West Ham United are delighted to unveil The Boleyn Kit 2015/16 – the Club’s home kit for the final, unmissable season at the Boleyn Ground.
The Umbro design is inspired by the first ever West Ham shirt worn at the Boleyn Ground, with a claret body, blue sleeves and a blue hoop around the crew neck collar.
As the Hammers prepare to bid an emotional farewell to their historic home since 1904, the new Boleyn Kit will pay a fitting tribute to over a century of memories.
That original 1904 design was itself the inspiration for West Ham’s shirts throughout the 1960s, when one of the finest generations to emerge from the Academy of Football led the Club to domestic and European glory.
The new shirt also features a commemorative gold crest with the legend ‘Boleyn Ground 1904-2016’ underneath as a further mark of the momentous season that awaits.
As in 1904, The Boleyn Kit 2015/16 is completed by white shorts and claret socks. The shorts feature a contrast claret trim and internal blue drawstring, while the socks have a blue hoop reminiscent of kits in the 1940s and early 1950s.
Pre-order your final season kit today
Vice-Chairman Karren Brady believes the new kit epitomises the way West Ham want to say farewell to the Boleyn Ground.
She said: “We know how much supporters wanted a home kit for next season which would commemorate this historic occasion in style. This new design does just that, based on the kit worn by those who first graced the Boleyn Ground in 1904, but also evoking memories of the Club’s glory days in the 1960s and ‘70s.
“It is a magnificent kit for a momentous season and I know that West Ham’s players and supporters will feel proud to wear it.”
The Hammers’ No9 Andy Carroll likes what he sees of The Boleyn Kit too and expects it to prove a big hit with the fans.
“This final season at the Boleyn Ground is going to be unbelievable,” he confirmed. “To wear a shirt based on the first one ever worn here is massive.
“Everything about it is traditional and true to West Ham and I think the fans are going to love that. It’s got that proper retro feel about it and we’re all looking forward to pulling it on for the first time.
“Hopefully it’ll be remembered as not only the last Boleyn kit but also a really successful one for the Club.”
Paul Nugent, VP of Global Marketing for Umbro, added: “Designing the final season home kit has been a huge honour for us and something we’ve taken great care over.
“We wanted to respect the traditions of the club so used the 1904 strip as the inspiration point. The challenge was then to make the shirt wearable for the modern player and fans.
“We’ve created a bespoke home kit which carries several special touches – such as the ‘Boleyn Ground 1904-2016’ sign-off in gold – and we hope that 2015/16 will be an unforgettable season.”
Body-mapping on the back of the shirt is designed to offer maximum ventilation in one of the key temperature zones for players. The shorts have a tailored silhouette with a reduced volume waistband for optimum fit and comfort, with a mesh back yoke for ventilation, and double welt socks complete a kit which is steeped in West Ham tradition but modernised in appearance and design technology.
The Boleyn Kit 2015/16 is the first to be produced under the new five-year commercial partnership between West Ham and Umbro. The Club will shortly unveil the equally exciting and historic designs for the away and third kits for West Ham’s final season at the Boleyn Ground.
Supporters can pre-order The Boleyn Kit 2015/16 online now at officialwesthamstore.com or at any of the four Official Club Stores. Click here for store information.
Pre-orders will be delivered on 1 July.