1904 - 1939

The records do not show whether the nickname "The Tigers" comes from the shirts worn or whether the shirts were changed to match the nickname. It is however clear that the team wore white in their first game played against Notts County in 1904.

During their inaugural League season, Hull City wore wear black and amber striped shirts and black shorts, a trend they continued up until the Second World War with the exception of one season. The shirts were essentially the same striped design up to 1939 with just the colour of the shorts alternating between black and white over the seasons.

In the 1935-36 season, they broke with tradition and wore a sky blue outfit to match the City of Hull colours. This was unpopular with the fans and did not bring luck on the pitch so was abandoned.