Club Identity

[fredm]

Whilst I like both the kits displayed last night I can't help but have a nagging feeling that maybe the club is again losing its identity.  I felt the same way when we reverted to red and white previously.  

Are the official club colours now red and white or are they the original cerise and fawn (maroon and amber)?  When the club set out under the new leadership years ago they brought back the cerise and fawn and everyone remembers the famous Fox's shirt with the large V on the front. Over time different styles of shirt were produced but still retained these colours until we had the red and white 10 years ago.  Then we reverted back to the old colours with styles that, in my opinion, were generally not very enthralling. All the replica kits, polo shirts, t-shirts, scarves etc. were of these colours.  They symbolised Batley Bulldogs.  People related these colours to the club. Now we have again produced a red and white kit.  For how many seasons?  Is this now the official club colours?  I am afraid that, IMO, it makes us small time.  You do not see the likes of Halifax, Featherstone, (and dare I say it those from across the great divide) changing their club colours every few years.

[Keep The Faith]

1 hour ago, fredm said:

Whilst I like both the kits displayed last night I can't help but have a nagging feeling that maybe the club is again losing its identity.  I felt the same way when we reverted to red and white previously.  

Are the official club colours now red and white or are they the original cerise and fawn (maroon and amber)?  When the club set out under the new leadership years ago they brought back the cerise and fawn and everyone remembers the famous Fox's shirt with the large V on the front. Over time different styles of shirt were produced but still retained these colours until we had the red and white 10 years ago.  Then we reverted back to the old colours with styles that, in my opinion, were generally not very enthralling. All the replica kits, polo shirts, t-shirts, scarves etc. were of these colours.  They symbolised Batley Bulldogs.  People related these colours to the club. Now we have again produced a red and white kit.  For how many seasons?  Is this now the official club colours?  I am afraid that, IMO, it makes us small time.  You do not see the likes of Halifax, Featherstone, (and dare I say it those from across the great divide) changing their club colours every few years.

Nothing really against the colours as we have played in red & white in 2000 and 2010 

but the training kit and off field gear could still be batley colours I agree 

[BatleyBird]

18 minutes ago, Keep The Faith said:

Nothing really against the colours as we have played in red & white in 2000 and 2010 

but the training kit and off field gear could still be batley colours I agree 

Agreed. I quite like the honouring of the ten year NRC anniversary with the red and white kit but the hoodies, gillets that I've seen are all blue. I really like them, dont get me wrong, but I would expect more gear in more 'traditional' colours to also be released. Hope so. 

[phildog]

It's a seasonal thing, we'll probably go back to the cerise and trim next year. Ax forvtge leisure wear, it's a pleasant change, we were running out of options design-wise in the cerise.

[bromleybulldog]

Well, as someone who first watched Batley in the 50s and 60s when the club played almost exclusively in cherry and white hoops, I like the new kit. Plus I was there at Blackpool in 2010 and this kit is a nice tribute to that great occasion.

[Batley Bob]

19 minutes ago, bromleybulldog said:

Well, as someone who first watched Batley in the 50s and 60s when the club played almost exclusively in cherry and white hoops, I like the new kit. Plus I was there at Blackpool in 2010 and this kit is a nice tribute to that great occasion.

I like the home kit , but hate the blue , it’s as bad as the green one we had for about 3 seasons 

[RogerT]

Red and White for me this year, the blue looks dingy. The wife says the blue one looks great.

[redditchbulldog]

when i started watching in 68 it was cherry and white hoops or all green as change strip , with cerise and fawn came in 79/80 when de la mer sponsored us , so i'm happy with cherry and white not too sure about the blue away shirt

[RPH]

I don't mind the red and white for a season

but not keen on the red white and pink.

 

[DOGFATHER]

I tend to agree with a lot of what you have posted Fred.

Although, just what our traditional colours are is very debatable. 

I would much rather we stuck to a set of colours/design too. I could understand it, when the club profited from the sale of shirts, change the design to increase seasonal sales....

However, it was rumoured that we do not get anything from replica sales in return for getting the playing/training gear supplied without cost. So I'm unsure if there is any incentive for changing them. Maybe it is part of the terms with Ravensport to change the design/colours annually to assist them to recoup there costs from supplying the players kit?

 The maroon and flame/orange has a tendency to look like a Huddersfield/Brisbane knock off, and red and white is too popular to build a brand around due to Oldham, Leigh, Wigan, Hull KR all sporting those colours.

Personally, I liked the colours of the shirt below as much as any we have ever had. It was different but a nod to the traditional and nothing like any other clubs.

If we were to pick a colour scheme and stick with it for good, to aid branding, I would go with that scheme, although you can't please everyone all of the time, and my views are unlikely to be shared by many.  

 

[Piggy's mate]

I've watched since early 90's and would say we don't have a specific set of colours/design like St Helen's or Losebury. I don't mind switching it round some I like some I don't, some I buy some I don't. I think our club, history and identity are more than just a colour or pattern

[beefy1]

On 29/11/2019 at 23:17, DOGFATHER said:

I tend to agree with a lot of what you have posted Fred.

Although, just what our traditional colours are is very debatable. 

I would much rather we stuck to a set of colours/design too. I could understand it, when the club profited from the sale of shirts, change the design to increase seasonal sales....

However, it was rumoured that we do not get anything from replica sales in return for getting the playing/training gear supplied without cost. So I'm unsure if there is any incentive for changing them. Maybe it is part of the terms with Ravensport to change the design/colours annually to assist them to recoup there costs from supplying the players kit?

 The maroon and flame/orange has a tendency to look like a Huddersfield/Brisbane knock off, and red and white is too popular to build a brand around due to Oldham, Leigh, Wigan, Hull KR all sporting those colours.

Personally, I liked the colours of the shirt below as much as any we have ever had. It was different but a nod to the traditional and nothing like any other clubs.

If we were to pick a colour scheme and stick with it for good, to aid branding, I would go with that scheme, although you can't please everyone all of the time, and my views are unlikely to be shared by many.  

 

There is nothing specific in the terms of the contract re: changing colours etc. but between myself and the club we thought it was a good idea to give a nod to the NRC winning season with it being a decade on. 
 

With the off-field gear, there are plans to expand the range and for that to include more items in the “traditional” colours (there is a set of training kit in maroon/amber online already), but I felt it had been a bit “samey” for the last 2/3 years so I decided to base the players range around the away colours for a change. You see more and more clubs going away from their traditional colours for their non-playing apparel and admittedly it is done with a hope of increasing sales but I also do think that it looks very smart. 
 

I know people refer to the club not getting anything from sales but without them we wouldn’t be able to offer the deal they have (which I’m sure they’re happy with). That being said it was important to have a bit of a change this season as I think this is our seventh year of supplying Batley and we’ve probably turned a profit in three or four of those years, with last year being particularly poor. Sometimes poor performances on the field can cause sales to be down, but I also take responsibility and needed to try something new. It may work, it may not. 
 

Please don’t take this as some kind of rant. I look on here because I appreciate all the feedback, good or bad and I feel that the members of this forum are very passionate about their club. I just wanted to use it to try and explain the decisions we make and how we come to them. I’d like to think I’m approachable, so if anyone sees me and you have ideas/suggestions/questions please feel free to come and have a chat. 

[Batley Bob]

We are just discussing , and you have done some great kits , and I totally understand the home kit , but the away kit , in my opinion , is a nice kit but  is a featherstone kit .no connection  to Our club identity 

The 2013 grand final shirt was ace , shame we only wore it once , and I really liked the yellow warm up shirt of last season , and yes I have ordered this years warm up shirt , I do appreciate most of the kits , but don’t see me walking round in a blue hoodie , sorry

[beefy1]

18 minutes ago, Batley Bob said:

We are just discussing , and you have done some great kits , and I totally understand the home kit , but the away kit , in my opinion , is a nice kit but  is a featherstone kit .no connection  to Our club identity 

The 2013 grand final shirt was ace , shame we only wore it once , and I really liked the yellow warm up shirt of last season , and yes I have ordered this years warm up shirt , I do appreciate most of the kits , but don’t see me walking round in a blue hoodie , sorry

No need to apologise. We can’t please everyone. Never will. As I said, I appreciate any feedback. 

[BatleyBird]

3 hours ago, Batley Bob said:

We are just discussing , and you have done some great kits , and I totally understand the home kit , but the away kit , in my opinion , is a nice kit but  is a featherstone kit .no connection  to Our club identity 

The 2013 grand final shirt was ace , shame we only wore it once , and I really liked the yellow warm up shirt of last season , and yes I have ordered this years warm up shirt , I do appreciate most of the kits , but don’t see me walking round in a blue hoodie , sorry

For me, the away kit is the chance to have a bit more freedom and artistic licence. I like the fact it changes fairly drastically and I love the blue kit. 

[9' oller]

Don't want to bag clubs honour of 10 yr nr cup anniversary or the totally new colour of away strip. Brett and rocky at ravensport via the board have tried something new and striking. They are damned if do damned if don't.

I would imagine very few fans this side of 50 associate the gallant youths with red and white. I've not enjoyed the shirts although my dad had the millennium bulldog kozzee shirt (i later sold onto kiwityke in new zealand) and I had the n.r cup shirt.

For the sake of identity and support something needs purchasing in 2020 but need to see the guys ripping it up first in each strip. The blue is brave and dynamic. Not a lover of rhinos or fev currently but the red stripes yuk

[fredm]

So given the views on here, am I to understand that people are happy with having a complete change of colours every few years?  That everyday Joe in the street isn't able to see a shirt and say "Thats a Bulldog"?

I wonder if the fans of Wigan would be happy having Blue and Gold shirts next year, or Hull KR having Black and White? etc.etc.  It is all about making the name of Batley Bulldogs synonymous with an identity.  We should be blasting the clubs identity all round the town - as per the other forum re Battler wearing the club colours.  Every citizen of the town and beyond should be able to readily identify with the one professional sports team that represents them.

Still if we must change every so often maybe we can change to Red, Amber and Black - they seem nice colours.

[RPH]

the question is...why did we wear the red and white strip for the 2010 final?...if we were the home team in the draw...and had not worn those colours for years...

I liked that cup final kit though.... red with narrow white hoops.....

I cannot remember seeing us play in Cherry and white....we played in recycled Wigan red and white….

 

[9' oller]

I remember being in filey a few year back and i had the batley coloured brisbane type shirt on. A Wigan fan was talking to me about giants. I was too embarrassed to say "you know this is batley bulldogs" perhaps he thought the bulldog looked like erol Crabtree.

I'd of only had one traditional I.e cerise and fawn with a radical alternative. This year both are out there.

Blue? Perhaps all black or gold

[Keep The Faith]

30 minutes ago, RPH said:

the question is...why did we wear the read and white strip for the 2010 final?...we were the home team in the draw...and had not worn those colours for years...

I liked that cup final kit though.... red with narrow white hoops.....

I cannot remember seeing us play in Cherry and white....we played in recycled Wigan red and white….

 

We wore red and white in 2000,2009,2010 

I thought the 2008 home kit wasn’t bad along with the black away kit 

[Dazzer]

On 29/11/2019 at 17:36, redditchbulldog said:

when i started watching in 68 it was cherry and white hoops or all green as change strip , with cerise and fawn came in 79/80 when de la mer sponsored us , so i'm happy with cherry and white not too sure about the blue away shirt

 Yeah was it a Bukta kit (The green one), that rings a bell. Also a solid red with a stripe down the arm (Bukta)

[redditchbulldog]

3 hours ago, Dazzer said:

 Yeah was it a Bukta kit (The green one), that rings a bell. Also a solid red with a stripe down the arm (Bukta)

the red with stripe down the arm was Bukta  which was paid for by supporters club as was most of the club strips around that time , not sure if green one was Bukta  i know it was unlucky as never seem to recollect us winning in the green shirt and know it set on fire when been laundered

[Batley Bob]

9 hours ago, Keep The Faith said:

We wore red and white in 2000,2009,2010 

I thought the 2008 home kit wasn’t bad along with the black away kit 

2009 was this beauti 

[Keep The Faith]

1 hour ago, Batley Bob said:

2009 was this beauti 

2008 that Bob 

 

2009 was red & white kit 

[Batley Bob]

Mcgilvary played for us in 2009

 

After signing for the Huddersfield Giants, McGillvary was sent out on loan to Batley Bulldogs for the 2009 Co-operative Championship, a season which saw him progress as a talent and earned him selection in the 2009 Championship team of the season.