’ choice brand, Hummel, which means it’s going to be decent.
It’s nothing more, though. Very plain.
18: Swindon Town – Puma
Another red option.
As you’ll soon see, Puma have created some good kits for teams this season and rank highly.
Even though this is the same template as those, if you’re going to do red and white then you need to offer me a little more. Sadly this one doesn’t.
17: Accrington Stanley – adidas
Being completely honest, I don’t like this kit very much.
The ‘frogspawn’ on the shoulders is very ‘Diadora 2006’ and seems a bit of an afterthought in a bid to make it interesting.
But seeing as I’ve criticised the previous two red kits for being too plain, I have to rank it higher.
16: Lincoln City – Errea
I’ll be honest, again. I struggled with this one.
Sometimes I look at it and think I like it, especially with the black shorts, but on others it’s just a right turn-off.
So it’s ended up here. Ask me to do these again and it may move up a few spots.
15: Gillingham – Macron
This is a very similar case to Lincoln.
On one viewing it’s a classic blue and white strip, with colours in equal proportions, then on the next I just finding it painfully boring.
I think I like it slightly more than Lincoln, though.
14: Crewe Alexandra – FBT (Football Thailand)
It’s red but there’s something about this Crewe effort which puts it above the others in its class.
Maybe it’s the two subtle tones in the body or the equally subtle black collar.
Whatever it is, I like it. Solid mid-table effort.
13: Doncaster Rovers – Elite Pro
Hoops aren’t normally my thing but I like this.
It’s sharp, bold, clean and locally designed.
A solid effort.
12: Northampton Town – Hummel
Two more Hummel efforts now. I love the rusty red of this Cobblers kit, which puts it well above the previous Charlton one of the same design.
I’ve not got an awful lot more to say about it.
11: Fleetwood Town - Hummel
For me, this is the best red kit on offer this season.
I like the Hummel designs, the trademark chevrons are nice, but this one ranks above the rest because of the added detail on the shoulders.
It just works.
10: Peterborough United – Puma
I loved this kit when I saw it was released last summer but, for some reason, I’ve gone off it a little over time.
I like the shade of blue Posh use and I like the webbing on the body of the shirt.
A good effort.
9: Oxford United – Puma
Another good effort from the Kassam Stadium side, though this isn’t quite as strong as last season’s pinstriped number.
The yellow’s nice, the navy blue works well with it and they’ve nailed the sponsorship size/placement.
8: Bristol Rovers – Macron
I love the NFL, I love Battenburg cake and I love a quarter pounder burger from the barbecue – so it’s no wonder I’m a fan of Bristol Rovers kits.
Good things come in quarters and this shirt is no different. It’s unique to them and they pull it off well.
They’ve gone with the solid blue back to the kit this season, which is a big bonus in my book. Wigan, I’m looking at you.
7: Blackpool – Puma
Puma are doing good things this season. Their kits are simple and aren’t trying to kid anyone.
The Tangerines offer a strip like no other, with the orange and white working well together.
What lifts this above other Puma offerings is the sponsor, with the Blackpool skyline an excellent feature.
6: MK Dons – Errea
Genuinely, I love white kits. Whenever I’ve done these rankings in the past, white ones have usually ended up in the top three.
That’s not the case this year but I do like this effort from the Dons.
White, with subtle hints of gold and black. A solid effort.
5: Hull City – Umbro
Hull are consistently good in the fashion stakes, teaming up with Umbro to again keep things simple and allow their amber and black stripes to do their own talking.
No attempt to be jazzy. Solid.
4: Rochdale - Errea
The men from Spotland may be down the bottom of the real table but they’re battling at the top of this one.
Their blue and black number screams Inter Milan, with the jagged edges around the stripes at collar level an excellent touch.
Would have been a serious contender for top spot had it not been for the red lettering on the sponsor. Get that in white and you’re onto a winner.
3: Ipswich Town – adidias
I absolutely love this Ipswich Town kit. Previous drafts (I've done four) of this list has had it top but, perhaps against my better judgement, I've ended up moving it down a little.
It’s sharp, the blue is on point, the white is in all the right places and the retro badge to celebrate the UEFA Cup success makes it truly memorable. The blue shorts are great, too – I want to buy some but it appears they’re sold out.
It’s just a shame that it's ultimately been worn by one of the worst sides in the club's history. Maybe that's why it hasn't taken the title.
Or maybe it's the fact that, take away the yellow badge, it's maybe a little plain? Or for plain, read classic? Maybe classic is best? Oh, I don't know.
I love this kit but it takes the bronze medal.
I look forward to seeing what the club have come up with for next season, with the kit already signed off by former boss Paul Lambert prior to his departure.
2: Plymouth Argyle - Puma
I love this kit.
The shade of green is striking and unique to Argyle but it’s the black which makes this strip. The sponsor is absolutely perfect, too.
Bold and individual. A triumph which could easily have taken top spot.
1: AFC Wimbledon – Puma
The Dons always have good kits and this is yet another, as they celebrate moving into their new home.
They keep their shirts simple with a striking combination of blue and yellow which play with each other perfectly. A very solid sponsor certainly helps their cause.
Shrewsbury could learn a thing or two from this blue and yellow number.
The original rankings had this kit in third place but, upon seeing it live in the flesh at Plough Lane on Tuesday night, I've bumped it up to top.
Congratulations, Wimbledon. The crown is yours.
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