"As for Maidenhead, the conga (which was amusing) aside, quite a strange bunch really – some the oddest chants I've ever heard at a football match" ~ localboy86, Amber Planet forum, 26th April 2015

Friday 1 July 2011

Away Kit Abominations

When Michael Thomas scored that goal at Anfield in May 1989, he was wearing a yellow Arsenal away shirt (I was delighted to receive the full kit, including shorts and socks, the following Christmas).


In an early (if not the very first) Maidenhead United FC constitution, it was agreed that the club colours were to be black and white, with red.


It is my opinion, therefore, that Arsenal's away kit should always be predominantly yellow, while Maidenhead United should play in black and white (with red socks) and have red as a change colour.

As such, I was disappointed to read a recent MUFC Ltd board meeting minute that stated the Magpies are to wear white socks next season. This paled into insignificance, however, compared to my reaction upon seeing the following online photos this week:



After initial exclamations, such as "What the actual f**k?!", the obvious question that presented itself was "Why?"

I suspect, in Arsenal's (or, perhaps more pertinently, Nike's) case, it has everything to do with money; an attempt to sell more units. I cannot believe that another yellow Arsenal away shirt - even one with a rather cheeky, only-very-slightly-tweaked design - would prove any less commercially viable than a W@nky Wanderers-esque jockey silk, however.

As for MUFC Ltd, I suspect this is change for changes sake; a 'because we can' type-of-decision.

FWIW, I think that both the disregard of tradition, and the kits themselves, are regrettable.

***

UPDATE, 05/07/11: Just when I thought that it couldn't get any worse ... I now learn that the t-shirts the rather laughable David Haye and his encourage were wearing, immediately prior to Haye's capitulation to Wladimir Klitschko in Hamburg last Saturday, weren't replica England training tops but the new away shirt (below). Memo to Umbro: Bobby Moore and the other heroes of 1966 wore red!

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