Tottenham Wear 125th Anniversary FA Cup Kit With No Names vs Aston Villa

Tottenham Hotspur’s kit for their FA Cup third-round clash with Aston Villa left fans puzzled, as they were wearing a strip with no features on show. The Lilywhites’ usual home kit looked completely white, while their navy shorts and socks were just the sole base colour.

Thomas Frank will be desperate for the Lilywhites to put in a special performance as he remains under pressure. The Dane was left looking foolish when he was spotted holding a cup with an Arsenal badge on it ahead of a 3-2 loss to Bournemouth.

Tottenham‘s kit for the Villa game also caught fans’ attention, with many pondering why they have made alterations.

Why Tottenham Wore Special Kit vs Villa

Tottenham’s ‘special edition’ kit is in honour of the 125th anniversary of their famous 1901 FA Cup-winning side. The Lilywhites won the oldest football competition as a non-league team and remain the only side in history to have done so.

It seems fitting that this feat is marked on the same day minnows Macclesfield FC knocked out holders Crystal Palace. John Rooney’s Silkmen won 2-1 on Saturday and became the first non-league outfit to send the FA Cup winners packing since 1909.

Spurs’ 1901 cup win came while they were participating in Southern League Division One, and they beat Sheffield United 3-1 in the final replay. The Lilywhite shirt features a heritage crest and sponsors’ logos, though all are whitened.

Many clubs have similarly released special kits to mark an anniversary, giving younger fans the chance to see how football kits have evolved. The club’s Merchandise and Licensing Director, Duncas Pass, explained the idea behind the kit:

“To mark 125 years since our groundbreaking FA Cup success in 1901, we want to bring what remains a historic achievement to the forefront of popular culture with what is a truly beautiful shirt, delivered in collaboration with Nike.”

He added:

“Seeing the team step onto the pitch wearing a shirt inspired by the heroes of yesteryear is sure to capture the imagination of fans young and old, creating a unique collectors’ item that will itself go down in the club’s history.”

Only 1,901 shirts are being sold to fans on the club’s online shopping website. The special edition Frank’s men are wearing is also set to be auctioned via MatchWornShirt, with proceeds to be donated to the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.

Spurs fans will be wishing their side were competing as their 1901 FA Cup winners, given a poor ongoing season. They sit 14th in the Premier League table with 27 points from 21 games.

“Best Kit in Years” – Fans Approve

Spurs’ special edition kit has been met with high praise from a large section of fans, including those of rival clubs. One member of the Lilywhites’ fanbase wrote on X:

“The Tottenham 1901 kit is stunning.”

Another added:

“Best Kit in Years.”

A Brentford supporter admitted:

“Be fair that Tottenham kit looks absolutely unreal.”

A non-league fan wrote:

“That Spurs kit looks so good, it’s painful to me to give the credit. White out kit, blacked out numbers, no names, appears sponsorless. Incredibly clean and avoiding any Jan transfer heartache. Incredible looking kit.”

Spurs’ kits have been produced by Nike since 2017, and the club have a lucrative 15-year contract in place with the American sportswear giant. This came just ahead of their move to their new stadium in April 2019.