The kind of jerseys you don't necessarily want to play for

English Premier League side Liverpool struck a big money deal with sportswear manufacturer Warrior - a US company largely known for making lacrosse gear.

Strip changes, particularly with companies new to the sport, are usually greeted by fans with a mix of abject terror and curiosity.  Will they get the colours right?  Will the badge be too small?  Will it have stupid vents that nobody's ever quite worked out what they're for?

And all seemed to be going well.  The new home kit - an all red number with a retro-feeling golden yellow detailing - proved hugely popular, while the grey and black away kit was acclaimed as modern and stylish.

Then came the chatter about the third kit...

Pictures of the supposed design for the third strip were leaked onto the internet to, it's fair to say, howls of derision.

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It had to be a spoof, insisted Reds fans.  Nobody in their right mind would design and make a kit that garish.

Well, of course, they would - we'll come to that in a minute.  But as time passed more and more indications suggested it wasn't a spoof at all.  It wasn't 100% accurate, but images such as this

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suggested the mock-up artist got more things right than wrong.

Liverpool have still to confirm the details, so it may yet all turn out to be an elaborate hoax perpetrated on Reds fans by rival supporters with a bit of Photoshop skills.  But in tribute to the bizarre design which looks like it will be the third strip, here's our pick of a few more downright weird sports jerseys.

HOUSTON ASTROS

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The Astros have had a fair few odd strips in their time, but this more-70s-than-disco outfit remains one of the most remembered.  They resurrected the design a few years ago with a modern update, but the stripes, font and giant black star make it look more like a packet of chewing gum than a sports top.

EDINBURGH RUGBY

The Magners League side have, like the Astros, had a few odd designs down the years, but none more eye-meltingly garish than this special edition top from 2009.  Looking disturbingly more like a student's pop-art collage project than a sports top, at least it made finding teammates with a pass easier on a dreich day in Edinburgh.

MARYLAND TERRAPINS

The Terrapins are a hugely distinguished and respected college football team, who boast red, white, black and gold as their sporting colours.  Shame, however, Under Armour decided to combine them all into this failed split-design, with half the detailing being one pairing, and the other half mixing the remaining colours.  It's one of those ideas that sound great when you're about five.  Doesn't work when you're actually wearing it though.

PARTICK THISTLE

Ok, time to declare an interest.  I actually own this top, as a supporter of the team.  I'm just not sure why.  Scottish first division side Partick Thistle struck a deal with a local sportswear store to produce their kits in association with Puma, and the companies have been somewhat experimental with their designs - particularly the away kit, leading to this distinctive pink, grey and black camouflage top.  Presumably it made it easier for Paul Paton to hide during games.

PITTSBURG PIRATES

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The Pirates, as their alternative jersey in 1999, decided to go with this odd looking shirt which looks more like something you'd find in a comic book than a baseball diamond.  This was, of course, before Johnny Depp made pirates cool again.  Aaar.

HULL CITY

Just because your nickname is the Tigers, it doesn't mean you're obliged to have a tiger-print pattern on your jersey...

MONTREAL CANADIENS

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Red, white and blue are colours that, traditionally, sit well together, particularly on flags.  Narrow red, white and blue hoops however have the unfortunate effect of making your eyes go funny, particularly when watching them skate by at high speed.  Trying to follow the Canadiens in action was like watching someone whizz a TV test pattern past your face.

ANYTHING WORN BY JORGE CAMPOS

El Chapulin used to design his own kits to wear while performing heroics in goal for Mexico.  Quite what he was under the influence of while designing them remains a mystery to this day...