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Castore kit has John McGinn looks less than flattering as he drips with sweat

Castore kit issues have Villa players in a sweat

By Andy PymontPosted on Posted in Aston Villa, Football Kits, Newcastle United

Aston Villa kit manufacturer Castore is at the centre of a growing story in recent weeks. Players and fans have raised concerns over the club’s kit retaining sweat. Some absolutely amazing images from recent matches against Legia Warsaw and Chelsea have shown players absolutely dripping wet.

The issue has got so bad that the team is now changing kits at half time during matches. Some players have raised concerns that the issue is negatively impacting their performances.

Not the first Castore issue

It’s not the first time that Castore have made headlines for the wrong reasons. The British kit manufacturer also currently produces Newcastle United’s kit. Fans have reported multiple issues with the manufacturer.

Late delivery, poor communication, errors with custom names and numbers, kits falling apart or badges and numbers falling off. You name it, and it has been an issue raised by Newcastle fans.

Newcastle have announced recently that adidas would take over as kit manufacturer from the 2024/2025 season. It’s safe to say that announcement has been a popular one with Newcastle supporters. That’s not all down to Castore. Newcastle fans have a positive image of adidas as they produced the kit for Kevin Keegan and Sir Bobby Robson’s teams. However, there’s no doubt that the issues with Castore have also played a part in the reception.

Castore became Newcastle’s kit manufacturer whilst Mike Ashley was owner. The Manchester-based firm had a big opportunity with the club’s takeover. They could have boosted their own image by being part of the club’s sudden rise in profile. However, fans have raised all the issues above both online and at fan forums with the new owners. This has set up a no-brainer, popular decision to switch from Castore to adidas.

WSL Concerns

For Aston Villa, however, there will have to be a different solution. Castore only became the manufacturer of Villa’s kit this summer, on a new multi-year deal. As a result, Aston Villa management are said to be working closely with Castore on the issues affecting the men’s team kit.

The issue seems to be coming to a head as the Women’s Super League season is about to kick off. Villa’s women’s team plays its opener against Manchester United this Saturday. BBC Two is televising that match live at 12:30pm. Unfortunately, Aston Villa women’s team are said to be dreading playing in the new kit. It’s an understandable reaction and has rightly increased attention on the Castore kit issues.

Value for Money

Aston Villa FC are not getting value for money from their Castore contract. For this issue to be affecting the men’s and women’s teams is unacceptable. At the highest level of the sport, the margins are very small. A small worry in the back of a player’s mind could make the difference when it matters most.

Fans also deserve value for money – replica kits are extremely expensive. When you buy a shirt for £70 you expect a quality garment that will last. The issues contribute to a perception that fans are being sold something cheap for a premium price.

Ultimately in this sports fashion world, your brand name is everything. This perception of a poor QA system could be very damaging for Castore. They will want to act quickly to avoid this becoming a bigger story than it already is.

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