mushy wrote:
I agree its ambiguous, sometimes they describe just the shirt and sometimes the whole kit, its all a bit random I am afraid.
My policy has been to note down any reference to the kit no matter how small, although the vermillion quote from the other day was as regards the socks, well thats the way I read it.
Ironworks I will be going back to the library, was hoping to go today but not sure if I can fit it in.
Are we happy with season 1897-98 or is it just the 1896-97 season that is in doubt?
And are we all happy now with the 1930 Arse home/away cup game?
Hi Mushy, don't sweat on any of this, all in whatever time suits you, if it takes us longer rather than shorter then so be it.
It's clear that there's no history of the colours that's ever been written, there's plenty of histories of the club that mention colours in passing but that's not the same thing.
The way gaps open up the moment that you've just plugged one, and bits get added on what somebodies said in a book but you can't find any really good original source for, and then one source says one thing yet another source says something that completely contradicts it, its a nightmare....
The more I think about it the more a proper history of the colours is needed, and one that when its states a colour gives a reference with it saying East Ham Echo, 1st June 1900, can be found in Stratford library. Only in that way are things ever going to get properly nailed down....
It'll take some writing, it'll be like a Masters dissertation, but I'm game. I've had a lot of enjoyment out of West Ham over the years and I'll look at it as putting some value back....
The library. Look for anything from 1896/7 because essentially we havn't got a single primary source for that year, nothing, not even a photo. The team were City of London League division one runners up and West Ham Charity Cup runners up too, so it was a reasonably successful season that should have been well reported.
1898/9 would be useful but again don't sweat on it, to be honest anything from 1895/6 right through to 1899/1900 would be useful if were going to write the reference book on it....
The 1930 FA Cup tie is a passing interest only consideration, was it at the Boleyn or at Highbury ? If you look the cup tie was on 1st March 1930, but there was also a home league game against Arsenal the very next week on 8th march to be aware of....
Take it easy Mushy there's no rush, we'll sort it eventually.