ALBION supporters have been poking fun at Crystal Palace's new strip - because it is blue and white.

Palace revealed their new third kit earlier this week, and the design has been likened to Brighton and Hove Albion's traditional home strip.

The shirt's design is meant to celebrate the origins of the Eagles' first ever shirt that was worn over 160 years ago.

But rival supporters have been mocking the shirt on Twitter.

Albion fan Ryan Adsett said: "A blue and white third kit? They wanna be us so bad."

An Albion fan who uses the name Whatever on Twitter agreed, saying: "They want to be us 100 per cent."

While another supporter, identified only as Owen, said: "First, it is copying our club model, then trying to make their stadium look like the Amex Stadium, and now they are making kits in our colours.

"The levels to this game are immense."

Albion and Palace have been rivals since the sixties and seventies, with the two sides close in the football pyramid, often battling out for promotion or fighting relegation.

The teams even have rival nicknames with Palace known as the Eagles and Albion referred to as the Seagulls.

After the release of the new Palace kit, one Twitter user called Bigdog wrote: "Copying the mighty Seagulls. You are a shrinking club, championship looming large for you.

While Tweeting Seagull said "another blue and white kit" - implying it was not the first time the two clubs had experienced a colour clash.

The rivalry between Albion and Palace came to a head in 1976 during an FA Cup tie between the two sides.

At the time, Alan Mullery managed Albion while Palace were managed by Terry Venables - the pair becoming rivals in their own right.

Palace fans launched a tirade of abuse at Mullery during the game, which Albion controversially lost 1-0.

Following the game, Mullery infamously flicked two fingers up at Palace supporters.

Mullery has since said that it was the competition between the two sides that sparked the flames for the rivalry.

Albion will next play Crystal Palace in the Premier League at Selhurst Park on September 27.

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