After an awful start to the season that saw Crystal Palace as good as dead, buried, and relegated from the Premier League, it is safe to say that manager Tony Pulis has worked wonders with his side. The Eagles now sit in 11th place, 11 points clear of the drop zone and look poised for a strong sophomore season in the top flight.
For the last couple of years, Palace wore unbranded kits manufactured by a brand called Avec, who are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Just Sports Group, a brand that also specializes in supplying clubs with Nike and Umbro gear. It was for that reason that fans would see Palace wear kits with just their crest on the pitch while the sideline staff wore Nike gear. That will all change for next season as Italian sportswear company Macron come good on a deal announced back in January. The new deal will last for four years.
At their awards dinner last night, Crystal Palace made their new home and away kits official. The home shirt features Palace's traditional vertical red and blue stripes on a template first worn by Serie A side, Napoli, last season. The shirt features yellow cuffs on the sleeve and yellow accents on the v-collar. The kit is completed by blue shorts with red accents and blue socks.
The away kit has a real Napoli quality to it. Like the home it, this one also borrows a template from a Serie A side, using the one that Lazio wore last season The away kit is overwhelmingly yellow with very light blue accents on the collar, sleeves, and the sides of the shirt. The away kit is paired with light blue shorts and light blue socks that carry yellow accents.
Overall, it is a very strong pair of first efforts from Macron for Crystal Palace. The brand already have some experience in England, having outfitted Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Sheffield United, among others last season, and picking up the likes of Bolton Wanderers for 2014/15.