Pimp up my shirt
Next season the club will be dressed like a Formula One driver with the names of the University of Greenwich, Andrews Air Conditioning, Andrews Heat for Hire and Mitsubishi Electric all on the shirt. Those tight body hugging shirts that are all the rage will have to give way to XXL’s to fit all the words on. Good for me then!
The University of Greenwich is a very worthwhile partner, and the arrangement will go beyond just having the former Woolwich Poly’s name on the front of the shirt. Also, it is understood that there is quite a financial incentive from the well-heeled University and it is just not a community initiative from the club’s owner.
Andrew Sykes has signed a further two year contract and Andrews Air Conditioning will appear on the back of the home shirt, and Andrews Heat for Hire will be on the back of the away shirt. I believe the rules are that there still has to be a number, but at the minute I’m not sure where that is going to fit.
Mitsubishi Electric’s logo, which looks like this, will be on the back of the shorts, and hopefully opposing defenders will spend a lot of time seeing it.
The club plan to air the new home kit, complete with sponsors, later this week.
Contrary to popular believe having more than one shirt sponsor is still rare in England. Last season only Leeds United, Leicester, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford had a front and back sponsor in The Championship. In the Belgium Pro League, all the clubs do it of course like KAA Gent in the photo.
While the kit may be closer to resembling a sandwich board, I’m quite happy that the University of Greenwich, Andrews-Sykes and international powerhouse Mitsubishi are all in with Charlton. They must see positive things emanating from the Valley, which is more than plenty of supporters seem to be doing these past few weeks!