Home, Away, Third and Fourth Kits: What Actually Changes

A club does not wear one shirt a season any more - it wears three or four, plus a separate one for the goalkeeper. If you have ever wondered what actually separates them (beyond the colours), this is the short version.

Home: the identity

The home kit carries the colours the club is known by. It changes subtly every season - collar shapes, trim, fabric - but the identity is fixed. If you are buying your first shirt of a club, or buying for someone else, start here: it is the version people picture when they hear the club's name.

Away: the travel problem

When the home colours clash with the opponent's, the away kit takes over. Design freedom is wider here, which is why away shirts occasionally become more popular than the home one in a given season. If someone already owns the home shirt, the away is the natural second.

Third (and Fourth): the collector's territory

Crowded broadcast schedules create more colour clashes than two shirts can solve, so clubs add a third - and some, a fourth. These are where clubs experiment: retro throwbacks, bold palettes, limited runs. They usually sell in smaller quantities, which makes the popular ones the first to run out of sizes.

Goalkeeper: a different shirt entirely

Keepers must wear colours distinct from both teams and the officials, so goalkeeper kits are designed separately - different palette, often a different cut with longer sleeves and padded elbows. Buying a keeper shirt as an outfield shirt is a statement, and some people make it on purpose.

So which one should you buy?

One more thing: kids sizes run across all versions

Home, away and third shirts all exist in kids and baby fits in our store, so family sets do not have to compromise on version.

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Availability of specific versions varies by club and season; see each product page for what is in stock.