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Newcastle Jets' jersey should be embraced

13th February, 2011
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Roar Guru
13th February, 2011
40
5142 Reads
Newcastle Jets strip colours

Newcastle Jets strip colours

Newcastle Jets fans are angry that their new owner Nathan Tinkler wants to change their jersey colours without consulting them. Sounds fair to me: off with his head then? Well, no, leave it on thanks. It’s quite good.

If Tinkler had come along and wanted to change a classically beautiful jersey, one that a whole geographical region strongly identified with, one with a long history – not six years, born from a more or less fabricated franchise – and then wanted to change to some bold new-age design of odd colours and lightning bolts all over it, sure, hang him.

If Tinkler wanted to disrupt a fine working club, with robust full stands and a pumping economy, to fulfill some selfish desire, I’d cheer as he dropped.

However, this is not the situation.

Far from it.

The current Newcastle jersey is simply foul, more repellent than insecticide – a subjective call, perhaps, but true.

Tinkler wants to change from an odd meaningless jersey to a classic meaningful football design, not the other way around.

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Newcastle has huge potential but is not achieving it.

It must grow into a strong regional product, or die. To achieve growth you must entice, and you must have meaning.

Sport is largely a tribal matter.

Both proposed jerseys, home and away, are very attractive items, which is rare for the oddly attired A-League. Judging by the released pictures, they will be the best jerseys in the league, full stop, you don’t need an art degree to determine that.

They are representative of the region.

The black and white away strip derived from the tradition of the north coast representative teams is a nice historical touch – I used to play in that jersey as a 12-year-old.

Very nice. Meaningfulness.

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Style and meaning in the jersey, offers great opportunity to reach out to those on the fringes who are potential supporters, but currently are not supporters possibly because it all means nothing to them, the current odd colours don’t connect the synapses.

The only thing I know about the current jersey is it surely was born from the shallows of some lunatics mind.

Adrian Musolino of The Roar joined the chorus implying Tinkler doesn’t understand football culture and the fans. Really?

A good classical meaningful jersey is incredibly powerful and has been wildly overlooked by the A-League. Now, that comrades, that, is not understanding football culture and fans.

I propose that Tinkler actually does understand football culture. Very well, in fact.

Classic sexy jerseys, that is football culture.

Tinkler has invested a lot of money into this club, largely a philanthropic endeavour. But he won’t fork out forever just to pay football players and keep an economically unsustainable fan base happy.

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Who would?

Newcastle has already lost one rich chap because he was losing too much money. You can’t afford to lose this guy – it will be your end.

Newcastle football fans, you should embrace this change. You are the ones, with your funny jumping and passion, that will entertain the new arrivals to your club.

The new arrivals, enticed by identity with a meaningful and good looking jersey, one that actually matches the colour schemed seats of your ground, too – rather than the current clash of colour stating this is a secondary team in the main regional teams stadium, as it currently does.

Don’t make Tinkler feel bad. He’s trying very hard to help you.

The move to this new jersey and colour scheme is the best decision any club has made in six years, applaud it. It suits you, Sir.

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