Norwich City took another step towards the Championship title on Saturday night in a kit which love it ot loathe it, will surely be remembered as one of the luckiest in the club’s history.
A 54th minute strike from everyone’s favourite Argos loving, Cuban-born winger Onel Hernandez gifted City a 7th straight league victory at Middlesbrough.
With 7 games remaining, Daniel Farke’s men are now 5 points clear of Leeds United in 2nd and 7 points ahead of Sheffield United in 3rd, as they seek a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2016.
Officially listed as the Norfolk club’s 3rd kit, the design divided opinion on release between those who loved it, those who saw no need for it, and those who thought it looked like an ice lolly.
Let’s face it, the Canaries’ yellow and green home shirts don’t present much cause for an away shirt in the traditional sense, but whether used as a cynical device to shift more shirts or not, City have certainly had the rub of the luminous green this year.
In previous years, Norwich City away strips have gone whole seasons without being worn but City have worn the alternative kit 5 times on the road this campaign and have won on each occasion.
The fluorescent football shirts have brought victories at QPR, Wycombe Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Millwall and Middlesbrough; five clubs who’s kits would not usually have been considered to have clashed with Norwich City’s first choice colours.
Kit crime or not, Hernandez and Co certainly seem to enjoy wearing the shirts away from Carrow Road and anything that gives players a boost of confidence will be grasped by fans and coaches alike.
Football is a game of superstition but increasingly one of sports science, and Italian firm Errea will understand the value of marginal gains on peak athletic performance.
Success over a season can never be put entirely down to luck, and the ability for a player to quickly pick out a team mate under floodlights is vastly increased when a flash of brilliant, moving neon colour captures his eye.
Should those wins on their travels propel them back to the Premier League, Norwich City fans will remember these garish, geometric criss-cross lime green shirts with great fondness in years to come.
What do you think of the increasing trend for clubs to wear change colours when there is no clear clash with their home kit?
Is there ever such a thing as a “lucky shirt” and what are your pre-match superstitions?!
Please let us know in the comments section below!
All images are courtesy of canaries.co.uk.
Sartorial Soccer 