INSTITUTE: Fans not happy with new Northern Ireland kit

The blue and green kit has sparked a backlash among fans across the country following the big reveal on Monday.

Institute and NI supporter Dean Nutt, said: “I was under the impression they were the green and white army not the green and blue army.

“I think they are missing the one chance at this. This is the first time in 30 years Northern Ireland and hopefully they will have a chance to put this right. I don’t even know what the blue is supposed to symbolise.”

Mr Nutt said that all the other tops unveiled by Adidas were symbolic and recognisable, but not Northern Ireland’s.

Bill Anderson, chairman of Institute, was similarly unimpressed.

“It’s a miss with me. I don’t mind the blue shoulder features- the only bit I feel doesn’t help is the blue bar across the front. That’s the main issue for me,” said Mr Anderson.

“But I suppose at the end of the day it’s how the players play is the most important thing,” he added.

Russell King, Secretary of the Londonderry Branch of the Northern Ireland Supporters Club, isn’t overly fussed.

“To me it’s like a training top and they have got the two-tone blue from the away rig but personally I think it should be all green. They play in green most of the time.

“In saying that if it is bought for Christmas I’ll wear it. Jerseys don’t win games and I’d say the younger boys will like it and the older hands will not.”

The new Northern Ireland Home kit for 2015/16 is now available to pre-order exclusively from JD Sports, www.jdsports.co.uk/Northern-Ireland, and will be available instore and online early in December.