Umbro is a British sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Manchester, Greater
Manchester.
The company is since 2012 a subsidiary of American company Iconix Brand Group.
Umbro designs, sources, and markets football-related apparel, footwear, and equipment.
Its products are sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
History The company was founded by Harold Humphreys,
along with his brother Wallace in a small workshop in Wilmslow, Cheshire, inspired by
the growing interest in football witnessed nationwide.
The name "Umbro" is a quasi-portmanteau inspired from Humphreys Brothers Clothing.
Umbro's kit debut was in the 1934 FA Cup final, when both teams Manchester City and Portsmouth
wore kits designed and manufactured by the company.
Other teams supplied by Umbro during the 1930s and 1940s were Sheffield United, Preston North
End, Manchester United and Blackpool.
Umbro was the official sports manufacturer of the English FA Cup and official sponsor
of The FA, being the exclusive supplier of balls to the body's leagues.
In 1952, the British team at the Summer Olympics wore Umbro kits, tailored for the needs of
their individual sports.
Umbro would supply kits for the British Olympics team for the next 20 years.
In 1957 Umbro entered the tennis market, producing sports clothing in collaboration with player
Ted Tinling.
This collaboration extended for three decades.
Another sportsman who collaborated with Umbro was Manchester United manager Matt Busby,
in 1959.
That same year the company started to sell its junior boys' kits, a set of shirt, shorts
and socks that would allow young players to wear the same look as their footballing idols.
Brazil became the first FIFA World Cup champion to wear kits by Umbro in 1958.
Two years later, Manchester United Scottish player Denis Law signed an exclusive agreement
with the brand, becoming the first footballer to be sponsored by Umbro.
The England national team won its first title in 1966 wearing kits by Umbro.
Of the 16 teams that competed, 15 wore kit manufactured by Umbro, the only exception
being the USSR.
At the same time, 85% of British football teams wore kits by the company, including
Celtic, the first British team to win a European Cup in 1967.
Liverpool FC won the first four of their five European Cups while wearing Umbro kits, in
1977, 1978, 1981 and 1984.
In 1974 Umbro's founder, Harold Humphreys, died.
His sons John and Stuart took over the running of the company.
The England national team wore Umbro shirts by choice until 1974, until The Football Association,
encouraged by the England manager Don Revie, sold the jersey manufacturing rights to Admiral
Sportswear.
After more than a decade wearing Admiral kits, the England national team signed with Umbro
again in 1984.
In 1986 Umbro began to manufacture its own football boots.
The company added footballers Alan Shearer and Michael Owen to its list of sponsored
athletes.
In 1994 Brazil won its 4th FIFA World Cup title in the United States and club teams
AFC Ajax, and Manchester United F.C.
obtained the UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup, in Tokyo, all of them
wearing Umbro kits.
In the United States, Umbro was the majority owner of United Soccer Leagues, the parent
organization for North America's lower division men's soccer, and the second tier women's
league and youth league.
During the 2009 USL First Division season, the Carolina RailHawks, Charleston Battery,
Vancouver Whitecaps, Rochester Rhinos, Austin Aztex, and Puerto Rico Islanders all wore
Umbro kits.
During the 2012 USLPro season, the Dayton Dutch Lions wore Umbro.
In October 2007, JJB Sports bought a 10.1% stake in Umbro in a move to protect its stake
in the market for England football shirts.
Nike On 23 October 2007, it was announced Umbro
had agreed to be bought by [Nike, Inc.]] in a deal worth GB£285 million, the equivalent
of 193p per share.
The Umbro board recommended to its shareholders they vote in favour of the approach as it
offered a very competitive price for the business.
Umbro's share price at the time of the offer was close to 130p.
The deal was approved by regulators in December 2007 and concluded in February 2008.
With the objective of revitalising the brand, Umbro launched the "Tailored by England" lines.
As of 4 June 2009, Umbro signed a deal with Manchester City to supply kits for the team.
Wearing Umbro kits, Manchester City won its first championship in 35 years.
In 2010, Umbro became sponsor of reformed American team New York Cosmos to be its exclusive
kit supplier.
In May 2012, Nike reported that they would be selling Umbro in order to focus on their
sports brands, including Nike, Converse, Hurley and Jordan.
In September 2012, The Football Association announced that future England kits would be
manufactured by Nike.
Iconix Brands On October 2012, Nike Inc. announced that
it had agreed with Iconix Brand Group to sell Umbro in USD 225 million.
The acquisition was completed on December 2012.
In February 2014, it was announced that Umbro would supply Everton F.C. from the start of
the 2014/15 football season.
This was the first new club announcement since Iconix Brand Group bought Umbro, and was followed
by the announcement of similar deals with French clubs Lens and FC Nantes.
On 9 June 2014 Derby County Football Club announced that their kits for the 2014-15
season would be made by Umbro.
This has been met with a good reaction from the fans.
Umbro products Umbro currently manufactures all types of
sports wear apparel including training gear and football boots.
Until the mid-1980s, the company manufactured only sports clothing, in particular football
jerseys, shorts, and socks, but had no footwear range.
Eventually, in 1985 Umbro decided to introduce its first football boot into the Brazilian
market.
This design, cheaper than the products of existing boot brands such as Adidas, proved
popular and went into mass production internationally two years later.
Umbro also manufactured a popular style of shorts that reached its peak in the United
States in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
They were made of nylon, had a drawstring waistband, and often came in bright colours.
With the growth of youth football leagues in the United States in the 1980s, many youths,
teens, and young adults began wearing them as everyday clothing.
At the height of the "Umbro" fashion, other brands of football shorts, such as Adidas,
Diadora, Hummel, Lotto and Mitre, also became popular.
Its major competitors in this market include Adidas, Nike, Lotto, Puma, and fellow North
West England manufacturer Reebok.
More recent releases by Umbro include the Stealth boot, released in 2010 and worn by
players such as Gael Clichy and Phil Jagielka.
The same year the company released the GT, worn by Fulham F.C striker Darren Bent.
The company announced it as "its lightest ever boot".
This was succeeded by the GT II model.
June 2011 saw the release of the Umbro Geometra Pro.
In 2013, Umbro introduced to a new wave of releases that included the Speciali IV and
the Geometra II.
Sponsorships Umbro is the official supplier and sponsor
of numerous association football teams, players and associations, including:
Associations Umbro is the Official soccerball supplier
for the following leagues and associations: FFA Cup
SuperLiga National teams
Club teams Africa
Petrojet FC Maritzburg United F.C.
Platinum Stars F.C.
Tuks F.C.
Mpumalanga Black Aces F.C.
Americas Asia
Brisbane Roar Paykan F.C.
Gamba Osaka UiTM
Terengganu Penang
Pachanga Diliman F.C.
Al-Ahli SC Bangkok Glass F.C.
Europe Players
Handball National teams
References
External links Official website