1977/78

Another season, another shirt. White across the shoulders instead of blue tells it apart from the others. Still no badge.

The new design didn't get its first outing until October. Instead the blue and white collared version from 1976/77 appeared on the opening day against Aston Villa and subsequent games.

The new shirt was the first Adidas one to be readily available to buy as a replica.

Nothing new for the away colours this season. The red and white design was the usual first choice for a change of kit.

Umbro's strange design from the previous season was still hanging around though, and was worn at least twice - here at West Ham, in an FA Cup tie.

This rare away shirt even has its own modern replica - even though it may have only ever been worn three times in competitive football.

The final outing, I think, for the white shirt came at home to Wealdstone in the FA Cup, with home shorts and socks making it all-white. This came around due to some outdated FA Cup rule where both sides had to change kits if there was a clash. 

1976/77

Adidas were back in favour for the 1976/77 season, Stan Bowles pictured here with the thinnest hoops ever seen on a QPR shirt.

The new design was worn for the opening home game against Everton, then the following away game at West Ham, before being consigned to the history books.

The thin hoops were ditched in place of a more traditional look for the second home game but not everyone was satisfied.

The third design of the season first appeared in the away game at Liverpool in November. Less silky looking and sporting a huge Trefoil emblem.

Quite what Adidas were up to during this period is baffling. The following month yet another design appeared, this one with a blue & white colour, and the word 'Adidas' underneath the now smaller Trefoil logo. All four home designs used during the 1976/77 season failed to incorporate the team badge.

The away shirt that started the season was the same as from 1975/76 - though Adidas were now providing the black shorts...

...and soon came up with their own take on the shirt, but ditched the club badge in the process.

Umbro were not to be outdone, and this strange offering appeared at a League Cup match at West Ham in October, complete with Adidas blue shorts.

A final look at a glorious full-kit Adidas wonder.

1975/76

Here it is, the first ever shirt produced for a top-flight club by Adidas. The famous 'Trefoil' symbol was introduced in 1972 - it represents the continental plates coming together in the spirit of the Olympics, the tournament Adidas were mostly associated with at the time.

Despite featuring in the pre-season photo shoot, the shirt never saw the light of day for a competitive match. Strangely, it was manufactured by Umbro, who used their old plain white shorts and socks.

Instead QPR took to the field on the opening day of the 1975/76 season in a new offering by Umbro, sporting both the manufacturer's logo and the QPR badge for the first time.

It didn't last long though. By October another offering by Umbro was unveiled with thinner hoops and a blue collar. It would be used for the rest of the season, a season that so nearly saw QPR crowned 1st Division champions.

The '1976 replica shirt' - as available in the club shop a while ago. Nice shirt, but doesn't bear much resemblance to any shirt around this time.

The away kit was the same that QPR wore towards the end of the 1974/75 season, now including the badge and Umbro logo.

The away kit was readily available to buy in the club shop, though no mention of the home kit in the match programmes - probably because there had been so many the club didn't know which one to sell!

The modern day replica version.

1974/75

Admiral continued to manufacture the kit going into the 1974/75 season. The home design had a complete overhall whilst the away one, whilst readily available in the club shop, was never actually worn in a competitive game - another in what will become a long list of kit 'mysteries'. The home shirt retailted at £3.70 for adults, the away one £3.30.

A modern replica is currently available in the QPR club shop - an excellent reproduction, true to the original.

The new home shirt was a classy affair (still no badge though), and for some reason it only lasted half a season before...

...this one turned up. No idea who made it or why it had to change. Just guessing, maybe there was some dispute with Admiral going on because it wasn't long before the third home kit of the season arrived - by Umbro.

For the final games of the season, Umbro produced this offering. Though all three home kits look the same at first glance, the tone of blue was different in each of them and the differing collar designs is the real giveaway.

...now another admiral shirt has ermerged, worn at West Ham in February.

For the opening games of the season QPR wore the Admiral red shirt/black shorts from 73/74 as the away kit, before this famous design, made by Umbro, debuted at Wolves in October. The red and white quarters didn't stick around for long though.

Red and white halved shirts appeared before the season was over. What was this, laziness on the production line?! "They won't notice...

So, that was the 1974/75 season. Four home shirts, three different away shirts - plus one that was never worn.

1973/74

This classic shirt, most likely manufactured by Admiral, had been worn for a number of seasons, with its final outing for the duration of the 1973/74 season. Numbers on the shorts shown here getting a rare outing - more often than not they were blank.

This replica shirt by Toffs is described as being from '1974-77' which is a bit innacurate, as is the design. It's a nice looking shirt, and the addition of the badge shows a touch of artistic design - it was never on the original.

Numbers on the back of the shirts also seemed a bit of an afterthought - sometimes on a white background, which always helps. Replicas of the shirts were available to buy in the QPR Clubshop for £2.60.  

The splendid away shirt - shown here on display at Loftus Road after the visitors, Leicester City, only brought their white away kit to the game.

Admiral manufactured the shirt but didn't always see fit to have their emblem on display. The 'QPR' lettering was a nice touch, though not representative of the official badge - probably too much embroidery work!

Later on in the season a third kit was introduced - yellow shirts with blue shorts. The shirt was identical in design to the red one and photographic evidence only exists of it being worn once - away to Coventry City.

Yellow in colour, made by Uwin. Currently residing with a collector in Australia.