Newly leaked images thought to be the official Newcastle shirt for the 2019/2020 season surfaced on social media this week.
The shirt in the photos is almost identical to those leaked a number of weeks ago, leading fans to believe it must be genuine.
Many supporters criticised the design, which featured two broad white stripes on the front, and a plain, black back.
But fears were eased, somewhat, when the Chronicle’s Newcastle Editor, Mark Douglas, tweeted to say the photo is not the final version.
The lack of stripes on the back had been a particular gripe for supporters. But according to Douglas, the official shirt-back will not be all black.
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Of course, shirts with a predominantly plain back are not a new concept for Newcastle. But in the past, they have had a plain square, with the stripes continuing beneath it.
UEFA, believe it or not, has guidelines for football kits, and although not mandatory, they request that clubs adhere to them, if possible.
On page 18 of the 2018 UEFA Equipment Regulations, it states that shirts have a “number zone” — an area “reserved exclusively for the shirt number”.
While page 22 states numbers must be “a single colour that contrasts with the number zone” and be “clearly legible”.
Fans remain unhappy with the new shirt design
If the shirt is anything like the leaked image, it seems it still has a long way to go to win over the fans.