Umbro

Umbro

Type	Limited company
Industry	Apparel
Founded	23 May 1924; 92 years ago (1924-05-23) in Wilmslow, England
Founder	Harold & Wallace Humphreys
Headquarters	Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Sportswear, footballs, football and rugby boots
Number of employees	1,678
Parent	Iconix Brand Group
Website	umbro.com

Umbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Manchester, Greater Manchester. Umbro designs, sources, and markets football-related apparel, footwear, and equipment. Its products are sold in over 90 countries worldwide. Since 2012, the company has been a subsidiary of American company Iconix Brand Group.

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 by 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.