Sunderland is changing the color and design of its 2008/2009 shirt from the current white to a blue and black color with stripes (pictured).

Umbro will continue to be Sunderland’s shirt manufacturer. The new design features a unique shoulder and arm design with streaks.

The decision to feature vertical stripes on the chest, however, may upset some Sunderland fans. The shirt looks more like a Newcastle United concept than a Mackem shirt especially with the dark blue that looks almost black in this picture.