Aston Villa Away Shirt 2010/11
After Aston Villa first played in a black away shirt, way back in the 1883-84 season, it took over a century to return to the colour, when it became Diadora’s first away shirt colour choice. Since, when Nike chose to go for a black away shirt in Gerard Houlier’s season as Villa boss, it was their second time within three seasons. Their first in the 2007/08 season, carried the 32 Red sponsorship on the front of it.
The later, FX Pro sponsored one though in 2010/11, was perhaps the best ever Villa away kit in the colour. The claret and blue chequer trim down the sides (which repeated on the black socks), being the most distinguishable feature of the shirt.
The FX Pro sponsor logo (which ran for a couple of seasons), to be honest, didn’t exactly help from an aesthetic point-of-view though.
Still, this shirt is fairly underrated, as in MOMS opinion, it stands as one of the best Nike Villa shirts.
This shirt was worn very much in the season that proved to be the last stand of the team that Martin O’Neill built, with the additions of Darren Bent, Kyle Walker and Robert Pires.
The team though disappointed. Houlier should have been challenging for European places still, rather than being threaten with a relegation battle at one point of the season. Of course, the French manager’s illness then cut short his position at the club.
Best Player to Wear the Shirt
The shirt was actually worn by a few Premier League title winners. While Pires had been a former Premier League title winner, the likes of Delph, Walker, Young and Marc Albrighton would all go on to leave Villa and pick up a title-winning medal.
While you could argue Bent had some of his best Villa games in the shirt, ultimately Villa’s best performer in it was Ashley Young in his swan song season for the club. The England international gave Villa an attacking dimension on the left and from set pieces that they’ve struggled to match ever since.
Best Result in the Shirt
Villa’s last away game of the 2010/11 season was perhaps the most memorable, when Villa beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates, thanks to a brace from Darren Bent. Although, ultimately it was a match that meant very little with Villa safe from relegation at that stage.
The most important was perhaps Villa’s previous trip to the capital, when they completed the double over West Ham for the season, with a 2-1 win. That game took Villa up to 40 points (and 9th in the table), taking the pressure off Villa slipping into serious relegation battle in the remaining games. In a more relaxed position, Villa were able to end the season with two impressive wins, away at Arsenal and then at home to Liverpool under caretaker manager Gary McAllister.
Best Shirt Deal
The Aston Villa Away Shirt 2010/11 shirt does pop up occasionally on Classic Football Shirts (there’s currently a PIRES one for £54.99) and on Vintage Football Shirts (where you’ll currently find a signed Richard Dunne one).
UTV
*The shirts score is a combined tally of design, Villa’s success in it and fan’s rating
