Some of the Sunday press suggest that there will be a new home strip on sale round about April/May. Apparently the change in sponsor at the end of last season doesn't count as a design change. Apparently, the new kit will differ from the current in one respect only, a change from the current collar to a V-neck.

Any thoughts? Can this club sustain three strip changes in a year? Given the drop in merchandising revenue last financial year, I think they're flogging a dying horse now.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

Answers

INSTRUCTIONS, DICTATION.

Thats what that shit roll(NOTW) is doing. Their biting at our wage bucket (turnover as Mr Shepard put it) again by telling the masses to conform and dont buy it. Wankers. IS THIS ILLEGAL?

Has the editor got a hidden agenda or something like?? Did you see the headline next to ours 'DAGGERS OUT,' is that a little message?

Our drop in merchandising is partly down to the media as far as I'm concerned, they help produce and advertise a marketable brand.

I take the view, if you want the best you pay for it, do you? Or do you want second best on average?

I'm a true supporter (remember you dont have to buy it, we can make our own minds cant we?) in the sense if I can afford it I'll buy it, but only to help the Toon.

Are we sponsors of a football club, or are we consumers, buying from a shop with no emotional attachment???

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

I think its an absolute disgrace....I mean, it was only a couple of month ago that my wife said she wanted a new dress, I told her she had bought one in July, but she said that was last seasons style and they have now changed, so I duly forked out the money for a new one, now she is telling me that even that one is out of date and that M&S have launched yet more new lines and she wants to go and see if there is anything she likes......well you can imagine the reaction she got to that one.....ho ho ho....my god, how can they justify changing these styles so bliddy often......now she tells me this happen four time a year spring, summer, autumn and again in Winter......THAT'S the story the News Of The Screws should be investigating, I mean come on Ray 'Fuck Face' Ryan....get you teeth into that one..........

Does it strike anyone else as curious that (a) this crap is always printed in the News Of The Screws on a day when the Toon have a big match or that b) an anagram of the alternate name of the News of the Screws (NOTS) in initial letter format is SNOT.....speaks volumes to me!

Sorry is that not a fair analogy......ah well tough......the Newton Heath loving SNOT's are not very fair to us most of the time, especially that tw@t Ray Ryan......this is not the first run in I've had with him, and it will not be the last.

I'll let you know if he replies......I bet he doesn't!

PS: It also pisses me off that every time they mention strips and/or merchandising in relation to the Toon, they alway have to mention the debacle in the Malaga whorehouse.....alright it happened, it was stupid, they were idiots but for christ sake it bloody ages ago now, why keep bringing the tw@ting thing up! Thank you people....rant over!

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

Hmm - not good friends of yours then Ken, eh? This story doesn't surprise me, not does it bother me. This season's strip is the same as last - just a slight problem in the wash. ANybosy who boughyt "this year's" home strip to replace last years has more money than sense - even if the kids "demand" it. Tell 'em to f*** off. We're not Newton Heath fer Chrisakes. We don't expect wor fans to hoy 'em away when the gaan smally.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

Err, of course that shudda rean gaan smelly. Stupid b*gg*r.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

Err, odamn :-((

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001

I was disgusted by the fact that the NOTW, are saying that we'll be getting a new shirt in a few weeks. They appaerntly asked a saleman at JJB sports , and he said, it's due in soon. We all know that there is a new strip at the end of the season. So what? We,ll buy one if our last one has worn out, which means most of us with newish NTL shirts will stick with what we have (or go for the new purple Away shirt) and those with a Broon Ale shirt will probably buy a new one.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2001

Moving this back to the top of the pile and looking for a few more contributions if anyone has anything to say.

I've had an E Mail from someone trawling for the Watchdog programme asking for people to come in and moan about 'yet another' new strip. Bearing in mind that these are trawled opinions and not spontaneous complaints, can anyone guess what angle they might be taking.

I've replied to it, as you can imagine, bnut would be interested to hear what others say.

Come on people.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Rik mentioned a new Purple away strip. Is this usual Rik ramblings or is there a new away strip?

Is it just the home kits that are protected by the charter to replace every two years?

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Rik mentioned a new Purple away strip. Is this usual Rik ramblings or is there a new away strip?

Is it just the home kits that are protected by the charter to replace every two years?

Watchdog will get enough people to mention on their show even if they only get ten people saying it's a bad deal.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Especially for Watchdog then (a program I really resented paying a licence fee for), I'm really looking forward to the new strip. A club can never bring out too many strips in my view. I wish the club would produce more of them. A new one for every game would be wonderful.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

I'll do anything to annoy Anne Robinson do you have an e-mail address?

I don't think the club is being unfair in putting a new strip out. They had no choice but to change the sponsors badge and if they had then decided to bring a new kit out to coicide with the sponsor change, people like NOTW and Watchdog would have picked up on that too, how can they win.

If a new strip means funding for new training facilities or the Academy or a couple of new players then it's all good for the club.

They are in a situation whereby they cannot rip us off in terms of new home strips so where's the worry. People are grown up enough to know whether they can afford a strip or not.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

The problem is not with those of us here on the BBS but for those with kids. To be honest, I'd be happy with my replica FA Cup Winners shirt (although there might be a mis-match in my size to that of the shart!) and it's only the fashion conscious like Pit Bill, Jonno and Fifties Fan who would be craving for a new shirt if one was to appear. But those with kids are in the same playground dilema (ooh look, s/he's only got Spalding/Reebok/Tom Cobblers instead of Nikes. Or, s/he's got the spring Nikes not the autumn ones.

The new charter was supposed to put an end to this. It was news when I heard in the oub last night that we (can) bring out a new away shart every season. I could accept a new away one season and a new home the next.

What I think is utterly deplorable is when there are different shirts for different competitions. I suppose dropping out of the FAC for a season could be a solution for "local" fans who might not then have to buy yet another strip. At least we don't have to buy a European strip this season ;-)

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

I must admit when I bought the new away strip at the start of the season I thought it would be the away strip for two seasons. If the new one is purple I'll quite gladly wear the black one for another season!!

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Dont buy a new strip every time one appears. I wear my Beer mat style grandad collared one. Before that the Macewans Beer Towel design, before that the green and blue away strip. I still wear them now I dont feel the need to buy the latest But i do like the black away strip and now its 25quid I may get one.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Hope you're a size Small or XXL, Kenny. Small is all most of the club shops have left. The one at the ground does also have a few XXLs. I was able to get a large at dixon sports at Eldon Square for 27.99.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

Anyone read Naomi Klein's polemical "No Logo"? Its descriptions of the third-world sweat shop hell holes where so much brandname sports- clothing gets made made this particular consumer wonder whether he'll ever where his broon-ale top again with a clear conscious.

One example; The Tung Tat Garment Factory in China who make stuff for Adidas, wages per hour $0.22. A 75-87.5 hour week, 12.5 hour shifts; 6 or 7 days a week. Employees are fined if late/resting/found talking; forced morning calisthenics; 8 workers to a dorm room.

I think I'll stick to my TOFFS 70's replica shirt

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001