Home kit

[Red Frog]

The kit looks very classy.  A different level to the shirts that were produced years ago...but I agree the cost is getting a bit silly now.  You are going to see even more unofficial merchandise being worn to games, I would imagine.  The new shirts from the Washbag, for example, are very good.

TheWashbag Online Shop

Thanks for the tip Ards. I often used to go into the club shop wanting to spend some money and come out again without finding anything I liked. Some of that washbag stuff is much trendier, less generic/corporate. Just ordered a khaki polaroid t-shirt and a retro track-top. Hope they turn out as nice as they look on the site... Pity they don't have kids sizes.

[Bogus Dave]

I didn't get as far as their hoodies.  But the T-shirts look good and are reasonably priced.  Just making the point that DIY merchandise - like you have seen for old style scarves in the last couple of seasons - is definitely going to be more prevalent/visible this year as the official stuff becomes more expensive.

Fair enough. I'd agree with that to a point, but people will still buy the official stuff because people are stupid.

95% of football merchandise is shite anyway.

[Ralphy]

Moan, moan fucking moan.

[Bogus Dave]

It's not a moan. It is a factual statement.

[joteddyred]

On the subject of parents having to fork out to buy the new shirt for their kids, I'm not sure that is such a big factor. I remember reading somewhere that the main market for replica shirts was the 15-50 age bracket (or something like that - I just made those numbers up) These are people who can make their own decisions as to whether they buy the shirt or not. I personally don't think that young kids are that bothered about having the very latest shirt (I could be wrong of course). Either way though, no one is being forced to buy them.  The last time I bought one was '03 (just around the time they started bringing a new one out every year funnily enough).

You'd be surprised.  One child gets it and they all want it. Kids can be quite cruel at pointing out to others that what they're wearing is now out of date.

Last season I spent the best part of £130 on an away kit for my two boys by the time a number and their surname had gone on the back.  My youngest hasn't worn his enough to warrant the cost, but aside from his school uniform, it's probably my oldest's most worn outfit. He has already asked for the new home and away kit this season, but been told he can have one and will possibly get the other for his birthday or Christmas.

  The price is extorniate when you consider a whole Premier team's kit can be bought for around £20 less.  I don't think it's necessary to change both kits each season either, especially when the changes are minimal as Sippo mentioned.  Why not alternately like they used to?  However that probably won't change until there was a significant drop in sales.

[jonny72]

It's criminal what they are charging and blaming it on Adidas is lame. I won't be getting any shirts this season, partly due to the price but also as they hit perfection with the home and black away shirts last season. Pity they can't pick a classic Adidas design and stick to it, would be a good way to reward fans rather than screwing them over each season.

[DiV]

The shirt looks good - but I really dont like the fact its another off the line mass produced design just with our club badge and sponsor.

I know, I know - thats pretty much how they are all done these days but I miss the originality. The Premier League kit with its swirl design, the potato print, the 96 mint green Castrol GTX kit with 96 champions on it, the white with thin red pin stripes, the 95/96 Mizuno round neck and awesome half blue half black away kit - and bloody collars to!

I'm sure the quality of the kit is fine and all that but too generic for my liking. I know OST! makes the joke that we look like Bristol City - but we do look like every team who plays in red and white and have a kit made by adidas. They couldnt even put a bit of green trim on it just to make it different.

Money, no object to me personally to be honest....

[Ardiles]

I know, I know - thats pretty much how they are all done these days but I miss the originality. The Premier League kit with its swirl design, the potato print, the 96 mint green Castrol GTX kit with 96 champions on it, the white with thin red pin stripes, the 95/96 Mizuno round neck and awesome half blue half black away kit - and bloody collars to!

Seriously DV, those strips were tat.  Need to take off those rose-tinted specs!  I have a few of those kits still at the back of the drawer and they were cheap.  There's a reason no other club decided to copy them!

[DiV]

whether they were cheap or even tat was completely not the point.

[jayohaitchenn]

So you don't mind having a tatty cheap shit-looking shirt, as long as it's original?

[Ralphy]

Those kits from the mid 90's were like every other club's from that era.

I still have the blue and black halfs one and the green one with Division 2 Champions on it.

[The Grim Reaper]

I think it all boils down to supply and demand. STFC has a hardcore support of around 8,000 so the club (and addidas) have to stike the right balance to maximise profit. Unfair to compare to say Liverpool who have gates over 40,000 each time and a global fan base to market too.

[stfcinbmth]

I will get an away shirt in XL just to get my money's worth at some point

[Ralphy]

Fat bastard.

[Only Me]

Why do people always have to find something to moan about? Fuck me a few seasons ago we were nearly going out of business ffs. We had a tin pot shirt with a tin pot sponser who's letters fell off after a few washes. A few years later we have a much better ran club, if you told me a few years ago we'd have an Addidas shirt with the likes of Samsung, Fifa and FourFourTwo i would have laughed you down. If its £45 then so be it, buy it or don't. And you can say NO to your kids, i often do if its too expensive.

Well said !