For supporters of not only Chelsea but across the footballing world at any level, the arrival of a new kit is always greeted with excitement.
They are usually leaked online before we get the official release with the snazzy videos from the club and boasting about how the latest kit is better than the last.
For Chelsea, the home kit is blue. That will never change. But the away kits are usually where a club can go a little bit left-field with their design and throw something new into the mix.
You only have to look at the 2021/22 away kits for Chelsea, one of them, being a luminous bright yellow and an alternate third kit which is a dark green camouflage with bright orange motifs plastered across it.
Away kits are a big focus this Christmas due to Homelessness charity Shelter’s #NoHomeKit campaign.
We’ve teamed up with Shelter for the campaign, which will see football clubs across the country wear away or third kits to raise awareness of the increasing number of rough sleepers and unsafe housing.
Fans are also encouraged to wear their away kits to games on Boxing Day or December 27, with Shelter hoping the campaign will help to generate funds to help tackle the issue.
More than 180,000 households have been made homeless since the start of the pandemic, with families – many of which contain children – being placed in hostels that Shelter consider unsuitable.
As such, we’re encouraging readers to wear their Chelsea away kits on Boxing Day against Aston Villa, which happens to be an away game and, to give you some help over which kit you decide to wear, here are our favourites from our CareFree Chelsea writer and massive Blues fan Scott Clayton.
Kit One
(Image: Gary M. Prior/ALLSPORT)
Ruud Gullit being a don wearing that grey one (as you can see above) was an eye opener as Chelsea started to sign work class players that took us to the next level.
It’s a fan favourite because it’s so different and is one of the most legendary away kits the club has ever produced.
Kit Two
It’s the main image on this story for one reason – it was the start of the he new era of Chelsea after Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003.
Juan Sebastian Veron lining up against Liverpool after to beat them at the start of the new season is iconic for Blues fans. This kit has always been one of my favourites.
Kit Three
(Image: Shaun Botterill /Allsport)
The yellow and blue away kit from 1996 was the first ever away kit I owned so I have some really special memories in that kit, wearing it all the time growing up.
Gianfranco Zola scoring that beauty against Wimbledon in the FA Cup semi final in 1997 sticks out as well.
Whilst the festive season is always a massive time for football, it is also a period when those in help need it most, and Shelter says there is a ‘housing emergency’ this December.
Shelter offers a number of services that aid those in need, such as one-to-one help with housing issues, a 365-day free emergency hotline and free legal advice from its solicitors.
For every £1 donated to Shelter, 79p is spent directly on helping people through advice, support and campaigning, and a further 21p is spent on more fundraising.