Shirty, once again

As our new team and supporter shirts still wend their way leisurely across the world (if only we had someone at the club who regularly visited China, and could have brought them back with him....) we've managed to rack up three four straight wins in kits that are (a) our away kit, and (b) a few years old.

It only occurred to me when we were beating Basingstoke as to WHY we weren't playing in last year's home kit.  Presumably these shirts were all autographed and handed out to various sponsors at the end of last season.  A handful of phone calls might have pulled together at least 16 shirts....

A few more wins and we might seriously have to ask ourselves - should we cancel the kit order and carry on in the blue and white stripes?  Until we meet another team who play in either blue or white, of course!  And then what?  Skins?

We supporters may moan about the lack on new shirts, but it doesn't stop us wearing our colours.  In fact, the merest glance at any group of Poppies supporters will show us all decked out in fetching red and black.  But, usually all DIFFERENT Poppies tops.  Have a look.  Without a new shirt to get behind, we have been raiding our wardrobes, but, somehow, laying our hands on a wide range of Poppies shirts.  You will see designs from most periods of Poppies recent history.  Some excellent.  Some OK.  Some not great (Cough) Last season (Cough).

More interesting than the various strips, hoops, stripes, plain, pinky, etc. is the reminder of the variety of sponsors we have had over the years.  National companies.  Local companies.  Rent-a-Doctor companies.  Charities.  Polar Bears.

Some companies still going strong.  Some long forgotten.  And DRC Locums of course, who frankly didn't get much reward for the twenty million a year sponsorship they ploughed into the Poppies, right up until the point their owner sold the company to an ex Dragon - James Khan.  Mm....I wonder how that court case is going?

"Is this the way to Latimer Park?"