'Bold and brave' new Saints kit looks back to the 1980s

Southampton have taken a turn back to the 1980s with their new home kit for the 2022/23 Premier League season.

Described as a 'brave new direction', the new strip takes inspiration from the jerseys worn in the early 80s by the likes of Kevin Keegan, Alan Ball, and Charlie George.

This time the colours are reversed, though, with a central red stripe as the standout feature, along with a central badge.

Launched under the campaign, Bold is Brave, the club say its new kit is aimed at celebrating bravery both on and off the pitch, with hopes the shirt can inspire Saints fans to be brave, whatever the challenge.

Sarah Batters, director of marketing and partnerships at the club, said: “Being brave is in our DNA. We’ve always looked for new ways to push boundaries and this season’s kit is no different.

"As part of this launch, we asked players, staff, and fans what bravery means to them and in time we will be releasing some of these stories.

"Working with hummel enables us to creatively push our kit designs and this shirt is no different.

"Celebrating our heritage with a flip on the classic 1980 shirt but modernised with nods to St Mary’s stadium and a bold central badge."

A geometric pattern on the shirt is taken from the iconic stanchions of St Mary’s stadium, while the sleeves are complemented with two chevrons, taken from hummel’s trademark. 

The kit has been produced using Eco8 material made from fabric created using recycled plastic bottles.

The £55 shirt (£45 for junior size) is only available to pre-order until the 27 July on the club's website. After that, it will be available for purchase in store and online.