West Brom fans vote against kit changes

Albion fans have delivered a thumbs-down to the club's new home kit with three quarters voting against the changes in an Express & Star poll.

More than 4,500 fans voted online after news emerged that the Baggies will ditch their traditional broad blue and white stripes next season in favour of a 'pinstripe' design.

And 70 per cent of voters were against the changes, that will see Albion play in predominantly white shirts with blue shorts – the biggest break with tradition since the Second World War.

John Homer, chairman of the West Bromwich Albion Supporters Club, said: "I haven't had chance to speak to other supporters so I can only speak for myself, but if this happens I can only see it as an unnecessary break with tradition.

"As traditionalists, I think fans like the stripes that we have always played in.

"I find it hard to see us in blue shorts, as we have been this season, because I always associate blue shorts with difficult times, like when we went down to the third division and when we had our worst ever season.

"I didn't really like the 'barcode' shirt (in the 1990s). It just wasn't us.

"I like to see us in proper stripes because that's what Albion are – blue and white stripes.

"The team even used to run out to 'Stars and Stripes Forever'.

"I found it hard to come to terms with the barcode shirt and I'm not comfortable with anything that goes away from the traditional stripes.

"I know we wore blue shirts and white shorts for a spell after the Second World War because the material wasn't available, but as soon as it was we went back to stripes and that's the way it should stay."

The Baggies are set to unveil the new shirt in the next few weeks and, while club insiders have insisted it will still feature a blue stripe, it is understood that it is predominantly white.

Comments on the Express & Star website showed mixed views on the change, but the poll suggested three quarters of fans were against the design, which will mark the start of a new two-year agreement with kit suppliers Adidas.