New Retro Styles Available As Foxes Favourites Recall Fox Leisure Heyday!
- Remakes of the 1996-98 home and away shirts are the latest additions to the Leicester City retro collection
- Tony Cottee, Emile Heskey, Matt Elliott and Gerry Taggart shared their memories of the kits ahead of Thursday’s launch
- Originally manufactured by Fox Leisure, the shirts have been revived for the modern-day supporter
- The Blue Army can purchase items at shop.LCFC.com and in the Foxes Fanstore at King Power Stadium
Terrace wear for fans of a ‘90s inclination, the latest additions to the Leicester City retro range are set to prove popular.
The Club has resurrected two iconic strips from a halcyon era, in which Martin O’Neill’s City sealed promotion and secured four successive top-10 Premier League finishes, while also lifting two League Cups and sampling life on the European stage.
Initially manufactured by Fox Leisure, the 1996-98 blue home and yellow away shirts evoke fond memories, both for supporters and for the players who starred in them.
Speaking to LCFC TV, former striker Tony Cottee recalls notching a brilliant winner at Old Trafford in 1998 against a Manchester United side which would go on to seal an unprecedented Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League treble.
Leicester City Launches Iconic 1996-98 Retro Range
Emile Heskey, Tony Cottee, Matt Elliott and Gerry Taggart share their memories of the Club's 1996-98 shirts, on sale in the Foxes Fanstore and online.
“It came from a forward’s chip from Garry Parker,” the ex-England forward remembered. “One of their defenders made a mistake, then it was a case of concentrating, connecting and slotting past the immense figure of Peter Schmeichel!
“That was my first league goal for the Club, and it’s the one Leicester City fans always talk to me about. It was a special goal, fittingly scored in the shirt we are talking about today.”
Cottee – who netted 27 times for the Foxes during a three-year spell between 1997 and 2000 – cites the nostalgia evoked by retro kits as a factor in their growing popularity.
He added: “I think in the ‘90s, with the advent of the Premier League, along with names and numbers coming into play, it was more fashionable, and accessible, for youngsters to wear the shirts. It became fashionable. That’s something fans of that era look back on.”
The 1996-1998 home kit is associated with Leicester City’s first two seasons back in the top-flight and was the first to be worn by Cottee during his time with the Foxes.
Academy graduate Emile Heskey, meanwhile, wrote his name into Foxes folklore wearing the kit, scoring a crucial equaliser under the old Twin Towers at Wembley Stadium in the 1997 League Cup Final to set up a replay with Middlesbrough – one in which the Foxes would ultimately triumph.
Speaking in the LCFC TV studio ahead of Thursday’s launch event, staged in the Foxes Fanstore at King Power Stadium, Heskey, who eventually made 62 appearances for England, reflects fondly on the era of the reborn Fox Leisure kits.
“I played in them from the youth setup, so I remember the kits from a very young age,” the Foxes favourite recalled.
“Then entering the first team, winning trophies and playing in Europe… we had some great times. The Wembley equaliser against Middlesbrough in 1997 sticks out for me, of course.”
The 1996-98 home shirt remake features the Fox Leisure logo, striped V-neck collar, striped sleeve detailing, embroidered crest pattern and the familiar Walkers Crisps sponsorship across the chest.
This item is also available with pre-printed retro name and number combinations, reflective of the original design to grace these kits. Supporters can choose from Cottee, Heskey, Elliott or Taggart personalisation, online or at the Foxes Fanstore.
A further addition to the retro collection is a remake of the yellow 1996-98 away shirt – one that made numerous top-flight appearances before the turn of the century.
In this shirt, Heskey and former skipper Matt Elliott were both on the scoresheet against Crystal Palace during the 1997/98 season, with the latter recalling fond memories of running out in the Fox Leisure-manufactured strips.
City’s 2000 League Cup-winning captain, said: “I remember those days well, and that game against Palace!
“I scored two in the first-half, both with my right foot, both from set pieces. We were under the cosh as I recall, then going upfield after the break, Emile rampaged through and sealed the game.
“I can picture the kits from the minute I walked through the door at Filbert Street for my debut. The top-flight was the holy grail.
“I was 28, which was relatively old in professional football-terms, so to be able to eventually wear a kit from the top division was special. It’s still vivid. There were many special times affiliated with those kits.”
The 1996-98 away remake has the same authentic features as the home version, making it a worthy addition to any fan’s wardrobe – particularly those who followed City during the O’Neill era.
All legends in attendance on Thursday cited the ‘90s as a prime era for football fashion – something Elliott attributes to the fast-paced evolution of kit designs through the decade.
“It was a time of more focus and more profile,” the ex-Scotland international continued. “With the introduction of names on the back of the shirts, it snowballed.
“There were plenty of memorable designs from that decade. In terms of the fit, most of us were happy with some room - and a bit of air!
“Of course, styles change, but when you look back, the ‘90s Leicester City kits were really smart – we had a distinctive style.”
To shop the new retro range, as well as the equally memorable 1998-2000 shirt, click HERE or visit the Foxes Fanstore at King Power Stadium.