Did Nottingham Forest donate us our red shirts?Arsenal’s iconic red shirts weren’t a gift from Nottingham Forest, despite Brian Clough’s anecdote and a persistent myth. Founder Fred Beardsley suggested red, but the 1886 kit was purchased from a Woolwich outfitter, as documented by co-founder David Danskin. Ironically, Arsenal later gifted Forest a kit in 1965. While the origin story is false, Beardsley’s significant contributions to Arsenal’s early days remain undeniable.
