Great idea for Rowdies uniform.

You know George, that would be something unique to American circles and I rather like it, but at this point I think it would be the wrong move. When they launched in 2010, I really thought they should have come up with just such a fresh, modern take on the Rowdies colors. Instead, we got a half baked mishmash. This season's kits were pretty good, but still not quite where they need to be. They need to build an identity in this community and they have decided to go retro. Need to stick with that until you see hooped sleeved jerseys all around town.

 

It's Official! ADMIRAL will be our Kit Supplier next season.

http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/index.php?id=52&newsid=3500

 

Would be a nice third kit for sure. I would buy one. Admiral is an upgrade over Lotto. Still get a custom design but better quality.

 

To be fair, their whole, entire deal is built on retro. They have no identity without the retro.

I thought they did a decent job at launch (for the most part) by paying homage to the past but having an updated look. (The yellow half-bib on the back of the white shirts was stupid, but other than that...)

I liked the 2010 away shirt (I have one) and that whole look. Let's be honest, had the Rowdies continued to exist from 1993, their look would have evolved over time (as it did towards the end of the APSL days, when they didn't even have gold in the kit anymore).

Truth be told, I actually kinda liked the blue alternate for 2010 and almost bought one and now they're apparently sold out.

Had they become the MLS entry in '96, God knows what Nike would have done with them. I don't have a problem with straying from a strict interpretation of the original. I do think the green and gold hoops are unique and nice and I like the sleeve stripes, but there are a lot of ways to skin a cat.

I just didn't buy one of this year's because Lotto put their logo everywhere, including by the neck, which forced the wordmark down too far. And $70 is ludicrous to begin with.

I'll be interested to see what Admiral does.

 

I agree for the most part with your assessment. That 2010 away kit was genius and hopefully comes back from time to time as an alternate. It branches out from the hooped sleeves in a good way. The blue away didn't do anything for me personally, but it was sharp looking, just not very 'Rowdies'. I think what has been off in my mind has been Lotto just doesn't put out a decent product. That 2010 away shirt is the only one that doesn't look cheap to me. Admiral seems to do a good job, so I am hoping to see some good stuff from them. I personally would like to see a collared jersey, although I now lots of folks don't care for them.

I know this is going to break WSW's heart, but I never have liked soccer teams' habits of reinventing their kits every year or two. I just hope that with an iconic and distinct design that the Rowdies have, that they would stick to it with not a lot of variation. The Bucs look the same this year in Nike as they did last year in Reebok. I know that American sports are getting ridiculous with all the alternate jerseys, but think about how little the Boston Celtics, New York Rangers, and the Green Bay Packers have changed over the years. Rebuild that brand in the marketplace and then you have something (note, I did not say the same as in '78).

Just glad that Lotto is gone.

 

The Packers - as many teams have - have made little tweaks over time while staying recognizable. I'm fine with evolution; not everybody can be the Yankees. But drastic overhauls every two years or every year are born out of desperation or money grabs.

If the 1975 team wore Admiral, Admiral didn't have its logo on them. I can't find a photo from 1975 where the shirts have the Admiral logo we recognize today.

 

I'm just looking for Admiral to tweak what we already have and for the jerseys to be higher quality. And Kenn is right about the logo being in only ONE place vs all over the place, that'll help.

I do wish they'd bring back the 2010 away jersey, though. Still my favorite and I could use a new one.

And collars, GIVE THEM!

 

That, I believe, is a replica from the 1980s. I do not believe they ever wore an Admiral jersey with the Admiral logo in that spot in actual games.

I know their final APSL kits were Umbro, but what they wore in 1988-1990 or so, I couldn't tell you, other than I don't think they were Admirals.

 

Don't think Nike got big into soccer during the life of the team (they were by 1996, obviously).

The team that lost in the final to Colorado in 1992 wore Umbro. I don't know about 1993.

 

During the early ASL days they wore Nike for one or two seasons. They wore Umbro for the remainder of their latter existence. They never wore a shirt on the field with the Admiral logo.

 

Yes, that is a very good chronicle of the NASL Rowdies shirts. As far as the ASL/APSL era, I will scan some photos from old programs this weekend when I have time, but the rundown between what I have and my memory is this:

1988 - Nike - Home was white with green trim and yellow collar.
Away was green with white trim and yellow collar.
They wore hooped socks

1989 - Nike - Essentially the same home and away except the yellow collars became green on the home and white on the away. This was the last year they wore hooped socks (guess they ran out, lol)

1990 - Umbro - I believe they only had one kit this year. It was an Ajax style clone with the large vertical band being green and the sides white (white collar) worn with green shorts and solid white socks.

1991 - Umbro - Home was green and white diamond pattern shirt with green shorts, don't remember the socks. Away may have been a solid yellow shirt with green shorts. I never saw them wear it in person and it is only featured in one photo I have. It may have been a training shirt, too.

1992 and 1993 - Umbro - Home was mostly green with like white almost ragland type sleeves, worn with white shorts and socks. Away was a solid white shirt with green shorts and white socks.

I will get the pictures posted this weekend.

 

Ian Morris' excellent blog is a resource for photos from all eras as well.

 

I just lived it George. It is one of the reasons I am so sawed off about number seven still being used by the club.

After I scan the photos I will forward them to the blog. That blog is outstanding.

 

Yes. Retired July 22, 1989.