England football icons fighting the war on 'woke' kit with Nike refusing to make change despite backlash

England football icons fighting the war on 'woke' kit with Nike refusing to make change despite backlash

WATCH NOW: Comedians rage over new England kit

Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 22/03/2024

- 12:00

Updated: 22/03/2024

- 17:40

The Three Lions will wear the strip during Saturday night's friendly clash with Brazil

When Nike revealed the new England shirts earlier this week, their launch initially seemed to be a smooth one.

However, in the days since, the sportswear giants have received a backlash after tweaking the colours of the St George's Cross.


The emblem is typically red with a white background. But Nike have decided to change things up, going with a blue and purple design instead.

Just like their decision not to sell Mary Earps jerseys back in the summer, however, their stance has come back to bite them.

St George's Cross

England's new kit has caused controversy with Nike tweaking the colours of the St George's Cross

ENGLAND/NIKE

Even Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has weighed in, calling for Nike to tweak their design.

But the company is sticking to their guns instead and insist the changes have been made as a means of 'disrupting history with a modern take on a classic'.

A Nike statement reads: “The England 2024 Home kit disrupts history with a modern take on a classic.

Do you think the England flag should be on the England football shirt? YOUR VERDICT

​Do you think the England flag should be on the England football shirt? YOUR VERDICT

GB News

"The trim on the cuffs takes its cues from the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, with a gradient of blues and reds topped with purple.

"The same colours also feature an interpretation of the flag of St. George on the back of the collar.”

However, England icons from the past aren't having it. They're standing up amid suggestions Nike have gone down the 'woke' route, with Peter Shilton leading the backlash.

Speaking exclusively to GB News, Shilton said: "I am totally against it, which I don't think is a surprise. I mean I am a traditionalist, really.

"I think we have seen a lot of design changes on shirts and that's to get the fans to buy the new shirt every time it changes.

"But now they are messing with the colours on a national flag and you know, where would it stop once it starts?

"Is the next shirt going to have more changes in the colour? So I am against it, I think it is wrong.

"It is only a small change, but I think it could be the start of more changes.

"That's the way I look on it, once you start changing the colour. I mean the Three Lions is obviously traditional and the fans love that.

"I am very surprised to be fair that the FA agreed to this but it's all about money and making money and if the shirt sponsor says look 'we'd like to do this' then sometimes you get maybe members at the FA who think, 'Oh well, we are getting paid well for it.' 'You know, we won't bother'.

"But I think it is a precedent that we don't want, you know, other things to suddenly change on the next England shirt, and you know maybe, you know a pink band going round the middle of the shirt - I mean you don't know do you what they are going to change."

Former England goalkeeper David Seaman is, like Shilton, unhappy with Nike's decision.

"It doesn't need fixing. What's next, are they going to change the Three Lions to three cats? Leave it alone," he argued.

"It's the St George's Flag. Leave it alone.

"I'm sure that if they'd approached the lads and asked them about it, they would have said no. Just leave it alone."

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David Seaman

David Seaman has criticised Nike amid the England kit row

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And ex-England striker Chris Sutton has labelled Nike's changes as 'dumb' and 'stupid', too.

"To unite and inspire? By changing a flag? It’s like The Apprentice when Lord Sugar sends them out to do tasks. It looks like a massive cock-up. What are they thinking?" he told the Daily Mail's It's All Kicking Off podcast.

"I’m not going to get angry, it’s a kit design.

"But I do understand there will be a lot of people around the country who are going to say it doesn’t represent England and shouldn’t represent England.

"It’s stupid. It’s dumb."

Chris Sutton

Chris Sutton has also condemned Nike for tweaking with their design for the new England kits

GETTY

It remains to be seen which other England players of the past decide to speak on the subject.

But Nike appear to have scored a big own goal - and the lucrative prices of the jerseys won't help them win people round, either.

An 'authentic' version costs £124.99 for adults and £119.99 for children while a 'stadium' version is £84.99 and £64.99 for youngsters.

Given the country is also in a cost of living crisis, that's a tough one for fans to take.

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