West Bromwich Albion legends plead with club to keep stripes
West Bromwich Albion's legends and former players today urged the club to have a 'serious re-think' over plans to ditch their traditional blue and white stripes for next season.
It comes as fans prepare to don strips down the decades at the club's final game of the season to show the extent of opposition against the change.
The Baggies' former players association called on the club to uphold its traditions by reconsidering the planned 'pinstripe' design.
The association has former defenders Brendon Batson as its president and Ray Wilson as chairman and has most of Albion legendary players as members.
The new design is set to be unveiled in the next few weeks but it is believed to be predominantly white with narrow blue stripes.
Association secretary Geoff Snape said: "Our association is very mindful of the commercial aspects of the football club.
"There is however, over a century of Albion history in playing in blue and white stripes and we hope that, should this rumour be true, the club has a serious re-think and the traditions of this fine and excellent football club are upheld."
The plans to swap the well-known design has caused anger among fans.
And they are now being told to get out their favourite striped strips from through the years for the home clash against Stoke in protest at the plans to break with tradition.
John Simcox, a season ticket holder who is a member of the Shropshire supporters branch, is leading the campaign for fans to show their feelings.
He said: "We're not happy with the proposal for pinstripes. Our tradition is bold Oxford Blue stripes.
"A lot of us want to create a sea of blue and white stripes to show the feeling about it. Managers, the chairman and directors all come and go – but fans are here forever.
"We are a proud club with a strong heritage and tradition and we're passionate about keeping it."
Earlier this month, supporters gave the new kit idea the thumbs down via the Express & Star website.
More than 5,800 fans, a record high, voted in the newspaper's online poll after the news was announced.
Seventy five per cent of voters were against the changes.
The moves would mark the biggest break with tradition since the Second World War.
