Parents face new season of team jersey mania
The Corkonian was in Dublin to launch his old club’s new away strip. The jersey will retail in Ireland at €55 for adults and €45 for children, with shorts at €30 a pair.
With the club’s latest home jersey — changed at a rate of once per season — already on the racks in sports and clothing outlets, fans’ attention will have switched to the away version.
Black with some red piping throughout, the jersey can be accompanied by matching shorts and socks.
The main difference between this season’s jerseys and those of 2006/07 is that the latest have round necks, compared with V-necks last time.
Before the advent of the Premier League in England and the money explosion accompanying it, most top clubs kept the same jerseys for several seasons before changing them.
However, they are now changed every season and in some cases they involve more than just the traditional home and away versions. Last year, Manchester United had those two, plus a blue third strip, and a UEFA Champions League outfit.
That’s not counting the goalkeeper’s jersey, and training gear.
With many fans eager to keep up to date with their club’s latest fashion item, fears have been expressed that parents might come under undue pressure and stress to supply their children with the new kit.
“It’s not something that families would come to us for help with,” said Professor John Monahan of the St Vincent de Paul yesterday.
“But our concern would be in the event of a mother on low income or social welfare coming under pressure from the kid, and then spending a disproportionate amount of disposable income on these things and then missing a bill or a payment.”
Yesterday’s Irish launch of the Man United away kit took place at Champion Sports’ Jervis Centre shop.
Irwin was swamped by autograph-hunting fans.
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