[John Boy]

Apparantly Diadora are going to be next years kit manufacturer and fans will be ablse to 'trade in' this years home shirt because of its dodgy quality(!)

[DevilDave]

Well if Diadora are making WBA's kits next year, that probably means they may be more widely available, listed in football catalogues, possibly even on this very Web site. In the recent past, it was possible to buy a Bromsgrove or Hartlepool shirt on BigSoccer, so why not an Albion one?

Obviously "The Baggies" shirts were only available through the Internet on the Albion site (apart from the Club Shop and some of the local high street shops, I think). That may have maximised the direct profit to WBA but limited distribution potential. Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal etc. may make less money from someone buying their shirts from a catalogue, but when you consider that you will find their shirts in dozens of catalogues, the profit potential is clear.

Having said all that, however, I'll still be ordering the new shirt from the Club Shop. Albion have a very efficient mail order operation; take it from me, a Baggie 8,000 miles away from the Hawthorns.

[DevilDave]

P.S. I agree about the quality of this year's shirts, but I'm sure "The Baggies" shirt will have some sentimental value as the shirt worn during our first year back in the top flight for 16 years. Of course, it will be somewhat difficult to be sentimental about the season itself.