TTU Awards 2010/2011: Worst Kit

Posted by on Jun 17, 2011 in TTU Awards | 7 Comments

Regular readers of these pages will know that we embrace tradition. Identikit all seater stadia and the “it began in 1992” mentality are not for us. As far as kits are concerned, West Bromwich Albion’s current neglect of the green and yellow stripes offends, and Manchester City should always sport Milanese style away from home.

But there is a difference between respecting a trend built up over years and a specious attempt to cash in by attempting to exorcise Gods of a distant, long forgotten past. For all its aesthetically stylish, Teofilo Cubillas-evoking design, Southampton’s 125 year anniversary effort represents a marketing campaign and nothing else, as did Arsenal’s equally comely redcurrant number and Manchester United’s ghastly Newton Heath combo of a few years back.

Taste is undefinable so challenging the Saints in this category have been Bradford City’s home shirt (the return to pinstripes was unwelcome although perhaps not sufficiently so to be massively offensive), Watford and Preston North End, the latter largely for no good reason beyond prejudice.

Last Year’s winner: Newcastle United (away)

The Two Unfortunates
The non-partisan website with an eye on the Football League

6 Comments

  1. Viva Rover
    June 17, 2011

    You appear to have mistakenly given your Best and Worst Kit categories the wrong title

    Reply
  2. Stanley
    June 17, 2011

    Anonymous has hit the nail firmly on its head. Of course it's a marketing campaign. But, it at least a marketing campaign that makes due reference to the club's heritage. Although I'm not a Saints fan, I'd like to see them keep the design from now on.

    Reply
  3. Lanterne Rouge
    June 18, 2011

    Undeniably a lovely kit and the absence of a sponsor does gain major kudos but sticking to my story

    Reply
  4. Yasser
    June 19, 2011

    With all due respect Rob, I think your choice is akin to David Cameron's plan of selling the Cumbrian Forests. Neither made any sense. At least, the MP from Witney realised his mistake and reverted his decision!

    Last year's design was going back to their first ever kit and I thought it was quite smart. Good Marketing Campaign? Certainly. But, what's wrong with that? Palace reverted to their sashed shirts from 70s and 80s and I read it was quite a hit two seasons back.

    It's very difficult to get the right balance between tradition, aesthetics and commercial viability in a new design and I think Saints got it right on all three counts.

    Reply
  5. Lanterne Rouge
    June 19, 2011

    Very well argued Yasser – it wasn't just me that voted in the category of course and I would absolutely agree on the stylishness of this Saints kit!

    Reply
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    April 8, 2013

    […] He’s also acted ruthlessly in dispensing of Adkins and enabling a possible move to the next level while he’s ‘done a Starbucks’ in persuading fans to obtain things they don’t want – who would have expected Southampton fans to buy Nottingham Forest shirts in their droves even if they were silly enough to buy Peru ones a couple of years back? […]

    Reply

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