8thnov03

Piper calls tune over Fleet's away kit
Gravesend & Northfleet must change their away colours from all blue to sky blue shirts, green shorts and socks as a condition of their £163,000 deal with new sponsors Gladwish Land Sales, reports www.kentonline.co.uk

Sky blue and green are the company colours of Gladwish Land Sales.

Questions have already been asked regarding the need for change at this stage of the season but Fleet chief executive Glenn Aitken said: "There was no discussion, it was take it or leave it. Frankly, for £163,000 we took it."

He added: "Our kit suppliers, JAKO, have the best quality kit around. However our present kit is to be removed from their catalogue next year, well before the end of the sponsorship deal.

"It is prudent then to choose a kit that will be available throughout this period. Time was against us in terms of choice.

"The new JAKO designs will not be available until early 2004. The style we have ordered was introduced this year and was the only style that offered the sky blue option which we needed to fulfil our obligations to our sponsor.

"As ever, choice of clothing is a matter of personal taste and we are aware that the style is a diversion from recent designs. But people are already suggesting that the replica version will be more wearable as a leisure shirt than previous
styles because of its round neck design."