Radical new regulations regarding football strips in England and Scotland are set to be applied next season. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch has given the go-ahead for the rule change, under which clubs will be required to wear a completely different strip for each game.
Business leaders including Sir Richard Branson and Lord Sugar yesterday voiced their approval of the decision; many applauded the government's strong hand in obliging clubs to diversify their home colours and offer a wider range of shirts for supporters. These are thought to include:
Chelsea's 7th kit in rhubarb and custard
MK Dons' 27th kit in nicotine yellow with 3-D chevrons
Southend United's 3rd Tuesday night kit in oatmeal and puce with mallard-green polka dot sleeves
Bury's special Pancake Day kit featuring a purple sash and a denim headband
However, the move is likely to go down badly among fans, many of whom are already unhappy at the ever-increasing variety and cost of shirts. In the past, teams would play away matches in their home colours unless they coincided with those of the opponent, whereas now most teams have two away strips which they rotate.
A spokesman for independent football watchdog Offside UK told us: "Football shirts can cost 60 pounds, with new designs every year. We feel the pressure on fans to buy at least 40 shirts for their kids would be a step too far."
The news comes in the same week that the FA announced England would henceforth be playing all matches in "Fallen Red" - shirts soaked in the blood of British heroes who died for freedom during the unprovoked invasion of Iraq - despite contravening strict FIFA laws on the use of political symbols.
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