Come on You Yellows

The sooner we get back to brightening those wintry away game skies by the Arsenal running out in yellow and blue the better says Stubbsy 

Not wearing yellow (or gold) as our away kit is not a totally new thing.

For example there are examples of us wearing white or dark (Scotland like) blue even as recently as the sixties.

But changing it every season with a third kit for good measure has definitely become part of the modern game.

And I hate it to be honest.

Yes, there have been some ‘nice’ shirts. Liked by the fashionistas out there.

But when we go out on that pitch to play, even saying this as a 50 + year old man, surely it's more about getting a result than looking ‘trendy’.

For years, at away games, in the UK in particular, running out in the famous red and white was matched when wearing the equally famous yellow and blue. And that bright colour shone out loud and true. The mighty Arsenal have arrived. Some opponents looked beaten before a ball was kicked.

And I say that as a fan on the terraces/in the away end too.

“Come on you yellows!” at a corner, a set piece or with time running out used to be deafening at times. Magnificent.

And I swear it made the difference on many occasions.

Dig out your match video coverage of Anfield 89 for a perfect example.

Let’s look at the facts. I’ll start with the cups.

Every single victory since the war, be that FA Cup, League Cup, Europe, at Wembley, Cardiff, Copenhagen or Highbury, even the Centenary Trophy back in 1988 at Villa Park, we have played in red & white, or yellow and blue.

Our post war league winning years of 1971, 1989, 1991, 1998, 2002 and 2004, yep you’ve guessed it.

Only our 1948 and 1953 successes go against that.

On the rare occasion where we didn’t wear our home kit on the road, it was a white shirt & black ‘knickers’ affair, a 5-1 win at Anfield in the latter being one notable success in those colours.

So it’s more than 70 years since we won a league title or a cup final wearing anything but red or yellow (or gold).

Looking at those stats, I genuinely believe it is worth analysis if nothing else.

Alex Ferguson’s Man Utd side once complained they couldn’t see each other after a defeat down at The Dell.

And although that comes across a little as sour grapes, there could be an element of truth in the theory if nothing else.

Bright colours are easier to see you would think.

And I don’t just mean for us lot watching from the stands!

I’m sure there are many of you out there who think this is all a load of old rubbish.

But when the success based facts come over such a long period, they make it very difficult to just ignore. In general, since we famously defeated Liverpool at Wembley in 1950 wearing ‘old gold’, our famous victories have come in red, white, yellow and blue.

And when it comes to the latter think Charlie George lying on the turf in 71, Alan Alan Sunderland screaming in 79, Mickey Thomas at Anfield in 89, Sylvain Wiltord at Old Trafford in 02 and Rambo at Wembley in 2014.

I genuinely hate it when new kit announcements come about, something that never used to be the case.

We are not a team that plays in pink, sky blue, black or white I’m afraid.

And for me the sooner we get back to brightening those wintry away game skies by the Arsenal running out in yellow and blue the better. 

I don’t believe things will change.

Understandably the revenues shirt sales produce are the most important thing these days.

And because of that I couldn’t care less what we produce as a third kit.

Especially because technically, other than the occasional shorts or socks ‘clash’, we shouldn’t need to change out of red or yellow.

But please please please can our change strip go back to yellow and blue.

Our success looks like it depends on it.

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PS: Today is Stubbsy's birthday - send Frank Happy Birthday wishes by tweeting him at the handle below

@stubbsy70