The launch of Manchester United’s away kit for the 2023/24 season have led to fans highlighting one glaring discrepancy between the replica shirts and the worn by the players.
United will be don the new colors of green and white stripes against Wrexham at the Snapdragon Stadium on Wednesday. United’s away day trip to Arsenal in early September should see the first competitive showing in the new colors.
The shirt is a throwback to as United’s first-ever away kit’ with dark green dotted with white stripes. It also has maroon-red lines contouring the white stripes, which seem a tribute to Manchester’s distinctive red brick architecture. The shoulder carries the adidas trademark stripes.
However the supporters were quick to express concerns and disaffection both with the design and the fact that there seems to be huge disparity between the replica shirts and the ones modelled by the players.
The Teamviewer logo on the £80 replica shirts seems to be a simple plastic copy-and-paste job. The glossy material used on the replica shirts is starkling different to the more polished and considerably pricier authentic shirts – which cost £110.
Technical explanation for the difference is that the replica is cut from roller printed striped fabric so they have to patch the stripes to add the sponsor.
That big sticker will get cracks after a few washes.
It is very horrendous especially with that enormous price tag. On the flipside, the authentic version uses a placement sublimation print direct to the front panel to create the stripes and the space for the sponsor.
Several players like Fred and Dalot have praised the fresh and bold look, a detachment from the traditional colors but it does not counter the tide of fan criticism.
Overall, it’s definitely not a glorious mark in the history of United and adidas kits which has seen several debacles in the recent years.
Fan reaction has been heated and rightly so.