Re: New kit
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:30 am
All terrible.
The number one Darlington FC fan's website
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https://www.darlofc.co.uk:443/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=38188
To be fair that first one is pretty similar to our kit from 1889 (black strip down the middle).
http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Darling ... ington.htmlo36789 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:35 amTo be fair that first one is pretty similar to our kit from 1889 (black strip down the middle).
We had stripes, quarters and a solid black vertical strip all before we ever had hoops.
In fact I think in our 127 year history I am not sure we have worn hoops for even 50% of it.
I like the quarters throwback that's why 3 gets my vote.
Over forty years before 1966? So you started supporting Darlington in the early 1920s? Making you nearly 100. Stop talking wibble.EDJOHNS wrote:Sorry but all this,"It is our heritage" comes from a far younger generation than I.
Not once for over 40 years did I see "Hoops" until the 3 thin hoops made their debut in 1966.
I would not mind so much if we actually had hoops, we don't. We keep having black and white horizontal stripes with black backs. Bloody awful IMHO.
Very nice to see the shirts dating back through the years. It appears the hooped design was our identity for most of the first half of the 20th century, but the main reason I am fond of the hoops was the success we had wearing hoops in 1995/96, 2007/08, and the rise through the leagues since 2012/13. Even the back to back promotions in the early 90's were in hoops, although this was before I started watching. I get the commercial aspect of not wanting to repeat the hoops, but for me the choices are a bit disappointing .al_quaker wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:21 amhttp://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Darling ... ington.htmlo36789 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:35 amTo be fair that first one is pretty similar to our kit from 1889 (black strip down the middle).
We had stripes, quarters and a solid black vertical strip all before we ever had hoops.
In fact I think in our 127 year history I am not sure we have worn hoops for even 50% of it.
I like the quarters throwback that's why 3 gets my vote.
It's only relatively recently that hoops have become the norm based on that
Looking at our history, a 'proper' darlington shirt is black and white. That's the common thread running throughout our historical kits. All 4 of the available shirts fulfill that criteria.
I'm sure we will be back in hoops the season after next, so I'm not sure what the furore is in certain quarters.
It clearly doesn’t show that at all.al_quaker wrote:http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Darling ... ington.htmlo36789 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:35 amTo be fair that first one is pretty similar to our kit from 1889 (black strip down the middle).
We had stripes, quarters and a solid black vertical strip all before we ever had hoops.
In fact I think in our 127 year history I am not sure we have worn hoops for even 50% of it.
I like the quarters throwback that's why 3 gets my vote.
It's only relatively recently that hoops have become the norm based on that
Looking at our history, a 'proper' darlington shirt is black and white. That's the common thread running throughout our historical kits. All 4 of the available shirts fulfill that criteria.
I'm sure we will be back in hoops the season after next, so I'm not sure what the furore is in certain quarters.
I didn't read the dates properly! But I think the point still stands that we haven't always worn hoops, and that other kit styles form part of our historyDarlogramps wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:12 amIt clearly doesn’t show that at all.al_quaker wrote:http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Darling ... ington.htmlo36789 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:35 amTo be fair that first one is pretty similar to our kit from 1889 (black strip down the middle).
We had stripes, quarters and a solid black vertical strip all before we ever had hoops.
In fact I think in our 127 year history I am not sure we have worn hoops for even 50% of it.
I like the quarters throwback that's why 3 gets my vote.
It's only relatively recently that hoops have become the norm based on that
Looking at our history, a 'proper' darlington shirt is black and white. That's the common thread running throughout our historical kits. All 4 of the available shirts fulfill that criteria.
I'm sure we will be back in hoops the season after next, so I'm not sure what the furore is in certain quarters.
From 1912 for about 40-45 years hoops were “the norm” according to that. Then for 35 years we had a white and black kit. And since the mid-1990s hooped kits have been fairly regular since, particularly recently.
What’s wrong with people wanting hoops as part of the club’s identity? Given hoops clearly are preferred by a significant percentage of the fanbase, not having any hooped option to vote on seems fairly undemocratic.
And personally I think if decisions about our club’s identity are being driven because of commercial factors, that’s a little disappointing.
I doubt if they will, but there will be plenty of people that will &they will buy the kit. Whatever kit is chosen there will be people that like it & hate it. I've not bought the recent hooped shirts because I didn't like them.theoriginalfatcat wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:54 amI'm not sure I do. Will people buy a kit they don't like?
The counter argument to that is the people who do see hoops as the club’s identity will be alienated by not having that option, so are less inclined to buy it, in which case the whole exercise becomes self-defeating.al_quaker wrote:I didn't read the dates properly! But I think the point still stands that we haven't always worn hoops, and that other kit styles form part of our historyDarlogramps wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:12 amIt clearly doesn’t show that at all.al_quaker wrote:http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Darling ... ington.htmlo36789 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:35 amTo be fair that first one is pretty similar to our kit from 1889 (black strip down the middle).
We had stripes, quarters and a solid black vertical strip all before we ever had hoops.
In fact I think in our 127 year history I am not sure we have worn hoops for even 50% of it.
I like the quarters throwback that's why 3 gets my vote.
It's only relatively recently that hoops have become the norm based on that
Looking at our history, a 'proper' darlington shirt is black and white. That's the common thread running throughout our historical kits. All 4 of the available shirts fulfill that criteria.
I'm sure we will be back in hoops the season after next, so I'm not sure what the furore is in certain quarters.
From 1912 for about 40-45 years hoops were “the norm” according to that. Then for 35 years we had a white and black kit. And since the mid-1990s hooped kits have been fairly regular since, particularly recently.
What’s wrong with people wanting hoops as part of the club’s identity? Given hoops clearly are preferred by a significant percentage of the fanbase, not having any hooped option to vote on seems fairly undemocratic.
And personally I think if decisions about our club’s identity are being driven because of commercial factors, that’s a little disappointing.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with people wanting hoops to form part of the identity. I don't think I've ever said that it was wrong. And hoops will, obviously, still form a huge part of our identity going forwards. If next seasons kit doesnt sell well then I'd imagine we won't veer away from hoops very often in the future at all.
Maybe it is disappointing that decisions about what kits we are wearing is driven by commerical factors, but that's the reality of the world we are living in. We have to try and maximise our revenue in whatever way we can, particulalry when revenue streams are so constrained in other areas. It's disappointing we have to cover them in advertising too, but I'd rather we try and maximise our revenue to put the best product out on the pitch we can. It may not work, but I don't see the harm in trying for one season to see if it does work.
You may well be right - it could be a disaster. But it may also work, as not everyone believes hoops are integral to our identity. We will find out roughly this time next year whether its been a success or not. If people like the change then great they can buy it, if they don't then it will be one season before we inevitably go back to hoops.Darlogramps wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:02 am
The counter argument to that is the people who do see hoops as the club’s identity will be alienated by not having that option, so are less inclined to buy it, in which case the whole exercise becomes self-defeating.
I’m not convinced on the argument of “hoop fatigue” costing us shirt sales, but without masses of in depth, qualitative evidence from fans, there’s no way that argument can be proved either way.
But I don’t like that fans have been denied at least a chance to vote on an option a significant proportion views as being part of the club’s identity. When you start eroding the club’s identity for commercial reasons, you’re on a slippery slope in my opinion.
I agree with Gramps shock.Darlogramps wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:02 amThe counter argument to that is the people who do see hoops as the club’s identity will be alienated by not having that option, so are less inclined to buy it, in which case the whole exercise becomes self-defeating.al_quaker wrote:I didn't read the dates properly! But I think the point still stands that we haven't always worn hoops, and that other kit styles form part of our historyDarlogramps wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 10:12 amIt clearly doesn’t show that at all.al_quaker wrote:http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Darling ... ington.htmlo36789 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:35 am
To be fair that first one is pretty similar to our kit from 1889 (black strip down the middle).
We had stripes, quarters and a solid black vertical strip all before we ever had hoops.
In fact I think in our 127 year history I am not sure we have worn hoops for even 50% of it.
I like the quarters throwback that's why 3 gets my vote.
It's only relatively recently that hoops have become the norm based on that
Looking at our history, a 'proper' darlington shirt is black and white. That's the common thread running throughout our historical kits. All 4 of the available shirts fulfill that criteria.
I'm sure we will be back in hoops the season after next, so I'm not sure what the furore is in certain quarters.
From 1912 for about 40-45 years hoops were “the norm” according to that. Then for 35 years we had a white and black kit. And since the mid-1990s hooped kits have been fairly regular since, particularly recently.
What’s wrong with people wanting hoops as part of the club’s identity? Given hoops clearly are preferred by a significant percentage of the fanbase, not having any hooped option to vote on seems fairly undemocratic.
And personally I think if decisions about our club’s identity are being driven because of commercial factors, that’s a little disappointing.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with people wanting hoops to form part of the identity. I don't think I've ever said that it was wrong. And hoops will, obviously, still form a huge part of our identity going forwards. If next seasons kit doesnt sell well then I'd imagine we won't veer away from hoops very often in the future at all.
Maybe it is disappointing that decisions about what kits we are wearing is driven by commerical factors, but that's the reality of the world we are living in. We have to try and maximise our revenue in whatever way we can, particulalry when revenue streams are so constrained in other areas. It's disappointing we have to cover them in advertising too, but I'd rather we try and maximise our revenue to put the best product out on the pitch we can. It may not work, but I don't see the harm in trying for one season to see if it does work.
I’m not convinced on the argument of “hoop fatigue” costing us shirt sales, but without masses of in depth, qualitative evidence from fans, there’s no way that argument can be proved either way.
But I don’t like that fans have been denied at least a chance to vote on an option a significant proportion views as being part of the club’s identity. When you start eroding the club’s identity for commercial reasons, you’re on a slippery slope in my opinion.
Personally I find it a little hard to link all those items with the decision not to offer hoops this year. Maybe it's because I'm not as much a believer as others are that our identity is hoops. BUT I accept that there will be some fans very disappointed in the decision, including maybe for some of the reasons you lay out. For that reason I'm go to leave it there, and that I hope kit 3 wins as that's the one I would purchaseDarlogramps wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:27 amThe point isn’t about it “only being one season” which is a little patronising.
The point is the club have decided our identity (or at least what a significant proportion view as our identity) is expendable at the cost of one year of kit sales, which may or may not work.
I do get the commercial argument, but it runs counter to the values we’ve been trying to instil since 2012. A fan-owned club denying it’s fans a chance to even vote on something many regard as part of the club’s identity. It’s like a bad joke.
To me this feeds into the wider issue of club engagement and connection with fans. I’d actually argue a lack of identity is part of the reason we’ve struggled to attract and keep fans. It’s hard to build up an identity when you play at four different home grounds in 13 years, for example.
To deny them even the option to vote on hoops is symptomatic of that.