On 25 May 1992 at Wembley Stadium, Blackburn Rovers beat Leicester City 1–0 in the play-off final to secure promotion to the Premier League. This victory saw the Rovers return to the top flight of English football, a return that had been 26 years in the making. Macron, the Hero company and the English club’s kit sponsor, drew inspiration from that final and the kit Blackburn wore on that day in May to create the new ‘Third’ kit, which is also a special Anniversary Edition. It is a tribute, almost 30 years on, to the team that brought the blue-and-white colours back to a league that Blackburn Rovers themselves had helped to found in 1888.

The new “Third” shirt features a blue-trimmed polo collar with a three-button fastening; the knitted sleeve cuffs are also blue. The shirt is yellow, just like the kit worn by the Rovers – then captained by Kevin Moran – who won the match against Leicester City thanks to a penalty scored by Mike Newell. As well as a personalised back neck featuring a blue label with the club crest in the centre, the shirt has a sweatband bearing the words ‘Anniversary Edition’. On the right side of the chest, in blue silicone print, is the ‘Macron Hero’ – the Italian brand’s logo – whilst on the left, over the heart, is the Blackburn Rovers crest. On the outer back of the neck, also in blue, the club’s motto, ‘Arte et Labore’, is printed in Gothic script.

The jersey features a sublimated and embossed tone-on-tone design on both the front and back, depicting a series of geometric shapes, amongst which rhombuses stand out in the foreground. It has a slim fit; the main fabric used is Softlock, and the inclusion of micromesh inserts ensures the garment is perfectly breathable.

Macron reaffirms its ability to produce high-quality, technically advanced garments which, at the same time, thanks to meticulous research and attention to detail, evoke the emotions of days gone by, drawing inspiration from the ‘heroes’ of the past and ensuring they are worn by the ‘heroes’ who take to the pitch today in the colours of Blackburn Rovers.