Fair point. O'Neill's seem ideal for Derry in that regard. Stuff is only coming from Strabane, not the Far East.
Printable View
I can see O'Neills becoming the longer-term supplier of all the bigger clubs in the LOI. Simply because they're prepared to put considerable effort in.
If you look at Bohs, for exmple. There's no way Addidas, Nike or Umbro would have indulged them with the various Marley, Palestine, Dublin Bus, Hospital etc shirts they've done in recent years. Unless you're a really big club, those other suppliers will expect you to pick a shirt design from their catalogue. They won't do you a bespoke one like O'Neills will. O'Neills also provide a much broader range of items beyond the shirts as well - again, way more than any of the big kit suppliers would do for an Irish club.
We just need O'Neills to open up more town centre shops, which would then remove the need for any LOI club they supply to have its own retail outlet. O'Neills have stores in almost every county up north, but the only one I can think of anywhere else is the Long Mile Road one that's part of their offices/factory in Walkinstown (with the big ball on the roof).
The kit has gone down well enough at the club that a record amount of jerseys were sold in the just the first day, interesting.
I think as of now the Galway home jersey is my favourite.
Yeah, only one in the south, strangely. Even the likes of Magherafelt in County Derry has one, but nothing in central Dublin or Cork.
O'Neill's do take a decent cut of the profits from merchandise they sell in their shops. Derry always encourage fans to buy direct from the club.
That said, even with the cut, having a shop in the centre of town, open seven days a week is something no other kit manufacturer can compete with.
New centenary kits from LTFC for 2024. Home one is quite smart, away one I wouldn't be a massive fan of.
https://twitter.com/LongfordTownFC/s...5b8pir3GA&s=19
Our new kit came out tonight, jersey a throwback to design of 100 years ago so not our red and black stripes. Not to everyone's taste, but I like it!
Rovers just announced today they have got stung by Umbro for their new training and leisurewear which were due to be out this week
https://www.shamrockrovers.ie/2023/1...mbro-re-stock/
There have been multiple examples over the years of the big kit suppliers shafting LOI clubs. We're just not at all important to them. They probably sell more shirts for a top English club in one day than they would for a top Irish club in an entire year. Hence I predict that LOI clubs will slowly but surely all gravitate towards O'Neills.
Rovers should tell Umbro to feck off at the end of next seaosn for this - contract or not. This will have cost them money (and potentially youth support too).
Second year in a row and I feel like because the club announced it this time they are rightly ****ed off and wanted it put out there
I'm guessing it was announced as there has been a tradition for a number of years of Rovers fans getting Christmas presents for kids/nephew's etc in the Rovers clubshop and it needed a heads up message. It's bad form from umbro anyway you look at it
Umbro have been a disaster for a while. Home jersey is awful this year as well so hopefully the club cop on a bit and make a switch.
Those Longford jerseys are the worst I've ever seen all the same.
Derry away is the nicest so far but there's a few belters this season.
You would have to wonder if it's worthwhile for the league clubs to band together and look for a collective merchandise deal. Could mean a bit more money for the smaller clubs but overall a bigger fish for the manufacturers which could mean better templates to chose from, fewer logistical issues etc. The only potential issue would be if clubs would want to give up their own deals for something like this.
It's a Christmas thing.
People don't just buy new shirts at the start of the season/when they're released. A tonne will be sold at Christmas time too - particularly to none hardcore fans. So Umbro will prioritise the big clubs in their pre-Christmas production schedule. Could you imagoine Umbro telling West Ham the same thing they've just told Rovers? Zero chance of that. They'll feck over an Irish clubm but not one of their big clients.
Rovers should ditch Umbro for this at the first opportunnity.
You wouldn’t mind but Jon Courtney is a supposed rovers fan himself. Bohs used to have awful service from them too, nice gear but unavailable. O Neil’s is top quality and we have a smashing range of new gear for Xmas in the club shop. Best suppliers we’ve ever had, and the look and quality is excellent.
Of course last season, Kerry's New Balance gear literally arrived at the last minute, but words were evidently had, given how promptly everything was organised this time around.