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It’s likely that most fanbases would agree that their team’s best jersey was worn during the time period of the mid-70s to late 90s. For Welsh fans, the Admiral ’76 jersey is the obvious choice, unless they have a special attachment to Billy Meredith’s lace-up collars.
The 1958 Welsh team was considered the strongest due to their talented players and inspiring journey. Unfortunately, their star player John Charles was injured during the quarter-final. At the same time, a young 17-year-old Pelé was beginning his journey to becoming a world-renowned player. Some argue that if Charles had not been injured, Wales may have won the quarter-final and potentially the World Cup, despite Pelé’s presence. However, it is not a definite conclusion and open to debate.
Then there’s Gareth Bale and company, who made it to three major tournaments out of four. Much of the praise they received ahead of Euro 2016 was connected to 1958: these were the drought breakers, bringing the sweet wet kiss of major tournament football back to a parched and thirsty land. Twice, by some bizarre twitch of fortune, Wales’ men’s team had found themselves in possession of one of the best players in the world. Twice he’d had a pretty decent supporting cast. Twice that had made the difference between there and not there.
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The boys of ’76 did not reach the finals of the Euros. However, they are still the only Welsh team to have ever topped a qualifying group. Bale and his teammates were runners-up twice and had to go through playoffs to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In order to qualify for the 1958 World Cup, Wales had a complicated journey that involved being eliminated from the European zone and then having to play a playoff against Israel. Israel had advanced to the playoffs without playing a single game due to the Suez crisis and the Arab League boycott. Technically, Wales represented both Asia and Africa in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
One of the lesser-known injustices in football is that the most stylish uniforms do not always belong to the most skilled teams, and vice versa. While a great uniform may not always result in a great performance on the field, it still holds significance in other ways. It becomes a vessel for stories, especially during the time when uniforms were worn season after season and became intertwined with the team’s growth and evolution over time. Take, for example, the Wales kit in the George Berry photo. It holds a special place in the hearts of fans as it is linked to one of the most iconic moments featuring a famous figure in a uniform- Bob Marley and the Admiral ’76 tracksuit top. Move over, Drake. The rumor, the myth, the legend has it that Marley himself sported this iconic uniform on television.
Unfortunately, the true video is yet to be located, but this is only a minor inconvenience. The legends surrounding Kit often bypass the use of scientific techniques and instead, strike a chord with our emotions. During his time at Battersea Park, Marley was seen donning a tracksuit in navy blue. Bert Patrick, head of Admiral, once asserted that fans of reggae were purchasing the Wales range due to its color scheme of red, green, and yellow. Although this may not have actually happened, it is still understandable how and why it could have “occurred”. Furthermore, the lack of visual proof is insignificant.
“But what happened on the field? The Admiral uniform was unable to make it to the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. Wales ended up at the bottom of Group 7 after deciding to have their final home qualifier, a crucial match against Scotland, at Anfield. Large numbers of Scottish fans flooded the stadium, and Joe Jordan was awarded a penalty for a handball, causing great sadness and disappointment. They also missed out on the expanded Euro 1980 tournament, losing 2-0 to West Germany in George Berry’s debut.”
In ’76, there was a sense of failure, whether due to technical issues or a lack of recognition, but it was generally agreed that Yugoslavia was the superior team over both games and rightfully advanced to the finals. Terry Yorath took responsibility for missing a penalty in the second leg in Cardiff, resulting in a 1-1 tie, while most of the country blamed the referee. The controversial penalty awarded to Yugoslavia and disallowed goals for Wales were not well-received by the crowd, ultimately leading to Wales being prohibited from playing in their own capital.
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Reviewing the current footage, the kits are what catch the eye. Yugoslavia’s choice of a solid and practical blue is highlighted by three stripes down the long sleeves, giving them a polished appearance. On the other hand, the Welsh team’s uniforms stand out with their wide lapels, fitted shirts, and short sleeves. The yellow accents arching up from the legs and flaring outwards draw attention to the players’ shoulders and enhance their already big hair. The victorious team remains grounded in the present, while the defeated team is experiencing a chaotic and uncertain future.
This Admiral kit contains all that is to come in kit design, for good and for ill: it will unfold into every triumph and every failure, every misstep, every hubristic adventure into colours that aren’t real and shapes that shouldn’t be. Squint and you can see the eighties forming, pulsing, ominous. Squint harder and you can see the nineties, in all its psychedelic terror. Squint even harder and you’ll pass out, yellow and red and green dancing behind your twitching eyes.
This passage is from the book “Admiral: 50 years of the Replica Shirt”, which has been edited. A special version of the book is currently available for pre-order.
Source: theguardian.com
