New Home Kit...

People are well entitled to their opinions, but there is literally nothing Charlton Athletic can do at the moment that is not met with a barrage of criticism. I swear we could sign Messi and people would complain because it wasn't Ronaldo. I can just imagine those hapless chaps from the media team taking another big deep breath and then calmly putting on their tin hats before uploading the new kit to the club website a short while ago.

 

The pains reporter Iain Liddle went to in highlighting the similarities of this new strip with kits worn by club legends and from successful periods gone-by almost smacked to me of a defensive stroke against the inevitable. I jumped off the Charlton hashtag within a few moments of dropping by. I'm finding it so depressing lately.

 

There is no question the kit is certainly different. For me, it's a grower, but on first impressions I think I'm going to like it. Much like everything Charlton-related at the moment, I'm letting it sink in before judging too deeply and throwing my toys out of the pram in the process.

 

I do wonder who makes the decision upon new kits and what factors influence the final choice. I've always wondered why there isn't options put forward to the fans (after all, we are the ones who will potentially buy the replica shirts) with a vote taken to decide the winning design.    

 

I can safely say I love the hooped socks and I've always preferred red shorts. It may look a little odd seeing a chest-high picture of the team celebrating a goal at the Valley (yes, I do expect one occasionally) due to the white shoulders and arms, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. One initial criticism I do have is that the University of Greenwich logo looks a little basic and is not their typical typeset. That said, perhaps it's a very deliberate attempt at making it more readable from the stands. It's a long-standing bugbear for John, who sits next to me at the Valley, that he can never make out shirt sponsors logos. He gets quite animated about it as though somehow he's missing out. 

 

I couldn't miss the moaning concerns yesterday regarding the additional sponsor logo's that will appear on the new strip above the number and on the reverse of the shorts. It's not unusual these days in the Football League and if it represents another vital source of income then I'm all for it, providing monies raised are invested in the club, of course. The traditionalists will struggle with the multi-logo concept full stop and I do have some sympathy for them.

 

I'm just thankful that the sponsors of my club are not payday lenders or betting sites.  

 

I suppose those that don't like the new kit may well add this gripe to the growing list of anti-Roland propaganda? I suppose those that do like the new kit may see this as another small step forward.