Arsenal forced to don Chelsea kit in WSL match as sock fiasco delays kick-off

Gunners wore socks with blue trim and badge taped over after start put back
Marc Mayo15 March 2024

The Women’s Super League title showdown between Chelsea and Arsenal was delayed on Friday night due to an unusual kit clash.

Arsenal turned up at Stamford Bridge with their home kit, featuring red shirts, white shorts and white socks - but were told they had to come up with an alternative.

That was because the white socks of the Chelsea kit, which also consisted of blue shirts and blue shorts, clashed with the visitors.

Kick-off was initially delayed “indefinitely” to allow Arsenal time to source new socks for their squad.

The Blues’ club shop proved to be their salvation as they bought a set of black socks, which featured blue trim and Chelsea badges - which were taped over by the Gunners.

Women's Super League - Chelsea v Arsenal
Arsenal wore Chelsea socks for Friday’s WSL game
Action Images via Reuters

The match eventually got underway at 7.30pm GMT, half an hour late.

Such a kit clash has been easily avoided in previous fixtures between the women’s and men’s teams of the London rivals, as typically Arsenal don red socks or Chelsea wear blue socks in this fixture.

Heading into the game, Chelsea topped the WSL table on goal difference over Manchester City, with Arsenal three points back.

An early goal from Lauren James and a first-half brace from Sjoeke Nusken put Emma Hayes’ side in control of the match.

Catarina Macario’s own goal cut the deficit late on for Arsenal but defeat left them six points off the pace in the title battle.

“It was a clash of colour with the kits which came to mine, the players’ and the other team's attention very late,” Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall explained post-match.

“We got told that we can't go out and play with the kit we had so we had to adapt and that was definitely a first. I was not involved in the process in how it was resolved.

“We found out when we left the dressing room to go to the tunnel so it was a very late call and notice. It is what it is. It was the same for both teams.”

Emma Hayes admitted she was delighted with the incident and relished seeing Arsenal players wearing Chelsea lions on their socks. She also called for less criticism towards Arsenal's kit man, acknowledging he was left red-faced after the mix-up.

“I'm not throwing the kit man under the bus,” Hayes said. “He's going to be feeling terrible tonight, it was a mistake. He's a new guy, new into the position so please don't slaughter him. Because we didn't have our blue socks I couldn't say, 'Don't worry about it, we'll put blue socks on'.

“I was delighted to see lion crests on Arsenal players' legs in the first half. Maybe that gave my players motivation, I don't know.

“It was an earnest mistake and something which that poor guy is going home tonight and will feel bad about. I'm certainly not going to pile in on him.”

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