Pretty In Pink?

When a team introduces a new kit for the following season, it is now a customary tradition for said team to wear it in one of their last games of the current season - show it off, get some pre-orders in and generate some much needed cash for the coffers.

Southend have released a brand new away kit for next season and proudly wore it in their last game of this season (a 3-1 defeat at Wycombe). I usually look forward to seeing the new kit. This particular one I didn't.

It was announced that the new kit, still to be manufactured by Nike, was the winning design in an online poll voted for by the fans. Great! I thought; let the fans have their say in their club, nice work SUFC.

Unfortunately the fans also decided to take exact some sort of schadenfreud out against the players (or they were just plainly taking the piss) as the chosen colour would be not fans favourite yellow, or red, or even orange (as we dabbled in before in season 2000 / 2001). Oh no, this would be a new colour to add to the away shirt collection.

Nike has described it as 'Cherry Voltage'. Many fans, commentators and the players themselves have described it as...........pink.  It's quite a dark pink, but still it's......pink.

It was variously described as 'hideous', 'shocking' and my personal favourite by ex-player/manager now BBC Essex pundit Paul Clark - 'sunburnt Scotsman'.

Now, I remember Juventus having a pink away kit a few years back, but whereas they are legendary giants of Italian football with male models for players who can pull off such a look, we, sadly, are League Two cloggers with gargoyles for players.

Now I'm all for equal rights, shattering stereotypes, metrosexuality etc.etc. - however I never thought the day would come that my little team would be seen in such a lurid hue. Suffice to say, I won't be buying it.

I have purchased pretty much every SUFC shirt since I started supporting them at 14 years of age, however in years to come, when my son inherits my collection and asks 'Daddy, where is away shirt season 2011 /2012?' I shall have to respond with 'sorry Son, we didn't have one that season'. *

* Obviously I will explain that it's OK for males to wear pink and he can track one down on eBay if he so wishes. But I'll disown him if he does.

Lee Morgan

http://www.twitter.com/LeeM_007