SW11_Saint

Pretty sure this is the same John I used to sit behind under the East Stand at The Dell. He talked non-stop throughout the game, normally fretting away. I used to call him 'Mr Running Commentary". I saw him recently - by the bike sheds not surprisingly (I say recently, could have been season before last). He once spent the first 30 mins of a game berating Benali until I quietly pointed out he wasn't playing. Quite a character. Vividly remember Mr Redpath too from the old 'Monster coach' days. Happy times.

*Sigh*

It is totally and utterly denigrating. Can you imagine a Celtic fan talking about the hoops like that? Check the banner at the top of the page and have another think. Care to elaborate on your last comment? In what way does an 'all red' kit provide a commercial, sporting or strategic advantage? I'd really love to know...

Ted, Bobby and Ron would be turning in their graves if they could hear some of these comments. That the modern fan seems to have so little empathy with our history & tradition is quite depressing. To hear people denigrate the famous red & white stripes as 'deck chairs' or 'barber shop signs' is frankly nothing short of disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Some of the kids on here clearly just see a Saints shirt as a fashion accessory, rather than anything more significant - and I'm not going to argue it; it will clearly fall upon the deaf ears of those brought up on Sky and the "every change is good' mantra. I'm aware this all makes me sound ancient (I am not!) - and I am all for innovation in our kits (read my other posts), as long as they are well designed, keep to our traditional colour palette (and yes, that does include black), and clearly have OUR identity running through them. Even if you are the keenest fan of change and are beside yourself with glee that we will, for the forseeable future, be mimicking the Swiss national team, let's just have some respect for the stripes, and those Southampton greats who were proud to pull that shirt on eh?....

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Sorry, first line (with !) was intended to imply irony - never easy on a web page. Got your point.

Any football fan with a keen interest in the English leagues will know what traditional kit Man Utd, Norwich, West Brom, Ipswich, West Ham, and yes, Saints wear. If you're talking about some random punter in Delhi who has only ever heard of Man Utd, then you have made your point, though I am losing track of what that is, or why you are so hung up on it. PS I am not your mate.

Then you're in the magic 18% minority!

Then you're in the magic 18% minority!

I am in London... and every fan I know knows exactly what traditional colour shorts we played in, as do most with an interest in the EPL around the world. People do take this stuff in you know when watching Channon, Keegan, Le Tiss, Moran, Wallace, Beattie etc etc do their stuff in the famous red, white & black...

I like it - with a black & red or all red collar it'd look great; 70's retro style. Regardless, a million miles better than the abortion we are lumbered with...

Thinking about this - is there any recourse to ask the club WHY they have changed to his horrible all red thing? I would just love to hear an explanation, and their commentary on the strength of fan feeling. Am not expecting a letter to be replied to, but are there any fans groups in regular contact with the club who could ask?

Ok, if we're going to be pedantic...! Black shorts have been predominant / traditional in my lifetime (I'm 49, so a fair chunk of history), and I suspect for the majority of the history of SFC. Most fans (around the world) know us as red & white stripes and black shorts. That IS our tradition, and no one will convince me otherwise - and I will whinge every season until we go back to something that resembles it!!

Not in that kit were not...

Though we'd need black shorts too. Has to be black shorts.

Lucky escape. Buy him the away kit or a Retro one.

No, it'll be remembered as the great team in a shi1t kit...

The one in his head...

You need a decimal point between the 7 and 8!

I agree - It doesn't Work on any level. Just poor, drab, generic, lazy 'design'. Not sure I agree on the advertising point. Other clubs with stripes have no trouble, and some of those are the biggest clubs in the world - think Barca, Juve, Milan Clubs. Given the other Adidas striped kits we are seeing I am more convinced than ever that this whole 'all red thing' is just Cortese's desire/whim. Problem is, just like Lowe, if he is 'wrong' on something (vs general opinion) he will just become more entrenched and determined to 'break' any resistance. I hope that is not the case, but suspect it will be. Shame he can't take a dispassionate, commercial view - there is no downside to that other than him losing a little face on his idea not being accepted.

Unbelievable. Once again - it is SO easy to get it right. Lucky old Sunderland. History and tradition in tact, and a nice looking new kit.

You will always sell well, particularly in the Premier League. And no one is arguing against change, we, like most clubs, are clearly going to change our kit every year, and most people have no problem about that, or at least accept it. Like everyone else, I get excited about a new kit coming out (only to be desperately deflated on the last two seasons). We have a strong brand and colour template (red, white, black) and that can be used in any number if innovative ways, whilst still retaining our brand and our identity - as has been shown by some of the great designs that people have come up with on here. As I have said many times, this is SO easy to get right. being innovative and progressive, while still retaining your identity are not mutually exclusive. Have no doubt whatsoever, Cortese runs EVERY ASPECT of the club - I know this for a fact - and I have no doubt that the red rebranding will be his doing. I am sure there are those at the club will have wanted to go back to a design more in keeping with our identity, but I doubt they will have voiced that opinion...

Less than 20% approval rating can never be seen as a success. If NC is the smart businessman people say he is, he should be focussing on the opportunity cost of the disenfranchised 60% of the club's fan base, and working out how to engage (monetise) those fans. [Hint: it involves black shorts and vertical stripes]

Are you for real?! 'If you don't like the (sh1tty) new kit and make your feelings known, go and find a new club?' I've heard some pathetic things in my time but that takes the biscuit. PS 65% IS a majority.

Ssshhh! Don't say that - Cortese will ban it!