Should shirt numbers be replaced?

[horsechoker]

Numbers have been around for centuries but are they dated? Shirt numbers no longer relate to position so what's the point?

Possible alternatives:

• The number spelled out
• Roman numerals
• Chinese characters
• Symbols (dragon, dog, Prince, yin-yang etc)
• A slogan/Nickname etc (Sancho - Big Day, Rashford - kid feeder)
• A picture (family photo, artwork whatever)

@GoranIvanisevic

 

[groovyalbert]

QR codes to sponsors websites/personal social media or nothing

 

[Siorac]

I think we should keep numbers but have them in binary or base 4 to really mess with people.

Or alternatively, instead of numbers we should use the corresponding menu item of the Chinese restaurant that's closest to the stadium. So if their 1. on the menu is King Prawns with Spring Onions, slap that on the back of the goalkeeper under his own name.

 

[Hectic]

In the not too distant grim future they will be replaced with the players Instagram.

 

[Damien]

Braille.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Wife on one side, mistress on the other.
Hopefully the two never meet.

 

[Tom Cato]

Numbers have been around for centuries but are they dated? Shirt numbers no longer relate to position so what's the point?

Possible alternatives:

• The number spelled out
• Roman numerals
• Chinese characters
• Symbols (dragon, dog, Prince, yin-yang etc)
• A slogan/Nickname etc (Sancho - Big Day, Rashford - kid feeder)
• A picture (family photo, artwork whatever)

@GoranIvanisevic

On-fabric screens with live fan commentary that also allows gifs and ASCII art

 

[PoTMS]

Sponsors $$$

 

[Can7onA]

Braille.

Damn it I was gonna go for that

 

[Peter van der Gea]

Binary code to attract the millennials

 

[Can7onA]

I think they should have their salary on the back.

 

[Ajr]

Amateur suggestions, players should wear RFID tags and when the referee scans the player with a yellow card etc it automatically gives them the card. Also they can be used for offside decisions

 

[tomaldinho1]

Individual sponsors for each player.

Would be hilarious to see Pogba and Rashford running round absolutely covered in logos like an F1 car only to be outdone by Phil Jones plastered head to toe with healthcare insurers.

 

[Ronaldo's ego]

Individual sponsors for each player.

Would be hilarious to see Pogba and Rashford running round absolutely covered in logos like an F1 car only to be outdone by Phil Jones plastered head to toe with healthcare insurers.

Fecking hell, that might actually happen one day.

 

[Pughnichi]

Just a full image, neck to waist, of their own head.

 

[JB08]

Fecking hell, that might actually happen one day.

It happens at Bristol City, a lot of the local businesses around here sponsor the individual players. Whenever they are mentioned on the screen in the stadium, on the club website etc. you have the business’s name. Not on the shirts yet, however

 

[pacifictheme]

Every summer you can pin point the exact point where its been too long since the last united match.

 

[diarm]

Just a full image, neck to waist, of their own head.

Or their agents head and phone number.

Once they nail flexible screen tech, we can have Raiola flouncing about on Pogbas back, winking at us like the fat lady painting in the Harry Potter books.

What a time to be alive.

 

[Wonder Pigeon]

The fact that United have already sorted their big transfer muppet friendly signing of the summer has clearly driven some of you around the bend.

 

[Ekeke]

poem

 

[Spoony]

Numbers have been around for centuries but are they dated? Shirt numbers no longer relate to position so what's the point?

Possible alternatives:

• The number spelled out
• Roman numerals
• Chinese characters
• Symbols (dragon, dog, Prince, yin-yang etc)
• A slogan/Nickname etc (Sancho - Big Day, Rashford - kid feeder)
• A picture (family photo, artwork whatever)

@GoranIvanisevic

Symbols would be great. I wonder what symbol we'd have for CR7#....

 

[Salt Bailly]

Every player should represent an animal to spice up the commentary.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Fecking hell, that might actually happen one day.

Oh for sure. Holograms, individual music/adverts depending on who scores, probably some kind of VR interaction for fans at home…football will look vastly different in a decade or two.

 

[Van Piorsing]

Could also use neon outfits, so the match could look more like movie Tron. After all it's almost 2022.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Is this thread serious?

Is this post serious?

 

[Sunny Jim]

A player number should be expressed as some mathemetical operation. For instance DDG’s number is represented as 0! (=1). Kids would learn Math with more pleasure

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

No, but clubs and players should be more flexible about squad numbers. I think that just because you get a certain number when you sign doesn't mean you should keep it forever until you leave. It should be evaluated every pre-season.

Youth players often get a better number in their 2nd or 3rd season. It should work the other way. If you've got the #9 shirt and you're not the starting centre forward anymore, you lose it.