End kit calamities!
As more and more flash jerseys flood the market, Kent reader Sean ellis warns about kit clashes
here’S nothing quite as satisfying as pulling on a fresh strip before the first game of the season. generally, forwards couldn’t give a hoot about looking good, but for those of us who ply our trade behind the mess, it’s of high importance. So when my club’s opportunity to exhibit our latest Lycra wardrobe backfired, it left some wondering if they’d make it through the next 80 minutes. Why the calamity? Kit-colour clash. this rare phenomenon usually leads to arguments about who the onus is on (the home or away side), the others’ incompetence or which club is older. the whole affair lasts about 15 minutes and is resolved by one of the sides wearing jerseys inside out.
Disputes usually roll into the bar, where club reps try to argue their case and put steps in place to ensure this travesty doesn’t reoccur in the return fixture. but in my experience, it does.
And this isn’t a problem exclusive to the amateur ranks. take last year’s fixture between northampton Saints and Saracens, when mK Stadium, home of football’s mK Dons, opened up for a top-of-the-table St george’s Day clash between the two rivals.
before kick-off, Saracens’ white ‘away’ strip looked increasingly similar to northampton’s one-off St george’s Day kit. it was a confusing
Tfirst 40 for everyone in the stadium, as well as thousands watching on tV, and prompted an emergency package of black Sarries shirts to be whizzed up the m1 for the second half.
everyone’s a loser in this situation: the stadium-goer, the casual fan watching on tV, the officials and even the players. the one winner is kit manufacturers, who get plenty of advertising for their product.
And while we’re on about kit, with a new season approaching brace yourselves for a plethora of emails and ads about how the latest fibre technology has been implemented into your team’s gear: shirts, shorts, socks, hoodies, tracksuits and more.
the £90 price tag for a jersey is ridiculous, but not buying it triggers a feeling of disloyalty. to keep up with endless ‘new’ and ‘special’ kits each year you’ll need another bank loan.
An EmErgEncy PAckAgE of blAck sArriEs shirTs whizzEd uP ThE m1
hAVE your sAy
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