[Archived] Would you be in favour of dropping the Blue & White Halves?

[Stuart]

What would we change blue and white halves to anyway. whatever it was, unless it was pink and green stripes or something, would just make us blend in rather than stand out. I don't get the idea that changing something like your strip would be helpful if what you change to is ordinary instead of extraordinary. I know it's because red is lucky in some cultures that the cardiff strip was changed and there is an idea that red is the association with Wales and their dragon and so on, but for us, seriously , what would you change to if you felt a change was acceptable, and where would you draw the line?

It's a great point. "If someone changed our kit for the hell of it so they could give us some more money".

The "Far East Red" boat has sailed so I guess it would be - playing in a tricolour shirt...

India's Premier team

[yoda's brother]

It's a great point. "If someone changed our kit for the hell of it so they could give us some more money".

The "Far East Red" boat has sailed so I guess it would be - playing in a tricolour shirt...

India's Premier team

YUK

[Stuart]

YUK

Don't disagree, yo bro.

[T4E]

Seriously?

Ask any football fan: "who's that team who play in blue and white halves?"

Surely you'd get a 99% accuracy of responses?

EDIT: corrected stupid iphone typo.

I work with a bloke who wears a black pinstripe suit and a white shirt every day.

I don't call him pinstripe suit man. I call him Nick. That's how I identify him, because that's his name. His clothes are irrelevant. They don't define him any more than ours should be allowed to define us.

I take your point, people know our colours/design. So? What exactly does that achieve? After the football fan answers "Blackburn Rovers" what are you going to do with that info? Are top of the Famous Football Shirt league table? Whoopdefeckindoo.

Sometimes we go through so much crap that we forget what "support" actually means. For me, it means to give my backing to something in order to help it succeed. Therefore, if giving my backing to a colour change somehow helped us succeed, I'd support it. It wouldn't bother me, because it'd be worth it.

Interestingly, the Internet definitions are below -

sup·port (s-pôrt, -prt)

tr.v. sup·port·ed, sup·port·ing, sup·ports

1. To bear the weight of, especially from below.

2. To hold in position so as to keep from falling, sinking, or slipping.

3. To be capable of bearing; withstand: "His flaw'd heart . . . too weak the conflict to support" (Shakespeare).

4. To keep from weakening or failing; strengthen: The letter supported him in his grief.

5. To provide for or maintain, by supplying with money or necessities.

6. To furnish corroborating evidence for: New facts supported her story.

7.

a. To aid the cause, policy, or interests of: supported her in her election campaign.

b. To argue in favor of; advocate: supported lower taxes.

8. To endure; tolerate: "At supper there was such a conflux of company that I could scarcely support the tumult" (Samuel Johnson).

9. To act in a secondary or subordinate role to (a leading performer).

For me, definitions 4 and 7a best describe how I feel about my football club. I get the feeling a large amount of fans relate more with number 8.

[Majiball]

Argh. (Another) iPhone typo. Stupid big thumbs!

Don't worry Samsungs are no better.

[Stuart]

I work with a bloke who wears a black pinstripe suit and a white shirt every day.

I don't call him pinstripe suit man. I call him Nick. That's how I identify him, because that's his name. His clothes are irrelevant. They don't define him any more than ours should be allowed to define us.

:lol: That's the most stupid and funniest analogy I've ever read! And not just on this mb!!

'Pinstripe suit man'. Classic.

[J*B]

I'd much rather we dropped Jason Lowe.

[Rover_Shaun]

Can we merge this with the Lancs United crackpot idea?

[Sparky Marky]

Can we merge this with the Lancs United crackpot idea?

It wasn't actually an idea if you care to read the OP. It was supposed to trigger discussion.

[Amo]

I really don't think they would. The strip obviously means a lot more to some fans that it does to others, I'm with those who find the very idea nauseating. Personally I'd go from buying the shirt every season to never buying it again, and I honestly think my enthusiasm and loyalty would take a big blow.

You'd suck it up and pay your money. That's what most football supporters do. Venky's have all but destroyed everything this club once stood for and people still show up in their thousands. Do you honestly think it would have a significant impact if the club was flying? I don't. And I'm not for one minute advocating that we change strip. I'm very much on the same page with you on that account, but I'm also aware of the fickle face of football.

[Guest Norbert]

As I said earlier, stick with the home kits, and experiment with away/3rd kits. Should Man Utd play in orange or whatever colour the Glazers fancy? Or how about Real Madrid changing their kit to maroon and blue stripes?

[T4E]

:lol: That's the most stupid and funniest analogy I've ever read! And not just on this mb!!

'Pinstripe suit man'. Classic.

Hopefully you realise that there was a reason for it being stupid!

[forumquizmaster]

Hopefully you realise that there was a reason for it being stupid!

I'm not sure he thinks its stupid for the same reason as you though.

[Stuart]

Comparing a 137 year old iconic football strip to some bloke who wears a suit to work.

I'd say we are on a different page mate.

Still chuckling at 'pinstripe suit man' though.

Out of interest does he have 7000 hardcore fans shouting at him every week, wearing the same suits?

#Nick The Suit is Pin and Stripe, Pin and Stripe, Pin and Stripe

Nick The Suit is Pin and Stripe

He Hates Gingham#

#Pin Army

#Pin Army

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

You'd suck it up and pay your money. That's what most football supporters do. Venky's have all but destroyed everything this club once stood for and people still show up in their thousands. Do you honestly think it would have a significant impact if the club was flying? I don't. And I'm not for one minute advocating that we change strip. I'm very much on the same page with you on that account, but I'm also aware of the fickle face of football.

Well I don't think Venkys have destroyed everything this club once stood for if you're talking in big timescales. In my opinion they've destroyed (or are at least 90% of the way towards destroying) everything Jack built, so definitely the last 20 years or so. But the stuff thats older than that: the kit, the ground, the badge and the name, they've left alone.

If any owner were to touch any of those things, they would be destroying a history approaching one and half centuries, not 20 years, and would plunge to a bigger low even than Venkys in my opinion. And considering I've staged a slightly ineffective boycott this season (no ST for the first time since I was a kid, but still gone to about 40% of home games), I'd have no qualms about considering it if the kit was changed.

[T4E]

I'm not sure he thinks its stupid for the same reason as you though.

No he's doesn't - that's why we've been debating it for the last day. Duh.

Comparing a 137 year old iconic football strip to some bloke who wears a suit to work.

I'd say we are on a different page mate.

Still chuckling at 'pinstripe suit man' though.

Out of interest does he have 7000 hardcore fans shouting at him every week, wearing the same suits?

#Nick The Suit is Pin and Stripe, Pin and Stripe, Pin and Stripe

Nick The Suit is Pin and Stripe

He Hates Gingham#

#Pin Army

#Pin Army

Yes, we're on very different pages - because to me it's the same. It means very little to me, because it wouldn't actually have any impact on anything if we changed it. If pinstripe suit man came in wearing Bermuda shorts and flip flops, and we played in green, he'd still be called Nick and we'd still be called Blackburn Rovers. All it would change would be things in people's minds.

[Mike E]

No he's doesn't - that's why we've been debating it for the last day. Duh.

Yes, we're on very different pages - because to me it's the same. It means very little to me, because it wouldn't actually have any impact on anything if we changed it. If pinstripe suit man came in wearing Bermuda shorts and flip flops, and we played in green, he'd still be called Nick and we'd still be called Blackburn Rovers. All it would change would be things in people's minds.

As much as I can understand your point, I really would rather keep the kit as it was. Only because I'd expect the 'marketing' to be pretty much sorted with such a unique and iconic strip.

[MarkBRFC]

They have already dropped the blue and white shirts for ALL away games - even when we have no colour clash.

Not really though have they, i can think of Dingles, Bristol & Hull away where we wore the blue and white off the top of my head.

I'm sure there are more too.

[T4E]

As much as I can understand your point, I really would rather keep the kit as it was. Only because I'd expect the 'marketing' to be pretty much sorted with such a unique and iconic strip.

Firstly, I wouldn't want to change colours for the sake of it, purely because there's no point. I would only support it if it meant a positive change happening elsewhere.

Secondly, and the same point again - what good has the marketing that comes with a blue and white kit actually done for us?

[Amo]

Well I don't think Venkys have destroyed everything this club once stood for if you're talking in big timescales. In my opinion they've destroyed (or are at least 90% of the way towards destroying) everything Jack built, so definitely the last 20 years or so. But the stuff thats older than that: the kit, the ground, the badge and the name, they've left alone.

I think everything worth caring about (our professionalism, our respect, our community spirit, our success) are all inherently of more value to the prosperity of the club than what colours we happen to be wearing. And that's not downplaying the iconic nature of our blue & white halves, because like many long-distance Rovers fans, that was what initially drew me to the club when I suddenly decided I liked football. Of course, I also had a soft spot for Crystal Palace simply because of the name. What? I was ten! I'm just saying that most football supporters are willing to overlook a lot of things if all is going well on the pitch and they've got bragging rights over their rivals.

If any owner were to touch any of those things, they would be destroying a history approaching one and half centuries, not 20 years, and would plunge to a bigger low even than Venkys in my opinion. And considering I've staged a slightly ineffective boycott this season (no ST for the first time since I was a kid, but still gone to about 40% of home games), I'd have no qualms about considering it if the kit was changed.

Forgive me, but I don't believe you. If the club was flying high and all was well, then I suspect you would probably be one of the first to tell fans to put aside their grievances and support the team. Weren't you quite vociferous against the protesters & boycotters while Kean & co. were busy undoing Jack's legacy? And that was arguably a more valid reason for shunning the club than whether it decides to make a cosmetic change?

[ABBEY]

Soft spot for palace. ??? Jhc they are on the same level as dingles and nobbers on my hate list . Just hope the last game of the season I don't hate them even more and as for the glad all over song , it haunts me . Lets hope this karma dude bites palace.

[forumquizmaster]

Soft spot for palace. ??? Jhc they are on the same level as dingles and nobbers on my hate list . Just hope the last game of the season I don't hate them even more and as for the glad all over song , it haunts me . Lets hope this karma dude bites palace.

Probably the worst I've ever felt as a Rovers fan that day in 1989 Abbey. Worse than any relegation or defeat to the Dingles even.

[walk down bolton road]

In light of the Cardiff promotion. Have they not just sold their souls to the devil?

Think Blackburn Rovers you think Blue and White Halves.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I think everything worth caring about (our professionalism, our respect, our community spirit, our success) are all inherently of more value to the prosperity of the club than what colours we happen to be wearing. And that's not downplaying the iconic nature of our blue & white halves, because like many long-distance Rovers fans, that was what initially drew me to the club when I suddenly decided I liked football. Of course, I also had a soft spot for Crystal Palace simply because of the name. What? I was ten! I'm just saying that most football supporters are willing to overlook a lot of things if all is going well on the pitch and they've got bragging rights over their rivals.

Forgive me, but I don't believe you. If the club was flying high and all was well, then I suspect you would probably be one of the first to tell fans to put aside their grievances and support the team. Weren't you quite vociferous against the protesters & boycotters while Kean & co. were busy undoing Jack's legacy? And that was arguably a more valid reason for shunning the club than whether it decides to make a cosmetic change?

Maybe this is unusual or maybe its unusual amongst younger fans (quite an old fart in my head when it comes to Rovers), but to me our home kit is part of what Rovers is. Like I said, I see Rovers as made up of the name, the kit, the ground name and the badge, in that order of importance. The name has never changed, the kit hasn't changed after the first few months, the ground hasn't changed after the first few years, and the badge hasn't changed (in basic design) in about 5 decades. Blackburn Rovers, blue and white halves, Ewood Park, the red rose, those 4 things are strongly symbolic of our club.

What Venkys did is ruin things that were more transient or less well known. Nobody recognised us as being professional, almost every club is professional. Not many people respected us, all the bought the title and too small to be in the PL jibes. Our success in terms of trophies Venkys can't affect. Our success in terms of league positions in modern times again largely goes unappreciated by the wider world, who aren't fully aware of the financial circumstances that made it incredible. Our community spirit, again was that there pre-Jack when we were getting gates of 6-7,000? These are things we've had at different points of our history, but they aren't things we stand for, and that are unique or permanently attached to us.

Regarding the protests, I was vociferously against them during our 2 relegation battles under Kean, just as I would have been had they started up again when Bowyer took over a few games ago. Simply because I don't agree with protests around a time when you're fighting to stay in a division. The rest of the time I supported them..

[Mike E]

Firstly, I wouldn't want to change colours for the sake of it, purely because there's no point. I would only support it if it meant a positive change happening elsewhere.

Secondly, and the same point again - what good has the marketing that comes with a blue and white kit actually done for us?

1. Fair enough.

2. It probably hasn't. But at the same time, I'd rather not know if going with a bland red kit would sell more or less in case we suddenly realise how good the halves were 'dunno what you had til it's gone' kinda thing.