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“Go On.” Unboxing the 2018-19 Home Kit

Overall, it looks as though the club have scored with the 2018-19 home strip and another one of those stirring promotional videos to go with it

The phased unveiling of the new Everton strips always carries an air of trepidation. Under wraps for months as the manufacturers' designers draw up the look that our beloved team will wear for the season, they're then announced to supporters as a fait accompli to much fanfare in the spring.

It's not a simple undertaking. The commerce-driven need to release new kits every season means that it is incumbent on Umbro, in the case of the past few years, to come up with something each year that is sufficiently different from the last but one which remains faithful to the club's traditions while trying to please as many supporters as possible.

The bar — not to mention expectations — is high and they're never going to please everybody but, armed with the data from last year's survey of Evertonians on what they want to see from the Blues' home and change kits, the Umbro and the club have done a pretty good job of hitting close to the mark, particularly with recent home jerseys.

2016-17's iteration wasn't universally loved because of the yellow flashes on the sleeves and 2017-18's release was initially met with some reservations over the dark panels around the armpits but both were popular because of the predominance of royal — or “reflex” — blue to the overall look. But next season's edition has met with some of the strongest acclaim yet if the reaction on social media and fan sites is any indication.

It's easy to see why, particularly when you see it in the flesh. It is classically Everton blue but instead of going with the same fabric to which we've all become accustomed on active wear throughout, Umbro have added a unique marl effect on all parts of the shirt except the sleeves. Viewed up close, it's actually complimentary to the new “camo” range Everton of leisurewear recently released which may or not be a coincidence.

The grandad collar (best worn with the top button undone so it doesn't look too much like a dog collar!), adds a partial nod to the jerseys from the glory days of the 1960s while the instantly recognisable Umbro diamonds make a return as a band around the sleeves. They come close to the line of the kit producer's branding taking over but as a design element it works, if only because it harks back so strongly to the days when Bob Latchford walked on water.

The reverse is plain apart from a Prince Rupert's Tower motif which replaces the Bill Dean silhouette and, of course, the players' name and number. The shorts are white, of course, and, pleasingly, so are the socks.

If there is a gripe it's the Angry Birds logo which detracts from what is a really attractive home jersey but, again, those commercial demands make for unavoidable compromises. It would be nice to have the option not to have the game's oversized logo but that doesn't appear to be possible and Rovio's insistence that it appear on all replica kits is almost certainly written into the sponsorship contract.

As far as the goalkeeper's jersey goes, it's a move away from the bright salmon pink number that Jordan Pickford wore for most of this season and a return to traditional green. Black has always looked the most attractive to these eyes but there's also the need to stand out and this mostly bright green number will do the job.

Overall, it looks as though the club have scored with the 2018-19 home strip and another one of those stirring promotional videos to go with it. Running under the slogan “Go On”, there is unmistakable undercurrent of progress in the video.

After such a forgettable season, you can't help but hope that with lines like “I'm telling you, there's going to be progress,” and “we're moving forward, restless, advancing, improving,” Everton are hinting at the big decisions that we all hope are coming this summer that could usher in change from top to bottom and in key areas in the team.

A brand new home kit won't change much — it's early availability is a welcome change, though, and shouldn't be overlooked as a sign of progress in itself — but if those big leaps forward are in the pipeline and improvement on the field is coming next season, the Boys in Blue are going to look damned good doing it!

The new Everton 2018/19 Home kit is available to order now for adults, juniors, infants and babies from EvertonDirect.com.

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