Fourth kits, European shirts and unworn garments

From the Football Italia website, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has blamed Milan's 3-0 defeat at Arsenal on their wearing of an all-black kit. This isn't the first time a defeat has been blamed on a kit (most famously Man United changed their grey kit at Southampton after the first half which saw them concede three goals). Galliani decreed that Milan wouldn't wear black again, and next year would don yellow.

Of course Milan's change kit is white which would also have clashed with the Gunners, fair enough. But Milan really should know better - in the past they've been known to have a fourth choice kit. Famous the world over, but should they also be famous for treating their fans like mugs? In the Super Cup win of 1995, also against Arsenal, they unveiled a yellow shirt that they only wore once, at home, and it was never seen again. But to have fourth shirts of red, one of their primary colours? Weird.

Milan didn't like being called yellow-bellied, their trophy said it all

On these shores, Manchester United were once associated with constant kit changes, although these days they're certainly not alone, as all twenty Premier League clubs changed their home shirts at the start of 2011/12. Sure, they've had away and third shirts, lord knows how many goalkeeper shirts, even a reversible number for their centenery. But two home shirts in the same season?

I've touched upon United's treble winning season in various blogs, a great achievement indeed. But the fact that they had a whole different kit for their European games, talk about fleecing. That season they also had two change kits, in white and blue. No wonder they're one of the richest clubs in the world.

Image courtesy of Historical Football Kits

In the Guardian's excellent Knowledge column, they answer the questions that perhaps this blog may raise from time to time. In this week's edition, they discuss kits that have never even been worn, and they reference two third kits of QPR in the early nineties, as well as touching on the third kit that England unveiled prior to Italia '90.

Unfortunately the figures of kit sales are at best unreliable, with so many different outlets stocking shirts these days. With the recent Euro 2012 kits going on sale for a whopping £60 each, shouldn't the clubs show the fans even a little courtesy?

Milan unveil next season's away, third and fourth kits

With old shirts going for big money these days, it may well be the biggest proof that today's rubbish is tomorrow's antique.