POPULAR VALE STRIP TO REMAIN AFTER LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENT

PORT Vale are keeping their hugely popular black away kit for another season and are planning other ways to say ‘thank you’ to supporters.

Vale expect to this week reach 11,000 sales of their three replica shirts for this season – 6,000 of which have been for the black away top. That compares with around 3,800 sales in total the previous season.

In fact, the club sold 1,500 of the black shirts within 24 hours of them going on sale - a club record.

The club’s director of communications, commercial and community, Martin Tideswell said the decision to keep the black kit for another year was both a reflection of its popularity and a thank you to fans whose support has been vital in a season when the club has had to play all its games behind closed doors.

Robbie Williams helped design the kits – a home shirt with a diagonal design, plus all-black and all-green away kits.

Tideswell said: “We knew the home shirt was quite evocative and out there. It was deliberately so. It was a statement shirt to be iconic.

“But we always knew in our heart of hearts that the black one would be the one that people would fall in love with because it was designed to be a multi-purpose leisure shirt.

“This week we will have sold our 11,000th shirt which is a phenomenal achievement and a testament to the way Vale fans have invested in the club during a time they have not been able to be with us.

“The club shop and online shop, which is a relatively new development with the upgraded website, have been incredibly popular. I think that is probably a reflection of the fact it is one way that fans can engage with the club in a meaningful way.

“They can buy merchandise, they feel part of it and are contributing.

“Bear in mind fans have done this on the back of not being able to come to the club. Not only have they invested in season-tickets, match passes and hospitality boxes but they have then gone on and bought merchandise.

“We have sold almost three times as many shirts this season as we did the season before which is hugely important to us at a time when we have no matchday or hospitality revenue.”

The black kit will become the club’s third shirt for next season.

Tideswell explained the club is also discussing other ways to thank supporters for their help this season. That support includes 4,000 fans who bought season tickets.

He added: “It is one of a series of things we will be doing to say thank you to supporters and try to add value for them when they come back, in August hopefully.

“Over the summer we will be sharing some information with supporters around the investments that have taken place at the club while they have been away.

“There have been some very significant investments in infrastructure, equipment, matchday experience, hospitality – all things that supporters will benefit from when they return.

“We want to explain to people exactly how Carol and Kevin have backed the club despite the financial challenges.

“Obviously a lot of focus has been on the football side but the club itself, the business of Port Vale, has absolutely been looked after and there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes.

“When we open up, we want to welcome fans back and say ‘look what’s changed, look what’s been invested in’.

“We want to add value to season ticket holders and those people who have kept their money in the club at a time when they have not been able to come to the games and have just been using ifollow.

“This season we have tried our best with things like free digital match programmes, but there will be two or three things we will be giving to supporters as a thank you for sticking with us through a really tough time.”