For our Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night and our Women’s Super League outing at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, Chelsea will be horse-powered.
As the lunar calendar begins a new cycle, we wish a Happy Year of the Horse to everyone celebrating and the players will be marking the occasion by wearing a special pre-match top before they face Leeds United in the case of tomorrow’s game, or Liverpool Women at the weekend.
The warm-up jersey, which is available now to supporters as a limited edition, harks back to the very beginning of Chelsea shirts which in turn had their own equestrian roots.
The Eton blue hue the likes of JT Robertson, Jimmy Windridge and for a handful of games, George ‘Gatling Gun’ Hilsdon, ran out in was lighter and greener than the familiar royal blue Chelsea’s tops soon became.
For those first matches we had adopted the horse racing colours of Earl Cadogan, the club’s first president back in 1905, and now the Eton blue is back in harmony with the white and black from the shorts and socks of that original kit – for the limited-edition horse design we unveil today. Included on the back is how fans address Chelsea in Mandarin, 車, in the form of a traditional seal.
Equine sign
Each year in the lunar calendar has one of 12 animals from the Chinese zodiac and the horse represents strength, momentum, independence and endurance.
Those born in the Year of the Horse are characterised by spirit in motion, confidence, resilience and responsibility – traits that would stand any footballer in good stead, especially as the horse also belongs to those who lead, act decisively, thrive under pressure and earn success through discipline, not shortcuts.
The Chelsea players will wear the tops, which also have the branding of club partners Nike and BingX for the men’s edition, and Three and Constant Contact for the women’s edition, during their on-pitch warm-ups ahead of kick-off for these next two home games.
All thoroughbreds together - befitting The Year of the Horse.
The Year of the Horse top is available in limited quantities now from the Megastore at Stamford Bridge and by clicking here for our online store