Shirt tales

Got my first in-the-flesh look at the new shirts at last nights Rovers game.

The home shirt isn't quite as bad as I'd expected, although it's hardly flattering on the average rotund fan. Quite a few times on the pitch I thought passes had been misdirected at the referee - the very dark blue means that from the side-rear, with long sleeves obscuring the numbers, the shirts almost look like a plain black referee shirt. I can't help but fear that at times this season - in the rain or gloom of a dark January afternoon - that these shirts won't help the players pick each other out on the park.

The away shirt - as modelled by a minority of fans milling round the ground - is much more attractive, but I still have an issue with the colour: I know it's not the first time we have had sky blue away shirts, but for some reason it just doesn't feel right. I love the all white away option: at least white shorts and white socks would have given the dressing room a bit more flexibility on brightening-up the all dark blue home kit with some mix & match style changes.

I felt a little cheap watching in my all yellow 09/10 Nike shirt, but as last seasons number was by far the best shirt we've had in a long time -- and it's a promotion-winning shirt too -- I'm loathed to give it up. I'm going to give it a few weeks and then probably look again at the new away shirt.