Players shouldn't be allowed to swap numbers, or if they do, the club should offer a refund / discount for anyone with a shirt with the name and old number on their back.
If it is announced at the same time as the new kit it is fine. A promising youth like Sterling would keep a random number forever otherwise.
Players aren't allowed to swap numbers once the official squad list is submitted. Anyone buying a kit during the transfer window need to be sat down and have football explained to them. If you buy a kit through the official store with confirmed numbers then they won't change. If you walk into a shop and ask the person for custom letters then you take your own chance.
But wouldn;t you be annoyed if this season you brought 2 of your kids shirts with Sturridge 15 on the back and Sterling 31 only for next season they both change numbers and your kids then want 2 new shirts as thee ones are out of date? Adults I have no sympathy for... shouldn't be getting names on the back once you turn 16... but parents having to fork out £50 for each shirt then again the following season doesn't sit right.
No because the number would correspond to what the player himself was wearing at the time so it's historically correct. Gerrard's number in 2004 was 17. A 2004 kit with "8 Gerrard" on it would be wrong as would a 2014 kit with "17 Gerrard". "I was supporting Sturridge when his number was double digits" The kid stuff is just poor parenting.
Yes got confused, 28 in 1998-2000, then 17 until 2000, then 8 Anyway the point is players develop and the number should be what the player wore in the year of the kit
Lambert will score you goals this season and you might be surprised at how many assist he makes. Now it may not be many, but that will depend upon how many minutes he gets. He will always give 100% and be 100% professional. He also knows that he will be judged on what he produces, by his own fans (and that sounds strange, believe me). He wore the shirt of Matt Le Tissier with distinction, it shouldn't be a problem. Oh, and if Gerrard doesn't fancy it, he can take a penalty too........