Aston Villa players complain Castore shirts negatively impact performance

[paul_e]

To go back a little bit for the discussion around time lines, etc I think there has bene a bit of duff info in here earlier. Getting rid of Castore for next season is definitely possible. We didn't have the badge on the current shirts until the middle of November last year so there would easily be time, especially if we switched and went for a very simple design for this year (which is exactly the right approach for the 150th).

I don't think you're right Paul.  I'm sure kits are sorted over a year in advance.  Adding a changed badge isn't the same as a complete kit redesign and lining up factory time etc.   

I guess we'll see but, in my opinion, if we've decided to terminate the contract I think we'd easily get something lined up for next season.

[Smithy]

To go back a little bit for the discussion around time lines, etc I think there has bene a bit of duff info in here earlier. Getting rid of Castore for next season is definitely possible. We didn't have the badge on the current shirts until the middle of November last year so there would easily be time, especially if we switched and went for a very simple design for this year (which is exactly the right approach for the 150th).

I don't think you're right Paul.  I'm sure kits are sorted over a year in advance.  Adding a changed badge isn't the same as a complete kit redesign and lining up factory time etc.   

I think there are two issues being conflated here.  The physical kits worn by the players on match-days, and the kits available for general sale around the world.  There is (I would imagine) NOTHING to stop Castore - or another third party - from producing a kit for our players that looks identical to the current one, but is made of a different fabric that doesn't have this issue.  Everything else remains the same.  Now, whether we are legally precluded from doing that due to our contract with Castore, I don't know - but logistically, it would be very straightforward.

I haven't bought a 'new' kit since 2003-04 when we had the Diadorra/Rover shirt, which behaved much like the current one.  I wore it once to play five a side, and then never again for anything even remotely exercise-related.  Horrible sticky-when-wet fabric. I hated it.  I thought it looked lovely, but it was garbage as a sports top.  Since then I've only ever used Villa kits as a social garment, rather than something designed for sports.

[Risso]

I don't imagine it would be that hard for somebody like Nike or Adidas to add us to a production run somewhere.

Interesting point re the new shirts, apparently the women's team is worried about playing in them, according to a report on the BBC. Obviously soaking wet shirts for women are an even worse proposition than they are for men, for rather obvious reasons.

[AV84]

Interesting point re the new shirts, apparently the women's team is worried about playing in them, according to a report on the BBC. Obviously soaking wet shirts for women are an even worse proposition than they are for men, for rather obvious reasons.

They wore match day tops when playing in Spain preseason. People concluded it was because of betting sponsorship rules in Spain, but maybe it wasn't.

[Smithy]

Does anyone here have both the replica shirt and the 'pro' replica shirt to see if the fabric is identical?  Obviously the pro is about fifty quid more, but I'm interested to know if it's just subtle design differences, or if it's an entirely different product being worn by the players.

[PeterWithesShin]

As Rob Warner is being mentioned

https://twitter.com/Real_Rob_Warner/status/1704905309154898230

[chrisw1]

To put some context on this I asked Rob Warner back in August if in theory is it possible for the club to demand new player shirts as this batch isn’t fit for purpose.

His answer was - In theory. Whether they could be arranged at short notice is something else. And by short notice I mean this season.

[chrisw1]

To go back a little bit for the discussion around time lines, etc I think there has bene a bit of duff info in here earlier. Getting rid of Castore for next season is definitely possible. We didn't have the badge on the current shirts until the middle of November last year so there would easily be time, especially if we switched and went for a very simple design for this year (which is exactly the right approach for the 150th).

I don't think you're right Paul.  I'm sure kits are sorted over a year in advance.  Adding a changed badge isn't the same as a complete kit redesign and lining up factory time etc.   

I guess we'll see but, in my opinion, if we've decided to terminate the contract I think we'd easily get something lined up for next season.

You could be right.  Certainly not easily, but I guess if a brand wanted to pull out all the stops -

Normally, next season's first design of the kits would have been presented to the club in March and the development and production phase would be well underway by now. That said, if a new brand takes on a club they can usually speed things up.

[Risso]

Does anyone here have both the replica shirt and the 'pro' replica shirt to see if the fabric is identical?  Obviously the pro is about fifty quid more, but I'm interested to know if it's just subtle design differences, or if it's an entirely different product being worn by the players.

I've got the pro version and my son has the normal version. When we had Kappa, the 'pro' kits were very different. They had a much higher percentage of elastane in them so felt much clingier. Great if you've got a ripped torso like Mings, not so great for mere mortals. But even so, you could really see the difference.

With this year's Castore kits, the only difference I can see is that the pro version has some airholes cut (badly) under the arms for ventilation. Other than that, the material and the cut/fit seem to be exactly the same. And the material in both is truly shit.

[Risso]

As Rob Warner is being mentioned

https://twitter.com/Real_Rob_Warner/status/1704905309154898230

He's a really nice lad is Rob, good friend of mine.

[Smirker]

Would Premier League rules allow us to change kits during a season?

You see at the final game quote often teams will wear their new kits for the coming season though I can't recall a time where that's been with a new manufacturer.

The club should be working their cocks off to get out of this Castore deal. I knew it would be shit but not this shit.

[chrisw1]

As Rob Warner is being mentioned

https://twitter.com/Real_Rob_Warner/status/1704905309154898230

He's a really nice lad is Rob, good friend of mine.

He's just done a pod with Claret and Blue, not seen it yet

[UK Redsox]

Why won't the fans replica shirts be impacted? Are they saying we don't run around and sweat? Are we not men?

We are Devo

[Nii Lamptey]

As well as the wetness issue, how amateur hour did it look to see Emi with a massive sticker covering the sponsor on his shirt in the Warsaw game?

We've known since the end of last season that we were in Europe and gambling sponsors wouldn't be allowed. WTF have we not got a batch of GK tops in all shapes/sizes/colours ready to go?

Castore are an absolute mickey mouse outfit.

[trinityoap]

If the premier league would allow it (and why shouldn't they?) why don't  we change the bloody shirt and invite them to sue us. The publicity could ruin them and I cannot believe our lawyers would have advised us to enter into a contract with no way out in the event of the product not being fit for purpose.