 The team initially played in full dark blue kits , as inspired by Mr. Hills , who had been an Oxford University " Blue , " but changed the following season by adopting the sky blue shirts and white shorts combination worn through 1897 to 1899 . In 1899 , they acquired their now @-@ traditional home kit combination of claret shirts and sky blue sleeves in a wager involving Aston Villa players , who were League Champions at the time . 
