English FA to block unpopular changes to football team colours

London: Aiming to protect football club traditions, the English Football Association gave itself power to block changes to home jersey colours and badges that are unpopular with fans.

Any proposed changes must pass extensive consultation with fans who are proven to have season tickets or attend a certain number of home games, the FA said in a statement.

“The aim of the new rules is to put supporters at the heart of the decision-making process regarding these important club heritage matters,” said the FA, which can “take appropriate action, such as ordering a club to revert back to a previous crest or home shirt colour combination.”

Blue to red

A notorious standoff between a club and its fans a decade ago saw Cardiff change from a blue shirt to red for two years.

In a similar case, the FA intervened in 2014 to stop Hull’s owners from rebranding the then-Premier League team as Hull Tigers.

The FA said the new rules follow talks with the Football Supporters Association and will apply in the top five divisions of the men’s game and two tiers of women’s football.