Arsenal fans had a lovely surprise this morning as they received a booklet containing the Arsenal kits for next season. The much-maligned away strip that has been doing the rounds on the net, as we showed you here, is actually the real thing. However, with dark blue shorts and socks, it is less ghastly that it first appeared.

The front cover of the booklet depicts our younger generation of first-team players – Szczesny, Vermaelen, Wilshere, Gibbs and Ramsey. The away strip uses the same celebratory crest as the one on the home shirt, and the colours are light and dark blue, split by a diagonal line.

The Arsenal away kit 2011/12 is set to be released on 28th July 2011.

Like the home strip, Nike have used recycled plastic bottles, up to eight of them to be precise, in the production of each of these shirts. 

The price of the kit is ridiculous, much like the price of the season tickets. It could cost £80 for the whole away strip (shirt, shorts and socks), although if you pre-order, you will receive a free gift, plus a free Arsenal wash bag. Wow, that is such good value for money!