the problem is, you do seem to find something, anything, to say that is negative in some way or form! this week it's the away kit. it is a bit grinding to be honest... it would be nice to hear something positive when we've just had a very good week. if i have misjudged this then i'm sorry, but that is how it comes across and others seem to think so too
just to add to that, i could perhaps understand this if the away kit was radical, pink or brown or something, but its white - its our traditional away colour. we only keep the kits for a year so the club feel they have to change them enough to satisfy the fans demands - if they are always the same colour you'd find fans would stop buying them in such great numbers. the home kit is different, of course, as it is iconic, but as long as the away shirt has the badge on it, what does it matter?
I have said, in several other threads on here, that we played well this weekend, and that if we play like that for the rest of the season, we will do fine. I am not someone who is going to hide away when this week's evidence doesn't fit my argument. Both home games this season have been very promising and I have made it clear that I think that. It is as simple as not liking a kit. Why is this seen as some kind of thought crime? You really think you are some kind of official spokesperson for this site, don't you? Yes, maybe as you say (without any evidence, as you would be quick to point out to me), people are sick of my negativity. Perhaps they are just as sick of your pomposity.
I think we've had some great kits during the "aviva years" simple and classic. Makes a change next to some of our "hand grenade in a dulux decorator centre" attempts we've had in the past
i've been impressed with errea. i pray we never end up with nike or adidas 'identi-kits' like everyone else. almost every club in the premier league look like they are wearing the same kit - it's awful. the yellow and green obviously helps our identity anyway but at least our kits look they've not come straight from page 24 of the adidas merchandise catalogue and what is going on with the saints kit? i understand their owner is a liverpool fan and is trying to market saints in all red kits. its a horrible, horrible mess this season, with mis-use of gold which rarely works on football shirts (swansea last season being a classy exception). i'm not saying saints should stick to their traditional stripes - their white and red-sash kit a few years ago was glorious - but why would they want to look like another, bigger club? makes no sense.
We've generally had some really good discussions on here with different views/opinions being put across by different parties. I'd probably guess that unfair castigation of fellow fans on here happens less regularly than between fans on other teams' forums.
to be fair, i did apologise to him for failing to understand the argument, which it appears i was. can't say fairer than that
Vietnam's point about brand identity is valid enough, and his likes and dislikes as regards colours are just that, personal preference. But there's more to it than that. Quite apart from the requirement to have alternative kits ensuring clear differentiation between players whoever our opponents are, there is the question of commercial income. The club accounts for 2012 show that commercial income was £14M compared to income from ticket sales of £11M. I haven't got a figure for kit sales within the total of £14M, but whatever it is it will have helped towards our squad strengthening, as will this year's kit sales in due course. So the real question is not one about Vietnam's personal preferences, but about how strong the sales of our away kit are this year compared to years in which our away kit has featured some version of our traditional yellow and/or green.
i believe this is the fastest selling away kit we've ever had robbie. how much of that was down to the fact the club cleverly said they would stick 'v.WOLFSWINKEL' on the back for a fiver we might never know. just to side with vietnam on one thing, this current away shirt is my favourite away kit - 2nd favourite is the 'lotus - british racing green with yellow trim'
Totally agree supers. Now if we had the away kits that Villa fans have had for the past 2 seasons, then I'd be agreeing with vc and wouldn't even consider buying one!!!
Great post Robbie. At the end of the day (to quote Nigel Worthington ) running a football club is a commercial enterprise. So if this season's away kit bombed and no one bought it, next summer we'd possibly looking at bringing in Julien Brellier, rather than Philippe Coutinho. (Disclaimer : the above two names were the first, within their vastly differing categories, that sprung to my mind. If either happen, I'll take it on the chin )
god yes! what on earth is that purple and white chequered affair all about? mind you, the home kit is quite nice this year. not a macron fan though - did you see their bizarre shorts last season? they had a long 'flap' on the back...
If we are required to come up with different colours for our away kit (and not just recycle the theme of green and yellow), then I feel this is wrong. The PL should leave clubs to decide what colours they use as long as there is a clear differentiation between the two sides on match day. If not, then I really feel we should stick to yellow and green. It makes us distinctive and gives us an instant identity which no other club in the Prem currently has. Point taken about sales from away kit, but I'd need proof that radically different colours lead to significantly higher sales before I believe that this compensates for lack of clarity of identity.
we aren't 'required' to do so in the way you appear to be thinking - we chose to because we make more money that way. the league rules stipulate that away colours should 'differentiate effectively' or words to that extent, for example, we could use the home colours as trim but not as the main colours or if we did, they'd have to be different enough to work effectively when required. i know some clubs have had their proposed kits altered because they were deemed to similar. wycombe were one i think, last summer edit. also, as i say, if the away kit is too similar to the home kit people would tend to just buy the home kit.
What the PL do do and should do are poles apart - and always will be. It's on insistance from the PL, as clearly stated above, that all teams have a second strip. Think how many teams base colour is predominantly red, after all. Just because we use yellow and green as our base colours doesn't give us an exemption from this ruling. If you don't like it, don't frickin' buy one - and avoid watching those 5 (five) games per season when we are compelled to wear it?
OK, thank you for clarifying that. Re making money, I guess the problem is that it's almost impossible to PROVE that a particular kit led to higher or lower sales, so we tend to react emotionally depending on whether it appeals to us or not. On the original point of this thread, I really don't want to come across as a 'moaning minnie'. I think both home games this season have been progressive and make me optimistic for the season ahead. The new signings look good, and I've never doubted Hughton's ability to spot a player. The game at Hull was disappointing, but at least there was an attempt (if unsuccessful) to take the game by the scruff of the neck and it was not as desperate as Wigan or Stoke away last season. You may not believe this, but I actually want us to succeed, you know.
Well, I believe you!! I was pretty gutted by the Hull result too, but it occasionally happens that severl players have an 'off day' at the same time and that certainly was the case in that game. I feel CH has made some excellent buys this summer and it will take a month or two for the team to 'gel' and get used to each other's style of play etc. It will be intersting to see how many points we accumulate between now and the end of October.
