We’ll keep the red socks flying here

You may have a feeling, but do you have the facts? In this data-driven world you need numbers to back up the vibe. Jack Sargent, eager to drive Barrow from his brain, did some crunching and has a clear message for the board – sort out your sock drawer.

Hey, you wanna know why it’s important? Here’s Pat Bell’s two-footed dive into the history of GTFC’s socks and real story of the genesis of the great debate.

Umbro and Luke Matthews who designed this season’s kit have done a great job. I love kits, and it’s the best kit we’ve had for ages, apart from the white socks on the home kit. I much prefer the red socks. We are statistically better in red socks and, I’m sure the fashionista football fans will agree, I’d say we also look better. It’s time to revive Cod Almighty’s CAMRED – the campaign for red socks.

Let’s look at the stats. Since we adopted the famous black and white stripes in the 1910/11 season, we’ve worn black socks in 41 seasons, red in 41 seasons and white in 27 seasons.

We’ve been promoted four times wearing black socks, including three times as division champions, but we’ve also been relegated 10 times wearing black socks. In a quarter of the seasons we’ve worn black socks, we have been relegated.

Wearing white socks, which were first worn in the 1962/63 season, we’ve been promoted four times, once as champions, and relegated three times; the last season we wore white socks, prior to this season, was in 2009/10 when we were relegated.

In 2020/21, the socks were half white and half black, and we were relegated.

We’ve suffered back-to-back relegations in black socks twice; achieved back-to-back promotions once in white and once in red socks.

We’ve been promoted six times wearing red socks, including once as champions, and only relegated twice. In our first season wearing red socks in 1934/35 we achieved our highest ever finish – fifth in the top flight. We also recorded our best ever run in the FA Cup in red socks, twice reaching the semi-finals, in 1936 and again in 1939. Heady days for the Mariners. We’ve finished as champions in two seasons wearing red socks.

I would argue that the stats favour the reds socks, and they’re more aesthetically pleasing than black or white socks. Additionally, a red trim on the kit and red socks set us apart from other teams who don the black and white stripes.

Newcastle mainly wears black socks, occasionally white. Notts County have a fair mix of black or white season to season. St. Mirren go for black or white but have once worn red socks. Further afield, Juventus usually have white shorts and socks but occasionally have both in black. In red, we are more often than not unmatched.

I’ll admit it probably comes down to the players who are wearing them, but the stats favour the red socks. I’m not saying our inconsistent home form is solely down to the white socks, but they should foot some responsibility. I’m calling for a mid-season sock swap. If we change to red socks now, the mood around BP might just lift and we could push for the play-offs.