Arsenal to Wear Red Shorts With Home Kit for First Time in Nearly 40 Years in West Brom Clash

Arsenal will wear red shorts with their home kit in place of the usual white ones for the first time in almost 40 years, during their upcoming game against West

Arsenal will wear red shorts with their home kit in place of the usual white ones for the first time in almost 40 years, during their upcoming game against West Brom at the Hawthorns.

While the white and red combination has become synonymous with the North London side in recent decades, there was a time when they would use red shorts with their home kit, such as in games affected by snow.

Announced on the Club's Official Website, the all red outfit will be worn for the first time since 1978, and unsurprisingly it has caused a bit of a stir on social media - of both anger and nostalgia.

Here is some of the reaction:

CONFIRMED: Arsenal will wear red shorts with the home kit for the first time since 1986. This is despite the PL allowing short clashes (take the reverse fixture as an example) and our away kit arguably not clashing. I want answers NOW. @premierleague @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/MaEOXWbrol

— N (@KitManRamsey) December 30, 2017

Scottish Willie Fight : Tough Scots Johnstone of West Brom. and Arsenal's Young exchange words at The Hawthorns (December 1977) . Arsenal won 3-1 and are in the red shorts with no white trim. @Gooner_AK @TheArsenalShirt @natm_mag @ccooperuk @Flemmerafc1 @garythegooner56 pic.twitter.com/F3MOGoUxTC

— Supermac's Sweatband (@Supermacs_knee) December 27, 2017

If Arsenal lose today, fully expect ArsenalTwitter to put the blame firmly on the red shorts and call for Vic Akers to be sacked.

— Andy Kelly 🌍 (@Gooner_AK) December 31, 2017

Arsenal want people to buy the red shorts.
Otherwise they would just wear the away kit.

— GoonerMan-AK 🇬🇧🇻🇨 (@GoonerMeAK) December 31, 2017

The Premier League's official rules state: "When playing in league matches the players of each participating club shall wear strip which is of a sufficient contrast that match officials, spectators and television viewers will be able to distinguish clearly between the two teams."

However, the league has routinely allowed teams to wear matching shorts, as long as their shirts are sufficiently contrasting.

Ironically, the change has come after significant confusion during West Brom's game with Everton on Boxing Day, when both sides opted for their blue home kits, disorienting viewers.

Both Arsenal and West Brom's home kits incorporate white on the sleeves and the shorts, and with the Baggies obviously playing in their first strip at home, the Gunners deemed their blue away kit and black third kit unsuitable in conjunction with their opponent's attire.

While clubs have been known to mix and match aspects of their three kits in order to accomdate certain sides, it is understood Arsenal were unwilling to do so, and thus the return to red shorts.