Formed in 1882 and christened Hotspurs Football Club, Tottenham took more than a few years to establish the look which is now synonymous with the English top flight side, that is white shirts with navy blue shorts.

In fact, a fully white shirt wasn’t used until 1898, and the club wore red for six years. However the first strip used by the boys from All Hallows Church was a minimalist, all navy blue affair, very reminiscent of other football strips from the decade. Very long shorts with pulled up socks were donned by the team, with their heavy, long-sleeved jerseys adorned by the Hotspur badge; a red shield with the letter “H” wrote on it. The strip lasted two years before it was completely changed, as the newly formed club struggled to find an identity.

1882-84

In 1884 the colour white was used on a Tottenham kit for the first time, thought the strip wasn’t totally white. The shirt featured a panel design with a white and light blue section. The club badge was also changed, with the red shield and black “H” replaced by a solid white Maltese cross. The shorts were solid white and the socks remained the same as the previous year: navy blue.

1884-86

The shirt design was replicated for the 2007/2008 season when the club celebrated their 125 year anniversary. The shirt proved a hit with fans, though their appears to be no plans to change the now famous solid white home shirt and due to the fact the top looks similar to the current home shirt, it’s unlikely the design will be used as an away/alternate strip.

In 1890 a new kit was used by Hotspurs and it’s hard to see it being used by Tottenham today for one important reason- it’s red! Despite one of the club’s logos being “Never Red” the new club experimented with a red top with navy blue shorts and socks. The strip lasted six years.

1890-1896

The kit that was used from 1896 to 1898 was probably the strangest Spurs kit of all time. The club decided to ditch the red strip and instead don yellow and brown stripes with black shorts and socks. Fortunately, the club decided not to keep the design, and the strip only lasted two years.

The last Spurs kit of the nineteenth century finally saw Tottenham wear white. The now familiar white shirt/blue shorts/blue socks design was used for the first time and that particular design was kept for five years. The shirt didn’t sport a badge however, the cockerel was first used in 1920.

1898-1903