Derby County played Barnsley in a League One game on Saturday, winning 2-1. No major incidents occurred, but the game was remarkable for another reason: both teams played in sponsorless shirts.
No Shirt Sponsors in Derby vs Barnsley
Chest sponsors have existed in football since the 70s, becoming increasingly present right up until the present day, with the revenue they provide being of huge importance to clubs. Sometimes they look good, other times not so much. Occasionally we see a team play a few games with blank shirts as they wait to sort out a new deal following the expiry of an old one.
On Saturday night however, we were treated to an even rarer sight in modern club football, as Derby and Barnsley faced off in League One, both with plain jerseys, a throwback to days gone by.
It was Barnsley's first game of the season without a sponsor on their shirts, following the cancellation of their deal with Hex.com. Derby, on the other hand, have been without a sponsor since their deal with betting site 32Red expired at the end of last season.
Barnsley End HEX Sponsorship Deal After 2 Games
Both teams will surely be hoping to find replacement sponsors as soon as possible to keep their finances healthy, but it would be great to see either side face off against Nottingham Forest in the cup to give us another sponsorless match.
Nottingham Forest to Start Season in Sponsorless Shirts? Still Without Main Sponsor
When was the last time you saw two club sides play a match with no chest sponsors? Let us know in the comments.