Kit Change?

[Sean]

I've just taken possession of a number of NOE fixture cards that used to belong to Scratch. As I'm sure you all know the inside cover details the club colours.

I notice that up until the 1977-1978 season we used to play in Navy Blue shorts. Since then they've been Black. Why the change?

Also have we played in any other colours during the clubs history?

[old person]

Firstly
Many Congrats Sean on both your Stats and yr pending new
addition. ( and you Michelle)

At school it was Red n White Hoops, both Socks and Shirt
with Navy blue shorts.

We also required a White shirt as a second kit.

Only go back to 1964, really old people will have to advise
you about earlier years.................

[Whitesocks]

Bring the blue shorts back, they wil go well with my blue boots!

I think the reason we probably where black shorts now is that the club did not provide shorts until recently. So you would have to buy your own, and Cannons would not stock blue ones!?

[Sean]

Is it really as simple as Tim thinks? i.e. navy blue shorts being hard to come by compared to black shorts? Plenty of other teams play in navy blue.

Looking in the 75th Anniversary newsletter, Alan Cadman remembers that when he started in 1948 the club colours were Navy Blue. This, he was told, was in memory of Old Eds lost in the war. Club Colours changed back to Red & White hoops in 1954-55.

Can any other members shed further light on this?

[Gren Perry]

As far as I know the only reason for changing the club shorts from boring blue to cool black was purely cosmetic.

So was the subsequent decision to scrap the traditional hooped socks from a fat


[glow=red,2,300]red and white[/glow]

for the more slim and athletic looking

red.

More about the early post war blue shirts in a separate reply.

[Gren Perry]

When Rugby resumed after WW2 things were very austere and every thing was in short supply. In order to kit out the team the club found it necessary to appeal, via local newspapers, for ex players to hand in their old jerseys. Rationing was in force and players elected to hand in their clothing coupons to enable the purchase of hose. This got them by for the 1945-46 season.

For the next season it was decided that for the time being the club would play in Navy Blue Jerseys with a white collar which you can view by clicking here. 1946-47 . There was some discussion that one member could obtain them at reduced cost via the NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes), HM Forces' official trading organisation.

Members were able to obtain the badges from Riley Bros.(Tailors) who were official suppliers of clothing to the school and the Eds in those days

It remained that way until the1953-54 season.