Hibernian have released a new neon yellow third kit to light up the darker months away from Easter Road.
The slim-fit, fluorescent kits by Italian firm Macron feature shirts, shorts and socks in the same neon yellow hue, and the result certainly catches the eye.
And perhaps that’s the point.
The human eye recognises more shades of Hibs‘ home colour of green than any other colour. Let’s not get too deep into the anthropology here, but the reason for this was so our ancestors could spot predators more easily against a green forest background.
Now that most of us have moved out of the forest and into cities, what really catches our eyes amongst all that grey, is a flash of brilliant colour.
Something neon.
Something luminous.
Something like the great Borussia Dortmund fluorescent football shirts of the 1990s.
Of course, not every team who wears a brighter shade of yellow is guaranteed success, but in a world where sports scientists preach the merits of “marginal gains,” picking out a team-mate in unfamiliar surroundings, especially under floodlights, may offer an advantage, no matter how small.
Of course, you might pick out a steward instead and send your pass to Row Z . . .
Teams in green don’t usually have too much call for an away kit, let alone a 3rd kit, but Neil Lennon’s side always have a trip to Celtic Park to think about.
This season’s home and away combination of traditional green and white/white and green, meant there was always going to be a call for a Hibees third kit for those visits to the green side of Glasgow.
In the not too distant past, clubs insisted on playing in their home kit unless they were away from home and there was an obvious clash of colours with their hosts.
Nowadays clubs seem to wear change shirts even when there’s no obvious kit clash because, erm, well, just because they’re erm, playing away from home.
To illustrate the point, Hibs’ wore white at Dens Park yesterday as they beat Dundee 3-0 with the home side in a dark shade of blue. No obvious clash, although thanks to the away kits, Hibs would have been more identifiable to the crowd watching at home on black and white televisions.
All of this leaves kit manufacturers like Macron free to provide a little more expression where it’s needed whilst satisfying supporters’ calls for traditions to be met.
Some may bemoan the need for 3 kits to be worn in a single season, but there are those of us that love the variety and memories those shirts can stir in us.
Of course, only time will tell if the Hibees in Hi-Vis yellow leads to more days in the sunshine for the boys from Leith.
Should more clubs adopt brighter colours away from home in place of all those black shirts that have become so commonplace?
Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
All pictures courtesy of www.HibernianFC.co.uk.
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