Comments on: Melchester Rovers Kits 1956–2001

By: Nigel

Nigel — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:43:05 +0000

I still have my Melchester Rovers kit from 1986/87…the one with Nike as the sponsors….and it still just about fits!

By: John Devlin

John Devlin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:19:11 +0000

Hello Seb – thanks for the kind words – I’m really pleased you enjoyed the article and I’m all for pedantics! There were some slight differences in the Subbuteo away kit that I didn’t illustrate. I would love to see the scans of the away kits if you get a second to do those for me. Just email john at truecoloursfootballkits dot com. Thanks for the offer. Its the Nike/Panini/Fleetway away kits that are now proving elusive!

By: Seb Patrick

Seb Patrick — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:49:28 +0000

Fantastic article, John. Absolutely love the recreations of the kits! And I’m impressed that you included the short-lived “star” kit, as it’s easy to forget…

Re : away kits, I’ve got a few issues of the comic from around 91/92 kicking around, that show the away kit that was used then – it was actually a bit similar to the 2001 “European” kit, all-white with red and yellow hoops around the sleeves and stripes on the collar and socks. I’ll scan in some images, as I’ve found pics of it in both SEGA and TSB versions, and email you!

I also can’t be sure, and would need to compare panels in detail, but I think there was a *slight* difference between the SEGA and TSB versions of the home kit. It may just be that the strip changed artist around that time (from Mike White to Barry Mitchell) but in the last season of the weekly comic it seemed like there was a bit more yellow on the shirt – I think the two red stripes were a *little* narrower.

I also can’t help but be pedantic and point out that the white bar that held the SEGA logo actually stretched almost the full width of the front of the shirt, so that its side borders actually lined up with the outer border of the red stripes…

By: True Colours Football Kits » Melchester Rovers Kits Updated

True Colours Football Kits » Melchester Rovers Kits Updated — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:02:01 +0000

[...] Click here to view: http://www.truecoloursfootballkits.com/articles/melchester-rovers-kits-1956%E2%80%931973 [...]

By: John Devlin

John Devlin — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:26:25 +0000

I believe replicas of the McDonalds shirts were made – I’d love a replica Rovers away kit – now that would be classy!

By: john

john — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:13:41 +0000

that ’star’ kit is awful!! the mcdonalds home aint too bad.
Good work john,brought back some good memories.

By: True Colours Football Kits » Almost Weekly Blog 2 May

True Colours Football Kits » Almost Weekly Blog 2 May — Sun, 03 May 2009 11:02:01 +0000

[...] on the site this week is the conclusion of the popular Melchester Rovers kit section bringing the story up to 2001 – the last time we saw the legendary team in action. There’s [...]

By: Denis Hurley

Denis Hurley — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:40:41 +0000

One of those was a European kit John – the one with the horizontal red and yellow hoops and yellow socks.

The away used during the ill-fated monthly from 1993-95 was similar to that, only it had one yellow hoop sandwiched between two red, it was decided after a readers’ competition to design it.

By: John Devlin

John Devlin — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:15:24 +0000

Thanks for the all replies everyone – Ned, I’m going to check out that yellow kit – I can’t believe Rovers would have played in a third kit!! And Denis, I can’t confirm the blue away with white sleeve stripe was never worn with blue shorts, but the match I sourced it from was the FA Cup defeat to non-league Chalkford from ‘The Playing Years’ book.

What I would be interested in is any info on the away kits from 86 onwards – although I do have the two white aways that were worn with the V shirt in the late 90s.

By: Ned

Ned — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:53:06 +0000

Melchester Rovers definitely wore a yellow away kit in the 1980-81 season – it’s illustrated in the game against Bradport (see the tremendous Titan book Best of Roy of the Rovers – the 1980s!).

It’s the usual Melchester shade of yellow, with a red V-neck, a red stripe down the side of the shorts and a red stripe around the sock (like a reverse of the Gola sock).

Hope this is useful!