1970/71 (1969-72)

Saints poor form on the park during this period coincided with a smart enough unbranded kit, distinctive by the striking black crew neck collar and hand stitched club badge, again on the yellow cloth. With five black stripes on the front, black shorts for the first time since 1950 and white socks, the kit was chosen by a current manufacturer to have a retro version produced. The away kit was red with white shorts.

1972/73

This kit was a break from stripes completely, and went for an ‘Ajax’ style look along with others Scottish clubs at the time. The white collar, white shorts and socks along with the thick black panel down the middle of shirt gave it a look that is still unique for a Saints shirt even today.

1973 – 1977

Although officially there was a change of socks in 1976 to incorporate one black hoop at the knee as opposed to two, the same kit was used for four years, something unthinkable today. This was the last unbranded kit ever used by the club, and is famous for the period where Alex Ferguson took over and promoted Saints to the Premier Division. With three black stripes on the front and one on each arm with black cuffs and collar, the white shorts and socks gave it a simple and classic look, however commercialism was on the way……………

1977 – 1981

Manufacturer – Umbro

For the first ever time, a manufacturer had branding on a Saints kit for our maiden season in the recently formed Premier Division. During the 1977-79 seasons, English suppliers Umbro had their logo on the right hand side of the home shirt, the left of the black shorts and around the top of the white socks. The distinctive Umbro ‘double diamond’ also ran down the outer middle of both sleeves and down the edges of the black shorts.

For the 1979/80 season, the white fold down collar was replaced with a V- neck, and the white socks sometimes replaced with red branded ones.

One curious oddity was that of goalkeeper Billy Thomson, who for a brief period wore a green Norway shirt after swapping it for his own Scotland one following his national under 21 debut.