 FROM THE ARCHIVES DECEMBER 1996 |
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| ALL THERE IS TO SAY AND KNOW ABOUT WYCOMBE WANDERERS ON THE INTERNET.... | |
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THE QUARTERS WILL RETURNRESULTS FROM INTERNET SURVEY
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| In the summer of 1996 visitors to the Chairboys on the Net website were able to send their votes and comments on the controversial new Wycombe kit introduced for season 1996/97. People had the opportunity to indicate if they 'liked' or 'didn't like' the shirt. There was also the option, for a little bit of fun, of choosing a phrase that they thought most appropriate to the situation. These are the results from that survey. | |
| Valid votes received between 30 June 1996 and 1 December 1996 | ||
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| DIDN'T LIKE THE SHIRT | % VOTES | |
| Those responsible should resign - bring back the quarters now | 36% | 87% |
| No comment | 24% | |
| Is this some sort of joke - I won't buy this rubbish | 12% | |
| A little worse than expected | 6% | |
| What I expected | 3% | |
| Better than I thought - I might buy it | 6% | |
| LIKED THE SHIRT | % VOTES | |
| No comment | 2% | 13% |
| Can't see what all the fuss is about | 2% | |
| It's about time it was changed | 2% | |
| It will keep the kids quiet - even at £27 each | 1% | |
| Best design to date - can't wait to buy one | 6% | |
| I always buy the kit whatever it looks like or costs | 0% | |
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These results clearly indicate the general feeling surrounding the new look kit. Sales, although initially good, have apparently not yet reached 1,000 and the kit is obviously not generating the income hoped. Who is to blame though? The Commercial Department for even contemplating changing from the recognised 'trade mark' of Wycombe Wanderers, the manufacturers for designing such an attrocity, Alan Smith for continually bleating on about the quality of the old kit (Yes Alan, when I have a new item of clothing that doesn't fit I quickly rush back to the supplier and ask them to paint stripes on it), maybe it's the players (although I doubt it - as long as there's a pay cheque at the end of the day they would probably wear anything) or is it the fans who stuck by their principles and chose not to buy the stripey shambles? Ultimately though, it is the Board of Directors who should take the blame - they sanctioned the change. It is ironic that the same Board who brought back the quarters will also be remembered for changing them. Unsurprisingly, with sales hit, they are backing down and pointing fingers at most people but themselves. They can redeem themselves, however, by not just reinstating the quarters but by ensuring this fiasco never happens again and thus protecting the tradition and heritage of the WWFC (TM) A lot a fuss was made earlier in the season about Trade Mark infringement, yet Wycombe Wanderers Football Club choose to dismiss an almost unique trademark and more importantly a major selling point, in their light and dark blue quarters. Multi-national companies spend thousands of pounds on developing product recognition and go to great lengths to retain their identity. The Board of Directors, with input from the fans, should prepare and agree guidelines for future kit designs - the guidelines should state design criteria, acceptable colour schemes, frequency of change, second and third choice kits, price structures, etc. This document should be available to all Wycombe Wanderers supporters - after all they are the people who buy the kit. Since the survey was completed, the Club have indicated that they will be seriously considering re-introducing the quarters for the first choice kit for season 1998/99. The current kit will however be "retained for the whole of the 1996/97 season and beyond" while the White Away Kit "will be retained until the end of 1997/98 season". Both these quotes were given by Commercial Manager Mark Austin in the December 27 issue of the Blues News. He also stated that the Club will soon be publishing a questionnaire which will ask "detailed questions" on current and future replica kits. It's a great pity that the Club didn't have the sense to seek such opinions in the first place. Still we're only supporters, what do we know? Click here to read more about the history of our shirts and how and why they were changed.  |
