Swansea face shirt shrift in visit to Saints
SWANSEA City’s new home and away kits went on general sale on this morning, but Paul Clement’s squad will not be wearing either strip when they kick-off the Premier League campaign at Southampton.
The Joma jerseys for the 2017-18 season were first revealed 12 days ago, with Swansea City Ladies players Katy Hosford and Alicia Powe modelling them.
The kits are sponsored by Asian betting company Letou – who have replaced BetEast – as well as the club’s first shirt-sleeve partner Barracuda Networks.
The home strip is in traditional Swansea colours of white with black trim, while the away shirt is red and features green and white trim to match the colours of the Welsh flag.
It is the first time Swansea have had a red away kit since the 2012-13 season, where it was worn in the famous victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final.
But it is that choice which has left Swansea needing to find an alternative strip for their Premier League opener at St Mary’s on Saturday, August 12.
Southampton had traditionally played in red and white stripes and, had that been the case this season, Swansea would have been able to play in their white home kit as they have done on occasions in recent years.
However, this year’s Saints kit features a central white panel, with the rest of the body and the sleeves in red.
This means that the Swans home and away kits both clash, and the club are aware they will not be able to play in either.
The most likely outcome is that Swansea will produce a third kit to be worn at St Mary’s, although the club are yet to confirm whether that is the case or whether any additional kit would be made available for sale.
One alternative option would be for the Swans to play in last season’s light and navy blue away kit, with a Letou as opposed to BetEast logo on the front.
However, Swansea had a miserable record in that particular kit. They picked up zero points from the five Premier League games in which they wore it, including the 5-0 hammering at the hands of Tottenham in December.