Remembering Aston Villa’s 1995-97 Reebok Home Kit

Aston Villa’s 1995-97 home shirt was a Reebok design in claret with sky blue sleeves and a V-neck collar, sponsored by AST Computer. Brian Little’s side wore it for the 3-0 League Cup final win over Leeds at Wembley in March 1996. It is back in the conversation because adidas is reported to be remaking it for 2027-28.

What did the 1995-97 Villa home kit look like?

It was a claret shirt with light blue sleeves, a V-neck collar and AST Computer across the chest. White shorts were the norm, with sky blue shorts and claret socks making occasional appearances. Reebok made it, and the same design carried through both 1995-96 and 1996-97.

The detail people tend to remember is the body of the shirt. Rather than plain claret, it carried a tonal woven pattern, and the leak coverage of the remake describes the original as having a lion and “THE VILLA” lettering worked into the fabric. Up close it looks busy; from the stands it reads as a solid, deep claret broken by that pale blue on the arms.

If you want that shape and colour split in a retro replica, our Aston Villa 1995-96 home retro jersey is the closest match we stock.

Who wore it, and what did Villa win in it?

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Villa won the 1996 League Cup in this shirt, beating Leeds United 3-0 at Wembley on 24 March 1996. Savo Milošević, Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke scored. Villa finished fourth in the Premier League in 1995-96 and fifth in 1996-97.

The final was the high point. Milošević opened the scoring after 20 minutes, Taylor added the second in the 55th minute and Yorke wrapped it up two minutes from time. It remains the trophy most closely tied to this kit.

The squad that wore it included Mark Bosnich, Gareth Southgate, Ugo Ehiogu, Steve Staunton, Alan Wright, Mark Draper and Andy Townsend, who captained the side in 1996-97. Yorke was the main scorer in both seasons, with 25 goals in all competitions in 1995-96 and 20 in 1996-97. Milošević and Draper had both arrived in 1995.

Why is it remembered so fondly?

Mostly because of the timing. The shirt sits between the trophy-winning 1995-96 season and a 1996-97 campaign that ended fifth, and it belongs to a Villa team that finished in the top five in consecutive years. Nostalgia for 1990s kits is also at a peak, and this one has an easy-to-spot colour split.

There is a plainer reason too. Claret and sky blue is simply the club’s colour pairing, and this version used it with restraint: one block of claret, one pair of pale sleeves, a sponsor that was legible. Plenty of mid-90s shirts from other clubs were loud. This one was not.

Not everything about 1996-97 was a success. Villa went out of the UEFA Cup in the first round to Helsingborg on away goals, after a 1-1 aggregate draw. Collymore arrived from Liverpool at the end of that season for a then club-record £7m. Still, the shirt is the one most people picture when the 1996 Wembley win comes up.

How does it compare with the 2027-28 remake?

On 8 October 2026, Footy Headlines reported that adidas’s 2027-28 Villa home kit will essentially be a modern remake of the 1995-97 Reebok shirt. Nothing has been confirmed by the club or adidas, and release is expected in May or July 2027. Treat every detail as reported, not final.

For the full leak report, see our Aston Villa 2027-28 home kit leak post. If the remake lands as described, it would follow a modern all-claret shirt like the Aston Villa 2026-27 home jersey with something much closer to the 1990s.

Where can you get a 1995-97 Villa retro shirt today?

You can browse our retro replica Villa shirts, including the 1995-96 home, on 433FC. We are an independent retailer of replica shirts, not affiliated with Aston Villa, Reebok or adidas. Orders dispatch in 3-5 business days, with delivery in 10-20 business days to Europe, the USA and Canada.

Start with the 1995-96 home retro jersey, then look at the neighbouring eras if you want a fuller set: the 1993-95 home, the 1994-95 third and the 1990-92 home. Everything else is in our Aston Villa category.

Shipping is $5 for a single item and free on two or more items, and returns are accepted within 14 days under our terms (personalised items excluded). Check the size guide first before you order.

Not sure what a retro replica is, or how it differs from a shirt that was actually worn in the 1990s? Our guide to retro remakes versus vintage shirts explains it, and the retro football kits list covers other 1990s classics. Season facts above come from the Wikipedia season article.