Reading F.C. Kitman Solves FA Cup Kit Clash

Last night Championship side Reading faced Stevenage from League Two in a FA Cup 3rd Round replay, it was clear as the players walked out the tunnel that there was going to be a kit clash.

Being at home Reading wore their blue and white hooped shirt with white shorts and socks whilst Stevenage wore their home shirt which is predominantly white with two red stripes on the front each made up of smaller stripes and their blue away shorts and socks. The Stevenage away shirt is blue and would have caused even more of a clash so the referee wouldn’t let them use that.

It was clear to see early on that both sets of players were struggling with the similar colours so quick thinking Reading FC kitman Stewart Bannister headed back to Reading’s Hogwood training ground to pick up the bright orange away shirts during the first half. At half time the Reading players were asked if they would prefer to wear the away shirt for the second half which they did.

Reading went on to win 3-0 with Icelandic striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson scoring a hat trick (2 goals in the home shirt, 1 in the away).

Reading manager Jaap Stam was less than impressed with the kit clash, “I said it before the game that it was quite strange that both sides were almost wearing the same colours or identical.

“But this was the only shirt they had and a blue one I believe and the referee wouldn’t let them play in blue, so they needed to wear the white one.

“We were wearing white as well of course so our kitman needed to go back to Hogwood to get the stuff and then we changed it.”

“Our kit man made the decision to go back and get the orange kit just in case the players wanted to swap. We asked the players if they wanted to change the shirts. “It was his own initiative to go back so it was very good! It’s not a long way to the training ground, it’s only 15 minutes.

“You could see during the game that the players were complaining about the colours because it’s difficult when you need to play a game and two teams are wearing basically the same colours.

“If you need to make a very quick decision on the ball and from the corner of your eyes you see a white shirt and you want to pass it and then it’s the opposition and you’re giving the ball away, it leads maybe to a counter attack.

“It’s good from our players that they said it’s difficult to play. But I don’t think the ref could do a lot during the game.

“I haven’t seen anything like that before, but there’s always a first.”