FA Cup – Third Round, Kit Review – Football Kit Geek

The FA Cup, the oldest football competition in the world, first kicked off 150 years ago in November 1871 has now completed the 3rd Round of the 2021/22 season.

Details from Round 2 can be found here – FA Cup – Second Round, Kit Review

The Third Round of the FA Cup, one of the best weekend’s in the Football Calendar sees the teams from the Top Tiers of English Football join the competition, the 44 Teams from The Premier League and The Championship are joined by 8 League One teams, 8 League Two Teams and 4 Non League Teams with Kidderminster Harriers being the lowest ranked team in the competition, currently in National League North (6th Tier of English Football Pyramid). Replays were scrapped from this round, so all ties were concluded in these games by Extra Time / Penalities if needed.

Third Round Kit Log

Manufacturers

14 Kit Manufacturers were used in the Third Round, this is a decrease from 16 in Second Round but saw an additional 24 teams in this round, from 40 to 64. Puma maintaining their run of most kits used in the round with 13 in total.

Umbro jumped from just the one kit in the First and Second Rounds (Shrewsbury Town) to 9 teams, the second highest used.

There were 3 manufacturers with just one kit in this round, Oneils, Surridge (Both League Two teams in Hartlepool United and Mansfield Town) and Kelme (Watford).

Kit Highlights

Looking at some of the highlights of the Third Round…

I have to start with Arsenal, who wore a special all white kit, promoting their #NoMoreRed campaign, I wrote about this in a seperate article which you can find here – Arsenal – #NoMoreRed

The kit was all white, with white trim and numbers (no names).

Crystal Palace used their 3rd Kit for only the second time this season (previously used in League Cup), their game at Local Rivals Millwall was one of the televised games on 8th January and it was mentioned on commentary that the kit was being used as a nod to the kit worn Crystal Palace in the first running of the competition in 1871. Also its worth giving Michael Olise special credit for his boots perfectly matching the kit in their victory.

Newcastle United v Cambridge United gave us a nice looking kit match up, with Cambridge United in their home kit with alternative amber shorts and socks matched up against the traditional Black and White of Newcastle United.

Many teams have their own bespoke “Cup” Font that they use in various cup competitions and European Competitions. I wanted to call out one of my favourite of the 2021/22 season. Leeds United have got something very different here, especially given that have just black in the Premier League but this fluro yellow and blue nameset really works well and brings out the colour details used in Leeds United’s Adidas kit much more, given a more rounded look to the kit.