FEATURE - Melchester Rovers Change Strips

Melchester Rovers fans never got to see the team play in an away kit until their FA Cup 5th Round tie away at Weston Villa in 1974. Villa wore red and white hooped jerseys, so Rovers opted for a plain blue shirt with white shorts and socks. These were exciting times!

Through the 70s Rovers would largely prefer the blue jerseys, however for the match away at Eastgate in 1975/76, they debuted an all yellow outfit with black numbers on the sleeves. Away at Oldfield in 1977, the neat blue shirt with white collar also sported what appears to be the Melchester coat of arms and not the Rovers badge of the time.

All yellow would return in 1980/81, with smart red trims. This kit was worn away at Bradport and for the last time in the pre-season tournament in Scotland against Blackton Wanderers.

The Gola kits from 1981/82 supplied a smart white shirt with red hoop and blue shorts. The Gola branded kit was never seen in action, while its logo free brother wasn't worn until the pre-season of the 1985/86 season when the Melchester Past XI wore the strip against the Rovers first team.

The next away strip was worn twice. A neat white shirt with red trim and red shorts saw action at Rotherton and in the FA Cup Semi-Final against Weston Villa.

Unfortunately fans weren't given a glimpse of any away strip in the late 80s. The next outfit, however, was a cracker. Designed for and voted for by fans, the 1991/92 SEGA logo decorated and the all white with red and yellow trimmed design. It looked just as good, if not better with the TSB logo the following season.

White with yellow and red trims would remain the colours of choice until the 2000/01 season. The Subbuteo sponsored shirts by Umbro had some lovely features including the famous stringed collar.

The final Rovers away shirt is perhaps the best, the red chevron bringing a rugby league look to Rovers on the road.

During the 50s and 60s Rovers were never pictured playing an official match in their change strips. However, they did conduct many practice and reserve matches in their alternative colours. These were of course the preferred away strips of the time.

*Two other possible designs are included here. A reverse of the famous 1973-79 home kit and the Gola branded away kit of 1981/82. While no Rovers players were every pictured wearing the kits, historical evidence suggests there is a chance they did exist.

Finally, Rovers produced two special European designs. As this feature is on "change" strips these two must also be included. Firstly in 1978/79 for their UEFA Cup run, a strip that shocked the Rovers crowd, the white shirts, shorts and red socks first worn against Real Varagosa. Then in a move designed to rinse fans, in 1999/2000 Roy introduced two new signings, Per Enqvist and David Gates alongside their "European" kit, which may be considered the second most outrageous Rovers kit ever, behind the yellow and red star kit of 1996/97.