OK, so it wasn’t quite the competitive match us neutrals hoped for, but at least today’s FA Cup Final provided at least one talking point from a kit perspective.
Watford’s shirt featured the standard Emirates FA Cup sleeve patch on the right arm and the customary special matchday embroidery that we have come to expect from sides competing in the final of England’s greatest cup tournament final but Manchester City’s shirt was another matter.
Due to a conflict of interests with City’s main sponsor, Etihad Airways, (Emirates of course being a rival airline) the club received special permission from the FA NOT to wear a tournament sleeve patch and also avoided any mention of Emirates on their jersey by simply ditching commemorative embroidery altogether. Just to hammer home their point, they also altered their primary sponsor logo to say ‘Choose Etihad’. A very rare occasion of a shirt sponsor’s logo being customised for a final.
It does seem a little disrespectful of the club to avoid playing ball with the tournament in this way. Plus, I wonder how Emirates feel seeing the winning team minus any mention of their brand on the tournament they’ve paid £30 million to sponsor.
What do you think? Are Manchester City ‘special’ enough to be allowed to do this?
Out of interest, when was the last occasion a team’s FA Cup Final shirt did not have commemorative embroidery? Also, when did it start becoming ’the thing’ to do?
I certainly remember Man United having embroidery on their shirt in the late-70’s, but I’m sure it goes back further than that.
Thanks. I know it was done throughout the 60s, so was not sure how much further it went back.
It does seem a bit childish.
I remember some clubs in the past wearing a certain kit manufacturer but having another clothing firm as a sponsor.
Or did I imagine that?
the FA Cup shouldn’t even be sponsored.. nobody outside of the media who are obliged to use the sponsors ever calls it the Emirates FA Cup.
I agree with that and I’ll always call it the fa cup but surely emirates wont be happy that man city have got exemption from wearing the sleeve patch.
In 1988, Wimbledon switched their shirt sponsorship from Truman, which had been displayed the entire season, to Carlsberg for the Cup Final. I also seem to recall some fuss about Crystal Palace in 1990 adding the words: “to L.A.” beneath the sponsor’s “Fly Virgin” logo. So City’s move yesterday was no unprecedented, not even for an airline!
Special FA Cup embroidery goes back until at least 1971, where I believe Liverpool and Arsenal had a simple silhouette of the trophy.
I think the extended commemorative writing to either replace or accompany it is rather more modern.
I agree with Tonyjb, above, that the FA Cup should be exempt from being sponsored. Conflicts of interest between competing rival brands were always likely to occur at some point.
One final observation; the Watford shirt would befit a Sunday pub team, what an artless, utilitarian ‘design’. Knowing their penchant for wearing their away kit at every opportunity it was some surprise they didn’t turn out in their all green!
As a City supporter myself, I do find it berg disrespectful from the club. We should just play ball with the tournament rather then act petty, I know it’s just the sponsor of the club but I feel like the club should respect the oldest Cup competition in the world. I love the special details on Final shirts, and it’s sad to see City ditch it all out of spite.