VALE HOPING SUPPORTERS GET SHIRTY FOLLOWING EPIC SALES
PORT Vale chief executive Colin Garlick says plans for the 2021/22 kits are going smoothly as the club tries to follow their remarkable sales figures for this season.
Owner Carol Shanahan revealed at the fans’ forum earlier this month that replica shirt sales had reached 10,000 compared to the 3,000 to 4,000 they have achieved in some previous years.
Garlick says those sales were hugely important to the club’s finances in a season when they have had to play all their games behind closed doors.
He said: “It is amazing, I still can’t believe it.
“It is a phenomenal number for us. The important thing is, while that is very positive, it has also brought much needed and very much appreciated cash into the business during a time when obviously revenue streams have been extremely limited.
“So, that really was a win-win situation for us. We are very grateful to everyone who has purchased a shirt and put money into the club because that has been a massive help in a very difficult time.”
Robbie Williams helped design the Vale’s 2020/21 kits which included a diamond-pattered home shirt and all-black and all-green away kits.
Garlick says the club was particularly overwhelmed by the response to the black kit. The Vale sold 1,500 of those in the first 24 hours, a new club record.
He said: “The home shirts are always popular but I have to say the black away kit in particular was the one where we got caught a little bit with it. From the initial sales, we really had to scramble and the secondary orders we put in were quite phenomenal numbers on their own. So, I would say that it is the away one.”
Vale achieved their sales even though the club shop had to be shut for part of the year because of lockdown restrictions.
He chief executive added: “The shop and the ticket office have been working well together because we have operated a click and collect type situation as well.
“We have been shut a lot of the time but where we have been able to do click and collect we have been doing that, but also using the post.
“But I can remember the actual shirt launch day itself. That was a glorious day, we had queues out of the shop and socially distanced down Hamil Road.
“That was the first time we were meeting up with our supporters really since the lockdown last March. It was really quite a special day.”
As for the kits for the new season, the chief executive is keeping details under wraps for now, but said: “It is all ordered.
“We will be working on shirt launches and you can rest assured that plans are ahead with that and we are working on a launch date.”
The Vale return to action on Friday when they are at home to Exeter City before travelling to Harrogate Town on Monday.
Darrell Clarke’s side are up to 18th in League Two, nine points clear of the relegation zone, after wins over Newport County, Colchester United and Crawley Town in the last three games. That’s left the Vale on the brink of safety with eight games to play.