Poster - The Kits of the 1978 World Cup

Arie Haan... Mario Kempes... Rob Rensenbrink... Daniel Passarella... Archie Gemmill? The 1978 World Cup boasted some wonderful players, and some wonderful teams too. Who could forget the Dutch team - minus Johan Cruyff - still exporting Total Football to a grateful worldwide audience... Argentina, the hosts, wrestled the title of 'Greatest South American team' from Brazil in their bid for ultimate glory, and as for Scotland, theirs was a memorable, if ultimately agonising campaign that ended prematurely for the fans that had travelled so far to watch them.

Once again, sixteen nations took part. Tunisia made its debut and became the first African nation to win a World Cup match. Iran also appeared in a World Cup for the first time, and managed to derail Scotland's hopes of reaching the Second Round in the process. Austria, meanwhile, topped their first round group ahead of Brazil, and Poland topped theirs ahead of West Germany. Yet it was Argentina that ultimately prevailed, cheered on by a fervent set of fans that used ticker-tape to optimum effect ahead of the final against the Netherlands in Buenos Aires.

Forty-one kits were worn during the tournament (if you include variations), each one crystallising the colour and design that makes the World Cup such a visual spectacle. To create a lasting tribute to those kits and the 1978 World Cup itself, I’ve designed a digital poster which I hope you will purchase to help raise funds for a dear friend who is currently recovering from major surgery.

My good friend John Devlin, the author of three superb books charting the history and development of football kit design, is rightly respected for his comprehensive knowledge and excellent graphic design skills, both of which regularly combine to bring the subject of kit design to life for visitors to his website and social media channels.

Unfortunately, John was recently very unwell and had to spend some time in hospital, but thankfully he's now recovering at home. All being well, John's now well on his way back to full strength and health, but his recent period of illness somewhat minimised his ability to earn regular income.

And that's why I've designed this 1978 World Cup poster. It's available as a digital PDF file that you can hand over to a print service to produce in A0 size. After that, you can frame it and hang it on your wall, allowing you to admire at length the red diagonal sash of Peru or the vibrant orange shirts of the Dutch...

All I ask is that you make a donation of any amount - it's entirely up to you. I can ensure that 100% of all money raised will go directly to John to help reduce any worries he might have about paying for medical costs or day-to-day expenses.

To keep things simple and personal, I’m handling the sales directly. Here's what to do:

• Visit ko-fi.com/kitbliss and donate whatever you can, big or small.
• If you have any questions or wish to pay via a different method, please complete my contact form with all the appropriate details.
• Once payment is received, I’ll email you the file.

Your support - whether you buy the poster or share this page is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.